Natural and artificial roosts of Bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera) in the low forest in Northwestern Peru

Here we describe the bat roosts found in an area of the Amazon forest around the locality of Iquitos in Loreto Departament, Peru. Natural habitats were surveyed during the day by walking, and with the help of censuses made to local dwellers; in urban and suburban areas the bats were detected by checking in buildings and bridges where the specimens were previously observed. At natural roosts, not modified by bats, the specimens were observed resting on trees or logs, inside treeholes, fallen trunks, among palm leaves, streams on the floor among roots. The species found in these shelters belonged to the families Emballonuridae and Phyllostomidae. In roosts modified by bats we recorded species of the family Phyllostomidae living on bifid tents, inverted boat tents, and conical tents, as well as in termite mounds. The artificial shelters detected were mostly buildings, some bridges and a vessel, where we have found members of the families Emballonuridae, Noctilionidae, Phyllostomidae, Molossidae and Vespertilionidae. At some localities the roosts were shared by specimens of different species, genera and even families; species that often share shelters are members of genera Carollia and Glossophaga.