Bats in a Cerrado landscape of Northern Brazil: species occurrence, influence of environmental heterogeneity and seasonality, and eight new records for the State of Tocantins

Patterns of bat distribution in Cerrado can be influenced by habitat heterogeneity and seasonal variation. We described the bat fauna in Cerrado landscape during an environment-monitoring program in Tocantins State, Northern Brazil. Additionally, we tested the influence of habitat heterogeneity and seasonality on the abundance and species richness of Phyllostomidae in this region by Generalized Linear Mixed Models. In 2010, we sampled 40 nights (rainy and dry seasons) in four vegetation types of Cerrado biome. Taxonomic identification was based on measurements and qualitative diagnostics. With a sampling effort of 43,965 m(2).h, we captured 274 bats of 30 species, 22 genera and six families. Carollia perspicillata was the most abundant species captured. Colinas do Tocantins municipality was richer than Goiantins (26 and 19 species respectively). The best model for abundance was the interaction between heterogeneity and seasonality and the best model for richness was a mix between these two variables. We registered eight new species for the Tocantins including three species considered threatened with extinction at national level and one at global level. Such results highlight that this region is important for new investigations on the Cerrado biome.