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Abstract Understanding biodiversity patterns as well as drivers of population declines, and range losses provides crucial baselines for monitoring and conservation. However, the information needed to evaluate such trends remains unstandardised and sparsely available for many taxonomic groups and habitats, including the cave-dwelling bats and cave ecosystems. We developed the DarkCideS 1.0 ( https://darkcides.org/ ), a global database of bat caves and species synthesised from publicly available information and datasets. The DarkCideS 1.0 is by far the largest database for cave-dwelling bats, which contains information for geographical location, ecological status, species traits, and parasites and hyperparasites for 679 bat species are known to occur in caves or use caves in part of their life histories. The database currently contains 6746 georeferenced occurrences for 402 cave-dwelling bat species from 2002 cave sites in 46 countries and 12 terrestrial biomes. The database has been developed to be collaborative and open-access, allowing continuous data-sharing among the community of bat researchers and conservation biologists to advance bat research and comparative monitoring and prioritisation for conservation.
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Population records reveal expanded habitat preference for the endemic, predaceous Jamaican fungus gnat Neoditomyia farri (Diptera, Keroplatidae)
Abstract The predaceous fly Neoditomyia farri Coher is currently regarded as having an unknown population distribution in Jamaica. The larvae are known for their production of sticky “fishing lines” that are covered in adhesive droplets for prey capture and hang down from cave walls and ceilings. Published research beyond early observational records of the species is limited to one site—Dromilly Cave in the parish of Trelawny. The Jamaican Caves Organisation has observed larvae of the species at 26 caves visited over the last 2 decades and compiled a database with details of approximate numbers, internal and external environmental conditions, and accurate positions. Based on these records, we present evidence that the species is not cave obligate and describe factors that may suggest potential additional sites where the species can be found. Taken together, our observations paint a picture of a species which is ubiquitous and not under discernible threat, making it an excellent candidate for further research on its unique life history and behavior, which remain poorly understood.
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- Award ID(s):
- 2113666
- PAR ID:
- 10556038
- Publisher / Repository:
- Oxford University Press
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Journal of Insect Science
- Volume:
- 24
- Issue:
- 6
- ISSN:
- 1536-2442
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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