REPRODUCTIVE SEASONALITY AND DEVELOPMENT OF ANOURA-GEOFFROYI (CHIROPTERA, PHYLLOSTOMIDAE) IN CENTRAL BRAZIL

We studied a colony of Anoura geoffroyi (Chiroptera, Phyllostomidae) i n a cerrado area near Brasilia, DF, central Brazil. The bats were nett ed at the mouth of a cave during 15 nights between May 1992 and May 19 93. This species presented a seasonally monestrous reproductive patter n. Births occurred at the beginning of the dry season, and the lactati on period was synchronous with the flowering of two species of Pseudob ombax (Bombacaceae). The sex ratio of adults was female biased during most of the year, but for young and juveniles it was 1:1. Young A. geo ffroyi started flying alone with 50-60% of body mass and 90% of forear m length of the mother. The forearm length increased faster than weigh t, enabling the bats to start flying alone as soon as possible.