Altitudinal gradient in the distribution of bats in Cuba

Bats are the second most diverse group of mammals whose importance lies mainly in their ecological functions within the ecosystem. In Pico San Juan, there are no studies that compare species composition at different altitudinal ranges. The objective of the present work was to identify and compare the bat assemblages distributed at a regional altitudinal scale. The monitoring was conducted for three consecutive nights during the month of September 2018 in three altitudinal ranges: 600 m, 800 m, 1100 m, which are located in the municipality of Cumanayagua, Cienfuegos province, south-central Cuba. Three 9-meter mist nets were used for the identification of bat species. Eleven bat species were identified, belonging to four families and 10 genera, representing 42.3% of the chiropterofauna for Cuba and 57.9% for Guamuhaya. The best represented trophic guild was the insectivores (6 species). It was demonstrated that species richness is influenced by the altitudinal gradient, which is responsible for the heterogeneity of the landscape in Pico San Juan.