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A novel species of coccidia, resembling a member of the genus Eimeria, was found in bats, Scotophilus leucogaster, collected in southern Saudi Arabia has been described on the basis of unsporulated oocysts and DNA sequencing of the Internal Transcribed Spacer 1 (ITS1) and partial 18S rDNA regions. Unsporulated oocysts of this form are ovoidal to spheroidal and had a 2-layered wall, 1.5–2.0 (1.9 ± 0.2); the outer layer was light blue with striations, and thicker than the inner, darker layer. No micropyle was present. Unsporulated oocysts (N = 150) measured 27.2 × 22.1 (25–30 × 20–25), length width ratio, 1.2 (1.1–1.4). There was no evidence of an oocyst residuum and/or polar granule. This parasite was detected in 2/7 (29%) S. leucogaster collected from southern Saudi Arabia. Oocysts incubated at 25 °C in 2.5% K2Cr2O7 did not sporulate after > 1 month. Unsporulated oocyst measurements were compared with other coccidian parasites of bats that discharge oocysts in their feces. Sequences of the ITS1 and the 18S rDNA regions obtained from the unsporulated oocysts grouped this coccidium from S. leucogaster with eimerian species from various rodent and squirrel species. It is critical that future investigators obtain fully sporulated oocysts of this coccidium for full description of the parasite recovered in our study so it can be correctly assigned to genus and given an accurate binomial.

Bats are the only flying mammals and have well developed navigation abilities for 3D-space. Even bats with comparatively small home ranges cover much larger territories than rodents, and long-distance migration by some species is unique among small mammals. Adult proliferation of neurons, i.e., adult neurogenesis, in the dentate gyrus of rodents is thought to play an important role in spatial memory and learning, as indicated by lesion studies and recordings of neurons active during spatial behavior. Assuming a role of adult neurogenesis in hippocampal function, one might expect high levels of adult neurogenesis in bats, particularly among fruit- and nectar-eating bats in need of excellent spatial working memory. The dentate gyrus of 12 tropical bat species was examined immunohistochemically, using multiple antibodies against proteins specific for proliferating cells (Ki-67, MCM2), and migrating and differentiating neurons (Doublecortin, NeuroD). Our data show a complete lack of hippocampal neurogenesis in nine of the species (Glossophaga soricina, Carollia perspicillata, Phyllostomus discolor, Nycteris macrotis, Nycteris thebaica, Hipposideros cyclops, Neoromicia rendalli, Pipistrellus guineensis, and Scotophilus leucogaster), while it was present at low levels in three species (Chaerephon pumila, Mops condylurus and Hipposideros caffer). Although not all antigens were recognized in all species, proliferation activity in the subventricular zone and rostral migratory stream was found in all species, confirming the appropriateness of our methods for detecting neurogenesis. The small variation of adult hippocampal neurogenesis within our sample of bats showed no indication of a correlation with phylogenetic relationship, foraging strategy, type of hunting habitat or diet. Our data indicate that the widely accepted notion of adult neurogenesis supporting spatial abilities needs to be considered carefully. Given their astonishing longevity, certain bat species may be useful subjects to compare adult neurogenesis with other long-living species, such as monkeys and humans, showing low rates of adult hippocampal neurogenesis.

Background Despite their abundance and ecological importance, bats are under significant threat worldwide. There is little information about their distribution, roosting, and habitat requirement for most species, making assessing which species is threatened or in need of special conservation measures difficult. The knowledge gap may partly be due to limitations of the old methods of studying bats which mainly involved capture/or observational techniques. Material and methods In order to evaluate the potential of identifying insectivorous bats by their echolocation calls in the Sahelian zone of northern Cameroon, 65 bats belonging to five species were captured using standard mist netting: Mops condylurus , Chaerephon major , Mops niveiventer , Scotophilus dinganii , and Scotophilus leucogaster . The bats were identified by using morphometric measurements. An Anabat SD1 detector was later used to record echolocation calls of each individual bat in flight after it was hand-released. The sonogram of each individual bat was analyzed using Analook and categorized into two call types (frequency modulation and frequency modulation/quasi constant frequency) in order to develop a library of bat reference calls that could be used for a qualitative acoustic survey and species identification. Discriminant function analysis (DFA) was applied to search phase calls of the 65 individual bats in order to evaluate the potential for classifying calls into five species groups. Seven parameters calculated from each search phase call were used to classify calls. Results Bats where place into two groups according to the structure of calls: FM bats ( Mops condylurus , Chaerephon major , Mops niveiventer ) and FM/QCF bats ( Scotophilus dinganii and Scotophilus leucogaster ). The DFA resulted in a correct overall classification of 69.7%. Conclusion This preliminary study showed that DFA of call parameters is a feasible method that can be used to identify insectivorous bats in the region by their echolocation calls.