Fig 1.
A. The geographical location of the cave at the Parque Nacional do Catimbau [Catimbau National Park], Tupanatinga municipality, Pernambuco state, Brazil. B. Cave sketch showing the entrance (E), presence of guano (#), and the four sampling points (1, 2, 3, and 4). The cave sketch was based on one drawn by the CECAV/ICMBio-MMA, Brazil.
Fig 2.
Meu Rei bat cave at the Parque Nacional do Catimbau [Catimbau National Park], Pernambuco state, Brazil.
A. Outside frontal view of the cave. B. Detail of the cave entrance. C. Petri dishes that were used to sample airborne fungi at sampling point 2 (cave floor comprised soil and guano). D. Sampling point 4 showing cave floor covered with bat guano. E. Sample collection of fungi from the wing membrane of Diphylla ecaudata. F. Sample collection of fungi from the oral cavity of D. ecaudata. G. Frugivorous guano of Carollia perspicillata (some seeds can be seen). H. Haematophagous guano of D. ecaudata on a rock (fungal mycelia were observed colonising the guano). Photos were taken by A.O.B. Cunha, E. Barbier, and N.T. Pimentel.
Fig 3.
Mean number of colonies (CFU) observed in the samples that were collected to determine airborne fungi (A), those on bats (B), and those found in the guano (C) from the Meu Rei bat cave, Catimbau National Park, Caatinga dry forest, Pernambuco state, North-eastern region, Brazil. Cp = Carollia perspicillata and De = Diphylla ecaudata. F = fresh and NF = non-fresh guano. Different minuscule letter on the bars differ by the Tukey’s test at 5% probability (A); lowercase and uppercase letters on the bars differ by the Tukey’s test at 5% probability (B and C).
Fig 4.
Phylogenetic diversity of filamentous fungi isolates using ITS rDNA sequences.
Bayesian inference tree of ITS sequences from fungal isolates of Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, and Mucoromycota found as airborne and isolated from bats and guano in the Meu Rei bat cave, Catimbau National Park, Pernambuco state, North-eastern region, Brazil. Isolates obtained in this study are in bold. Septoglomus constrictum (08-48-12 and 08-48-17) was used as the outgroup.
Fig 5.
Phylogenetic diversity of yeasts isolates using LSU (D1/D2 domains) rDNA sequences.
Bayesian inference tree of LSU sequences from isolates of yeasts from the Ascomycota and Basidiomycota phyla that were isolated from bats in the Meu Rei bat cave, Catimbau National Park, Pernambuco state, North-eastern region, Brazil. Isolates obtained in this study are in bold. Neurospora sitophila (CBS 112.19) was used as the outgoup.
Fig 6.
Fungal species observed and estimated (Chao 1, Chao 2, Jackknife 1, Jackknife 2, and Bootstrap) for air (A), bats (B), and guano (C) in the Meu Rei bat cave, Catimbau National Park, Caatinga dry forest, Pernambuco state, North-eastern region, Brazil.
Table 1.
List of fungal taxa isolated from air, bat (oral cavity, fur, and wing membrane), and guano in the Meu Rei bat cave, Catimbau National Park, Pernambuco state, North-eastern region, Brazil.
Fig 7.
Fungal communities in the different microhabitats on the body of bats.
Fungal richness (A) and taxa distribution (B) associated with different microhabitats (oral cavity, fur, and wing membrane) of the bats Carollia perspicillata (Cp) and Diphylla ecaudata (De) in the Meu Rei bat cave, Catimbau National Park, Pernambuco state, North-eastern region, Brazil.
Fig 8.
Fungal genera that were found on bats.
Selected fungal genera exclusively associated with different microhabitats (oral cavity, fur, and wing membrane) of the bats Carollia perspicillata and Diphylla ecaudata in the Meu Rei bat cave, Catimbau National Park, Pernambuco state, North-eastern region, Brazil. Fungal illustrations were mainly redrawn from the book “The Genera of Hyphomycetes”.