بررسي استراتژي توليد مثلي و امكان ذخيره اسپرم در خفاش نعل اسبي ماده rhinolophus mehelyi ساكن در غرب ايران (غار كرفتو، منطقه ديواندره)

Reproductive strategy and Sperm storage in females horseshoe bat, Rhinolophus mehelyi (Chiroptera:Rhinolophidae) in western Iran ( Divandareh, Kurdistan Province, Karaftoo cave)

Bats are cosmopolitan mammals that can occupy the ecological nitches that the others can not. Reproductive events of these animals in temperate zones are under the influence of climate condition and the abundance of insects and are interrupted by bad conditions such as winter. The aim of this research is investigated about reproductive strategy of this bat in Karaftoo cave in Divandareh, Kurdistan Province, in west of Iran. 18 females of Rhinolophus mehelyi have been captured during a two-year period (2005-2006). As the result of field research we considered this cave as the hibernacula for Rhinolophus mehelyi. We transferred the bats to the laboratory and measured the weigh and external characters. We obtained the reproductive systems and prepared the serial section slides of 3-7 micron for histological studies then. The slides were colored with hematoxilin-Eosin Method. Macroscopic studies show that the ovaries of the females were larger than normal and microscopic slides showed some follicles in different stages of growth. Existence of geraphian follicles and the growing of uterus endometrium were the evidences of estrus period in females, but we did not see any vaginal plaque. This observation can be considered as a reason of that they did not couple or the female disturbed the plaque for further copulation during hibernation. At the other hand we did not see any sperm storied in uterus. So these observations have mentioned the causes of delayed folicolation and gestation until spring in females. This strategy has some similarities with the general pattern of reproductive events of bats in temperate zones.