Water-soluble nutrients are absorbed by the small intestine via transcellular and paracellular mechanisms. Based on a few previous studies, the capacity for paracellular nutrient absorption seems greater in flying mammals than in nonflying mammals, but there has been little investigation of the mechanisms driving this difference. Therefore, we studied three species each of bats (Artibeus litura...

The ecological radiation of mammals to inhabit a variety of light environments is largely attributed to adaptive changes in their visual systems. Visual capabilities are conferred by anatomical features of the eyes as well as the combination and properties of their constituent light sensitive pigments. To test whether evolutionary switches to different niches characterized by dim-light conditio...

Astroviruses infect humans and many animal species and cause gastroenteritis. To extensively understand the distribution and genetic diversity of astrovirus in small mammals, we tested 968 anal swabs from 39 animal species, most of which were bats and rodents. We detected diverse astroviruses in 10 bat species, including known bat astroviruses and a large number of novel viruses. Meanwhile, nov...

Five species of skin mites from Psorergatidae family have been found in four rodent species (Apodemus flavicollis, A. sylvaticus, Mus musculus, Myodes glareolus) coming from northern part of Poland. Three species (Psorergates microti, P. musculinus, P. simplex) appeared to be new ones for the fauna of Poland. Moreover A. sylvaticus and M. glareolus are a new hosts for P. apodemi, P. muricola, P...

Paleo- and neo-taphonomic analyses of bone assemblages rarely consider all the occurring taxa in a single study works concerning birds prey as accumulators microvertebrate remains mostly focus on small mammals such rodents soricomorphs. However, raptors often hunt consume large range taxa, including vertebrates mammals, fishes, amphibians, squamates birds. Bone these taxonomic groups are numero...

We studied structure and function of the respiratory system in the bat Tadarida brasiliensis and compared it with those of two species of rodents, Abrothrix andinus and A. olivaceus. Tadarida brasiliensis had lower resting oxygen consumption, but higher maximum oxygen consumption and aerobic scope, than the rodents. The blood-gas barrier of the bat was thinner and its relative lung size was lar...