DETERMINATION OF INDIVIDUAL AGE, POSTNATA L-GROWTH AND PRECOCIOUS ONTOGENY OF CAROLLIA-PERSPICILLATA (L, 1758) (CHIROPTERA, PHYLLOSTOMIDAE)

An approach, which does not require the frequent and regular capture o f young of a known age, has led to the formulation of a growth model f or estimating the age of young (0-60 day old) Carollia perspicillata ( L., 1758) (Phyllostomidae) living in the rain forest in French Guiana. Two anatomical criteria were successively used: the length of the for earm until it reaches 36 mm (0-20 days) and the length of cartilage in the third metacarpal-phalangeal joint (20-60 days). At 20 days, adult size was almost reached. Linear growth of the forearm from birth unti l that time proceeded at 0.65 mm/day. This method made it possible to time the appearance of some behavioural traits in the young. Newborns weighed on average 4.8 g, i.e. 27% of their mother's weight. Young wer e carried around in flight by their mothers until 25 days old, by whic h time they weighed 57% of the mother's weight. They first learnt to f ly at that time. The dentition gradually changed from the 20th to the 30th day. At 45 days, the young were captured on their own on the fora ging sites, where they fed on fruit. This chronology was compared to t hat obtained on individuals of the same species in captivity published by Kleiman et Davis (1979).