Papers by Carlos H. Cáceres-Martínez
Therya notes, Jun 5, 2025
Leucism, xanthism, and piebaldism are genetic conditions that generate deficiency in animal melan... more Leucism, xanthism, and piebaldism are genetic conditions that generate deficiency in animal melanin deposits or hypopigmentation, which can manifest in the total or partial absence of pigmentation in the integumentary tissue. In Colombia, there are few records of this condition in mammals such as bats and rodents. Nevertheless, this condition also occurs in mustelids, and the information is scarce for any biogeographic region of Colombia. We used data derived from different surveys with camera trap studies across 5 departments in 2 biogeographic regions in Colombia (Andean and Orinoco). The species was identified by external characteristics and the color aberrations following specialized literature. With a sampling effort of 11,015 camera/days, and one ad libitum observation, we described 10 independent records of hypopigmentation in tayras which might be related to leucism, xanthism, and piebaldism. In addition, other abnormalities such as taillessness and light gray coloration were found. Our records constitute the first documented cases of hypopigmentation of tayras in Colombia and analyzed evidence of potential anomalies in wild populations living in transformed habitats. We intended to highlight these particular colors of the phenotypes in the species as a possible consequence of genetic mutations and environmental pressures. Finally, we also complement some aspects of their natural history.
En los años ochenta la Institución dio el salto hacia la formación profesional en otros campos de... more En los años ochenta la Institución dio el salto hacia la formación profesional en otros campos del saber, etapa que inició a finales de esa década con el programa de Tecnología de Alimentos.
Therya
Remnants of Tropical Dry Forest persist in urban and peri-urban areas and are essential for maint... more Remnants of Tropical Dry Forest persist in urban and peri-urban areas and are essential for maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem services. However, the challenges facing the conservation of these respective forests have intensified with the encroachment of the urban frontier, mining activities, deforestation, and cattle ranching. In this context, our study aims to estimate the diversity of the order Chiroptera and characterize the diet of the family Phyllostomidae. This approach allows us to gain insights into the ecological dynamics and assess the status of Tropical Dry Forest fragments located within the urban and peri-urban areas of Cúcuta, Colombia. Field sampling was conducted from January to September 2018, with a total sampling effort of 2,160 hours/meter/net. Bats were sexed, morphometrically characterized, and had their feces collected for diet analysis before being tagged and released. We identified three families, nine genera, and 11 species. A total of 276 indivi...
Journal for Nature Conservation, 2025
Andean bear (Tremarctos ornatus) is the largest mammal species of the Tropical Andes, although in... more Andean bear (Tremarctos ornatus) is the largest mammal species of the Tropical Andes, although in Colombia, information about habitat selection of the species is scarce. Here we present the first systematic effort for understanding Andean bear landscape selection in Tamá Massif between Venezuela and Colombia. Our study aimed to understand how Andean bears select certain habitat types and the influence of human and landscape variables over use probabilities in a mixed natural-intervened matrix. Between June 2012 and May 2015, we surveyed the Colombian side of the Tamá Massif, around Tamá National Natural Park (TNNP), using repeated line transects inside and outside of the TNNP. Distance to towns and roads, human density, distance to natural covers, distance to protected areas, distance to rivers, and elevation, explained site selection. Both elevation and human density were the most important variables, affecting positively (higher elevations) and negatively (higher human density) bear presence, respectively. Our results highlight that Paramo habitats are selected over other types of ecosystems for the species. Our resource selection approach provides clues on how bears use space and serves as the basis for long-term monitoring to understand what cues drive Andean bears to select habitats, bringing new tools for the management of the species in Colombia and Venezuela.
Mammalogy notes, 2024
The giant anteater, Myrmecophaga tridactyla(Mammalia: Pilosa: Myrmecophagidae), is the only livi... more The giant anteater, Myrmecophaga tridactyla(Mammalia: Pilosa: Myrmecophagidae), is the only living member of this genus and is restricted to Central and South America. It is currently listed as a Vulnerable species (VU); however, in several countries, it has already been declared extinct. In Colombia, its distribution pattern is fragmented and increasingly reduced throughout the country. Due to its importance and state of vulnerability, it is important to generate reliable information on its populations, as well as its changing distribution patterns. In this paper we report the presence of M. tridactylafor the department of La Guajira, being the northernmost recent record of the species for Colombia. Additionally, an update on the distribution of the species at the national level is presented, and the need to implement monitoring and conservation actions for this species in the Colombian Caribbean is highlighted.
Mammalogy notes, 2024
Mammalogy Notes, the scientific journal of the Sociedad Colombiana de Mastozoología (SCMas), prou... more Mammalogy Notes, the scientific journal of the Sociedad Colombiana de Mastozoología (SCMas), proudly celebrates its inaugural decade of publishing and disseminating original scientific research and information about natural history, distribution, ecology, and other aspects of mammals in Colombia and beyond. We commemorate this milestone by acknowledging the unwavering
Mammalogy notes, 2023
Alexander von Humboldt (IAvH)-Bogotá, correspondiente a una piel donada por cazadores en la regió... more Alexander von Humboldt (IAvH)-Bogotá, correspondiente a una piel donada por cazadores en la región de río Negro, vereda El Diamante, municipio de Toledo. Se presentan los primeros registros con cámaras trampa. Estos corresponden a un macho juvenil y una cría en el municipio de Los Patios, Norte de Santander. Los registros son los más septentrionales del área de distribución de la especie y muestran la importancia del fototrampeo para detectar especies raras, cripticas o poco conocidas. Se hace necesario recopilar más información sobre los mamíferos en ecosistemas transformados, establecer programas de monitoreo y conservación de esta especie en la región y establecer estrategias para conectar los relictos de Bs-T que aún persisten.
Therya, 2023
Remnants of Tropical Dry Forest persist in urban and peri-urban areas and are essential for maint... more Remnants of Tropical Dry Forest persist in urban and peri-urban areas and are essential for maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem services. However, the challenges facing the conservation of these respective forests have intensified with the encroachment of the urban frontier, mining activities, deforestation, and cattle ranching. In this context, our study aims to estimate the diversity of the order Chiroptera and characterize the diet of the family Phyllostomidae. This approach allows us to gain insights into the ecological dynamics and assess the status of Tropical Dry Forest fragments located within the urban and peri-urban areas of Cúcuta, Colombia. Field sampling was conducted from January to September 2018, with a total sampling effort of 2,160 hours/meter/net. Bats were sexed, morphometrically characterized, and had their feces collected for diet analysis before being tagged and released. We identified three families, nine genera, and 11 species. A total of 276 individuals were captured. Seven species were observed in the urban area and ten in the peri-urban zone; Artibeus lituratus and Carollia perspicillata were the most abundant species in both locations. The diet included seeds from the families Moraceae, Anacardiaceae, and Rosaceae. Our findings reveal that in areas with dense vegetation, such as peri-urban zones, frugivorous bats prefer to consume fruits of domesticated species, including economically significant fruits like guava and tomato. This dietary shift could alter seed dispersal patterns and the dynamics of the Tropical Dry Forest, highlighting the ecological importance of these flying mammals in ecosystem regeneration.
En las zonas urbanas y periurbanas, perduran fragmentos de bosque seco tropical que desempeñan un papel fundamental en la conservación de la biodiversidad y los servicios ecosistémicos. Sin embargo, los desafíos para preservar estos remanentes forestales han aumentado debido al avance de la urbanización, la minería, la deforestación y la ganadería. En este contexto, nuestro estudio tiene como objetivo estimar la diversidad del Orden Chiroptera y caracterizar la dieta de la familia Phyllostomidae como una estrategia para comprender las dinámicas ecológicas y evaluar la situación de los fragmentos de bosque seco tropical situados en el área urbana y periurbana de Cúcuta, Colombia. Llevamos a cabo muestreos de campo durante los meses de enero a septiembre de 2018, con un esfuerzo de muestreo total de 2,160 horas/ metro/red. Los murciélagos fueron sexados, caracterizados morfo-métricamente, y se tomaron muestras de heces para determinar su dieta antes de ser marcados y liberados. Se capturó un total de 276 individuos, Identificamos tres familias, nueve géneros y once especies de murciélagos. Encontramos siete especies en el fragmento urbano y diez en la zona periurbana, con Artibeus lituratus y Carollia perspicillata siendo las especies más abundantes en ambos sitios. En cuanto a la dieta, se obtuvieron semillas de las familias Moraceae, Anacardiaceae y Rosaceae. Nuestros hallazgos revelan que, en áreas con mayor cobertura vegetal como zonas periurbanas, los murciélagos frugívoros prefieren frutos de especies domesticadas, incluyendo frutas de relevancia económica como guayaba y tomate. Esta tendencia dietética podría alterar la dispersión de semillas y la dinámica del Bosque Seco Tropical, subrayando la importancia ecológica de estos mamíferos voladores en la regeneración del ecosistema.
Therya Notes, 2023
Melanism is the excess of dark pigmentation that partially or completely covers the body of an an... more Melanism is the excess of dark pigmentation that partially or completely covers the body of an animal. The presence of melanic individuals is relatively common in several feline species. The objective of this note is to report the second case of melanism in free-living Leopardus tigrinus in Colombia. For the country, there is only one published record for the Department of Caldas. Between June 2012 and March 2020, 158 single camera-trap stations were set up in 5 protected areas in the Eastern Cordillera of Colombia. After almost 8 years of monitoring and with a sampling effort of 60,704 nights/trap, we recorded one melanic individual of L. tigrinus, in El Cocuy National Natural Park. So far, the presence of melanic individuals of L. tigrinus has been recorded mainly in Brazil (although once its taxonomy is clarified it may correspond to a different species). For Colombia, there is one documented record more than 350 km away from ours (Department of Boyacá). It is considered that this phenomenon may be an adaptive response of the species to environmental evolutionary pressures and has been proposed as a niche segregation strategy; however, given the rarity of this phenotype in the study area, and in general throughout its distribution, it is necessary to gather more evidence that could potentially explain the selective forces that favor or limit this type of phenotypic expression.
Notas sobre Mamíferos Sudamericanos, 2020
Biodiversity is going through a critical moment worldwide. For many species, useful and relevant ... more Biodiversity is going through a critical moment worldwide. For many species, useful and relevant ecological aspects for their conservation are still unknown. Non-invasive methods can provide valuable information on behavioral traits that are difficult to observe. Using automatic cameras monitoring Colombia's Cordillera Oriental, we documented a predation event of an Amphisbaena alba by Dasyprocta punctata. This event represents an important contribution on the species' feeding habits, highlighting how a strict herbivore could present another cryptic trophic trait. This observation is the first of its kind reported for Colombia, and the second known for the species in the wild throughout its distribution. RESUMEN La biodiversidad está atravesando un momento crítico a nivel mundial. Para muchas especies, aspectos ecológicos relevantes y útiles para su conservación son aún desconocidos. Los métodos no invasivos pueden aportar información valiosa sobre aspectos del comportamiento difíciles de estudiar. Por medio de un monitoreo con cámaras automáticas en la Cordillera Oriental de Colombia, documentamos un evento de depredación de Amphisbaena alba por Dasyprocta punctata. Este evento representa una contribución importante sobre los hábitos alimenticios de la especie y destaca cómo un herbívoro estricto podría presentar otro rasgo trófico críptico. Esta observación es el primer evento de su tipo reportado para Colombia y el segundo registrado para la especie en toda su distribución conocida.
Herpetology notes, 2017
The global decline of amphibians is one of the greatest challenges in Conservation Biology. Sever... more The global decline of amphibians is one of the greatest challenges in Conservation Biology. Several factors including pollution, climate change, emerging diseases and habitat destruction have accelerated the rate of decline in amphibian populations worldwide, which adds to their low representation in protected areas (PAs). In this study we assessed the level of protection of PAs for 52 species of threatened amphibians and the changes in vegetation coverage inside and outside the protected areas of the Eastern Cordillera of Colombia. Between February 2015 and January 2016 we gathered occurrences from databases, biological collections and literature. The geographical records were georeferenced and overlapped on the layers of 131 PAs and on the layers of soil coverage of the Eastern Cordillera. Our results confirmed the limited level of protection provided by PAs, where only 32 species represented in 158 out of 509 geographical records show a report within PAs, which are limited to 25 ...
Revista Biodiversidad Neotropical, 2018
Objetivo: Documentar la problemática y el estado actual de la cacería, y las otras amenazas que e... more Objetivo: Documentar la problemática y el estado actual de la cacería, y las otras amenazas que existen para la conservación de los mamíferos en el PNN Tama. Metodología: Se visitaron 13 localidades durante 34 meses, donde se evaluó la presencia de medianos y grandes mamíferos terrestres, y a través de entrevistas semiestructuradas usando un enfoque participativo. Se determinaron los tipos de cacería, las técnicas empleadas, el uso de las presas, y otras amenazas existentes. Para evaluar sus relaciones, se uso el índice de disimilaridad de Bray-Curtis y un heatmap mediante el paquete Vegan 2.0 del softwareR. 3.0.2. Resultados: Se registraron 21 especies, 86% con alguna presión de cacería. La cacería de subsistencia, de tradición, deportiva, y por conflicto representaron los mayores porcentajes en el areacon el 67,5%, 17,5%, 10%, y 5%. El uso de armas y perros fue la técnica de cacería mas predominante. Especies como D. novemcinctus, M. rufina, N. nasua, N. olivacea, T. ornatus, y P. concolor, fueron las de mayor uso, ya sea como alimento, pieles, trofeos, o materia prima para la elaboración de instrumentos y/o afrodisíacos. Otras amenazas como la deforestación y la contaminación, cubren entre 76% y 69% del área, seguida de la ganadería (61%), quemas (23%) y especies ferales (8%). Conclusiones: La cacería por conflicto, el uso de trampas permanentes, la presencia de especies ferales y las quemas se presentan en áreas específicas del parque, afectando sobre todo a grandes felinos y especies vulnerables por lo que son necesarias acciones urgentes.
Mammalogy notes, 2021
The small felids deal different threats to its conservation such as deforestation, use as pets, r... more The small felids deal different threats to its conservation such as deforestation, use as pets, retaliation, direct hunting and for human consumption. Nevertheless, this threat is poorly documented, in Colombia, the consumption of meat from felines such as the jaguaroundi, cougar and jaguar has been reported. Here report a case of the margay hunting and consumption by the farmers communities in the department of La Guajira. This record is the first that documented this success, and it is represent an important aspect for the conservation of small wild felines in marginal rural areas of Colombia.
Wild cats are vulnerable species to biodiversity loss engines. Of the 41 species in the world, se... more Wild cats are vulnerable species to biodiversity loss engines. Of the 41 species in the world, seven are found in the country (17% of the species), which unfortunately share serious threats such as habitat loss and transformation, retaliatory hunting for attacks on domestic animals and fragmentation of their populations by roads and populated centers. Between 2012 and 2015, five cases of occurrences of wild cats in the urban area, corresponding to four species, were known. This information was obtained from local and regional journalistic notes.
Herpetology notes, 2019
Predator-prey interactions have been well documented in many animals, including well-known relati... more Predator-prey interactions have been well documented in many animals, including well-known relationships in which bats are the predators. These flying mammals, in turn, are preyed upon by a wide variety of animals, ranging from giant spiders, centipedes, fishes, amphibians, reptiles, and birds, to other mammals (Molinari, 2005; Lima and O’Keefe, 2013; Nyffeler and Knörnschild, 2013). According to Schätti (1984), chiropterophagy is presumably a globally common phenomenon in some populations of giant snakes and large climbing colubrid species. In the Neotropical region, 40 cases of predation on bats by snakes were reported between the years 1951 and 2005, involving 20 species of snakes and 18 identified bat species (Esbérard and Vrcibradic, 2007), among which only two cases were recorded in Colombia. The first involves Boa constrictor and Artibeus jamaicensis from Providencia Island (Thomas, 1974), while the second relates to Epicrates cenchria and Carollia perspicillata from the department of Huila (Lemke, 1978). Herein, we describe a new case of predator-prey interaction between the Colombian rainbow boa, Epicrates maurus Gray, 1849, and the greater sac-winged bat, Saccopteryx bilineata (Temminck, 1838), from Colombia. The Colombian rainbow boa, Epicrates maurus, is a medium-sized Neotropical boid snake reaching up to 1.5 m of snout-vent length (SVL) (Lourdais et al., 2006). It inhabits Neotropical savannahs and dry forests in southern Central and northern South Americas (Passos and Fernández, 2008). There is virtually no available data on the feeding behaviour of E. maurus (Pizzatto et al., 2009); nevertheless, snakes of the genus Epicrates are reported to be dietary generalists, preying on both endothermic and ectothermic animals, particularly lizards, birds, and small- to medium-sized mammals (Henderson et al., 1987).
Mammalogy Notes, 2017
Here we present the most recent record of the Tama Small-eared Shrew for Colombia as a contributi... more Here we present the most recent record of the Tama Small-eared Shrew for Colombia as a contribution to this poor-known species in the country. The record of the Tama Small-eared Shrew is located within the Tama NNP, Herran and Toledo municipalities, Norte de Santander department, Colombia on the border with Venezuela. The park presents an altitudinal range between 350 and 3.450 masl, and covers approximately 48.000 ha mostly composed of large areas of paramo, montane forest and tropical forest.
Mammalian Biology, 2020
Carnivores are important elements of Neotropical biomes that are in need of conservation efforts.... more Carnivores are important elements of Neotropical biomes that are in need of conservation efforts. However, successful conservation methods rely on the identification of accurate evolutionary taxa. Unfortunately, in the case of Procyonidae systematics, there has been little knowledge in some genera. Two of these genera are Nasuella and Nasua, also known as the coatis. Herein, we analyzed a dataset obtained in South America and Central America, containing sequences of three mitochondrial genes (ND5, Cyt-b, and D-loop) collected from 42 mountain coati (Nasuella olivacea) specimens, plus 50 white-nosed coati (Nasua narica) and 51 ring-tailed coati (Nasua nasua) (total sample of 143). Our results support four main findings. (1) We detected four significantly different groups of N. olivacea. There were two small groups, one distributed in the Central Colombian Andean Cordillera and Western Ecuadorian Andean Cordillera, and another in the Western Colombian and Ecuadorian Andean Cordilleras. The specimens of these small groups were phenotypically un-differentiable from N. olivacea, but their mtDNA were more related to that of N. nasua than to the mtDNA of the other N. olivacea. The other two groups of N. olivacea contained the major part of the specimens analyzed. One is in the Eastern Colombian Andean Cordillera and is molecularly un-differentiable from the proposed "new" endemic Venezuelan species, Nasuella meridiensis. The ancestor of this group gave origin to another expanded group in the Western and Central Colombian and Ecuadorian Andean Cordilleras. (2) Different analyses (network, temporal splits, genetic diversity analyses) showed that the mitochondrial haplotypes of N. nasua were the first to appear (temporal diversification during the Late Miocene, and Pliocene), followed by the haplotypes of the current groups of Nasuella (temporal diversification during the Pliocene and beginning of the Pleistocene), and then the haplotypes that of the Central American N. narica (temporal diversification during the Pleistocene). Within N. nasua, we detected, at least, four highly differentiated groups that contain cryptic species or highly differentiated subspecies. (3) All of the taxa we analyzed showed high levels of mitochondrial genetic diversity, but N. nasua showed the highest levels, whereas N. narica showed the lowest levels. (4) Some groups of N. olivacea, and N. narica showed Pleistocene population expansions, but all the taxa showed a very strong signal of population declination in the last 20,000 years ago (YA), which could be correlated with the drastic climatic changes in that epoch.
Journal of Mammalogy, 2020
The spectacled bear (Ursidae: Tremarctos ornatus) is an emblematic umbrella species and one of th... more The spectacled bear (Ursidae: Tremarctos ornatus) is an emblematic umbrella species and one of the top carnivores in the Andean mountains. It is also listed as vulnerable by IUCN and as endangered by CITES. We analyzed the genetic structure of this species in nine geographical regions representing the three Andean Cordilleras in Colombia. We sequenced six mitochondrial genes in 115 spectacled bears; a subset of these specimens (n = 61) were genotyped at seven nuclear microsatellites. We addressed three objectives: 1) determine the genetic diversity and historical demographic changes of the spectacled bear in Colombia; 2) determine phylogeographic patterns of genetic divergence among spectacled bear populations in Colombia; and 3) estimate the levels of gene flow among different regions of Colombia. Our analyses show evidence of high mitochondrial genetic diversity in spectacled bears, both in Colombia as well as in each of the nine regions, most particularly Norte de Santander, Nari...
Therya, 2018
Even though the puma (Puma concolor) is the second largest felid in America and is widely distrib... more Even though the puma (Puma concolor) is the second largest felid in America and is widely distributed in both the continent and in Colombia. Knowledge about its food habits in many areas of the Neotropics, especially in the highlands, is still limited. We surveyed nine localities in Tamá NNP (National Natural Park) and its buffer zone monthly from June 2012 to May 2015, between 2,067 and 3,500 masl. We surveyed three linear transects of 2 to 3 km in each locality searching for scats, which were located mainly on mountain ridges. We analyzed fecal contents and estimated the minimum number of samples needed to describe puma diet, as well as the absolute frequency of records for each prey species, their relative frequency of occurrence, and biomass consumed. Potential prey species were identified using photos from camera traps at the same localities. Fecal analysis (n = 45) suggests at least eight species of medium-sized mammals as prey. Of these, three species were the most frequent, contributing 67.87 % of the biomass consumed: Nasua nasua, Mazama rufina and Cuniculus taczanowskii. The latter is a newly reported food item for the puma. No large or domestic species were recorded as part of the species' diet for the study area, in spite of its availability. Considering the potential conflict with communities surrounding the protected area, by the alleged consumption of farm animals by this and other felids, it appears that the availability of wild prey in Tamá NNP is suitable for puma and apparently the species does not need to use alternative prey as livestock. Our data suggest that the minimum number of samples required to estimate the diet in our study area varies between 31 and 41, suggesting that our results (n = 45) are a good estimate of the species' diet. This work highlights the importance of expanding the knowledge about puma foraging ecology in order to generate better conservation strategies for a species of great importance for the dynamics and stability of the Colombian Andean ecosystems. A pesar de que el puma (Puma concolor) es el segundo felino más grande en América y presenta una amplia distribución tanto en el continente como en Colombia. La información sobre los hábitos alimenticios en muchas de las áreas a nivel del Neotrópico, especialmente en zonas altas, aún es limitada. Se realizaron muestreos en nueve localidades del PNN (Parque Nacional Natural) Tamá y su zona de amortiguación mensualmente entre junio del 2012 y mayo del 2015, entre los 2,067 y 3,500 msnm. Se realizaron tres transectos lineales de entre 2 y 3 km (por cada localidad) para búsqueda de heces, las que se ubicaron principalmente sobre las crestas de las montañas. Se analizó el contenido y se estimó el número mínimo de muestras necesario para describir la dieta del Puma, la frecuencia absoluta de las presas, de ocurrencia y biomasa consumida. Las especies potenciales también se obtuvieron a través de cámaras trampa de las mismas localidades. El análisis de excretas (n = 45) indicó al menos ocho especies de mamíferos medianos como presas. Las tres más frecuentes y las que aportan en conjunto el 67.87 % de la biomasa consumida son: Nasua nasua, Mazama rufina y Cuniculus taczanowskii. Esta última especie es un nuevo registro en la dieta para el puma. Ninguna especie grande o doméstica fue registrada como parte de la dieta para el área de estudio, a pesar de su disponibilidad. Aunque el conflicto potencial con comunidades aledañas al área protegida es el supuesto consumo de animales domésticos, parece que la disponibilidad de presas silvestres en el PNN Tamá es la adecuada para los pumas y no tienen necesidad de utilizar presas alternativas como el ganado. Nuestros datos muestran que el número mínimo de muestras necesarias para estimar la dieta del puma es de 31 a 41, lo que sugiere que este trabajo (n = 45) es una buena aproximación. Este trabajo resalta la importancia de conocer aún más sobre estos aspectos ecológicos para así poder generar mejores estrategias de conservación para la especie, la cual es de gran importancia para la dinámica y estabilidad de los ecosistemas Andinos del país.
Acta Biológica Colombiana, 2017
Presentamos un nuevo reporte de la tortuga escorpión Kinosternon scorpioides scorpioides para el ... more Presentamos un nuevo reporte de la tortuga escorpión Kinosternon scorpioides scorpioides para el departamento de Norte de Santander, Colombia. Este espécimen fue colectado en el bosque seco tropical del departamento, el cual es uno de los ecosistemas más amenazados y menos protegidos del país; esto agravado por problemas locales de contaminación y de transformación del uso del suelo, motivos por los que la presencia y conservación de K. s. Scorpioides se encuentra en riesgo.
Uploads
Papers by Carlos H. Cáceres-Martínez
En las zonas urbanas y periurbanas, perduran fragmentos de bosque seco tropical que desempeñan un papel fundamental en la conservación de la biodiversidad y los servicios ecosistémicos. Sin embargo, los desafíos para preservar estos remanentes forestales han aumentado debido al avance de la urbanización, la minería, la deforestación y la ganadería. En este contexto, nuestro estudio tiene como objetivo estimar la diversidad del Orden Chiroptera y caracterizar la dieta de la familia Phyllostomidae como una estrategia para comprender las dinámicas ecológicas y evaluar la situación de los fragmentos de bosque seco tropical situados en el área urbana y periurbana de Cúcuta, Colombia. Llevamos a cabo muestreos de campo durante los meses de enero a septiembre de 2018, con un esfuerzo de muestreo total de 2,160 horas/ metro/red. Los murciélagos fueron sexados, caracterizados morfo-métricamente, y se tomaron muestras de heces para determinar su dieta antes de ser marcados y liberados. Se capturó un total de 276 individuos, Identificamos tres familias, nueve géneros y once especies de murciélagos. Encontramos siete especies en el fragmento urbano y diez en la zona periurbana, con Artibeus lituratus y Carollia perspicillata siendo las especies más abundantes en ambos sitios. En cuanto a la dieta, se obtuvieron semillas de las familias Moraceae, Anacardiaceae y Rosaceae. Nuestros hallazgos revelan que, en áreas con mayor cobertura vegetal como zonas periurbanas, los murciélagos frugívoros prefieren frutos de especies domesticadas, incluyendo frutas de relevancia económica como guayaba y tomate. Esta tendencia dietética podría alterar la dispersión de semillas y la dinámica del Bosque Seco Tropical, subrayando la importancia ecológica de estos mamíferos voladores en la regeneración del ecosistema.