BULLETIN FLORIDA STATE MUSEUM


to minimize interspecific interference from crowding at resource trees.
This is evident especially when single trees are in fruit near capture
sites where two or more species are found with feces from the same
fruits. Indeed, there were instances when only a few trees of a given
species were in fruit on BCI and all fig specialists were known to be
eating such fruits. Reduced crowding at resource trees presumably is
important in permitting efficient feeding and in making these bats less
obvious to arboreal and aerial predators (Humphrey and Bonaccorso
1978, Morrison in press).
 A similar pattern of offsetting major activity peaks should be ex-
pected in the small canopy frugivores, which feed heavily on Ficus
yoponensis and F. popenoaei. Figure 7 shows that V. pusilla is more ac-
tive in the first two hours after sunset, and C. villosum is most active
later in the night. Small sample sizes prevent a similar comparison of
other small fig specialists.
 Artibeus phaeotis, the feeding generalist, has a more even distribu-
tion of activity through the night than any other canopy frugivore
(Fig. 7). Many of the fruits eaten by A. phaeotis are not eaten by other
stenodermine bats, and it need not compromise its feeding times to
avoid resource trees crowded with other bat species.

 25- Artibeus phaeotus N=132
 --- Vampyressa pusilla N=39
 ........ Chiroderma villosum N=28

! 20-
CL ..... .........



 I '
 0.1

0, /

o I
LUI
C\
I / .... ,
( I, \ /\


 0 2 4 6 8 10 12
 HOURS AFTER SUNSET
FIGURE 7.-Frequency of capture through the night as a measure of flight activity for
three small canopy frugivorous species.


Vol. 24, No. 4