Ciclo reprodutivo dos machos de Myotis lavali e Molossus molossus (Mammalia: Chiroptera) em um fragmento de mata atlântica, nordeste do Brasil

Abstract

Bats have peculiar reproductive aspects that evolved in order to adapt to different environmental and climatic conditions. One of the criteria for the understanding about the reproductive biology in bats is the testicular and epididymal morphophysiology. Molossus molossus and Myotis lavali are insectivorous bats, and studies on the reproductive biology of these species are scarce, especially in the Northeast of Brazil. Therefore, it was analyzed the testicular and epididymal histomorphometry as well as testosterone levels of M. molossus and M. lavali from a fragment of Atlantic Forest located between the cities of Tamandaré and Rio Formoso-PE. In total, 23 adult males of M. molossus were studied, being 10 for dry months and 13 for rainy months. Besides that, 34 adult males of M. lavali were analyzed (22 in dry months and 12 in rainy months). After Anesthesia, blood samples were collected to testosterone dosage. Subsequently, the testicles and epididymides were fixed in 10% buffered formalin, and submitted to the routine histological techniques. For the testicles, the following histomorphometric parameters were evaluated: the tubular and intertubular areas, quantification of spermatocytes, rounded and elongated spermatids, Sertoli cells and Leydig cells, while in the epididymis: the tubular, luminal and epithelial areas from the head, body and tail. The results indicated that M. molossus presented higher averages for the tubular and intertubular areas, rounded and elongated spermatids, Leydig cells and testosterone levels. In the epididymis, the tubular, luminal and epithelial areas were larger in rainy months. On the other hand, M. lavali exhibited increased tubular and intertubular areas, number of elongated spermatids, Sertoli cells, Leydig cells and testosterone levels as well as tubular, luminal and epithelial area of the head and tail of the epididymis during the rainy season. Physiologically, males of both species have a high investment in the final stages of spermatogenesis and in the concentration of testosterone. Furthermore, the two species have a greater capacity to store spermatozoa in the region of the tail of epididymis, which relates to the reproductive strategy developed by bats for storage. Although both species exhibit a continuous spermatogenic cycle, it is noted that they adjust their reproduction for the rainy months.