La colección de murciélagos cubanos del Museo de Historia Natural ¨Tranquilino Sandalio de Noda¨ como herramienta de conservación de la biodiversidad y extensión científico–cultural

Abstract

With 26 described bats species, Cuba has the biggest living collection of this group in the Caribbean. The bats represent more than 2/3 parts of the Cuban mammals’ fauna, for what reason the efforts to get their protection would guarantee the conservation of the most Cuban mammals. The main objective of this work was to increase the conservation ex situ of the bat fauna of Pinar del Rio, by means of the creation of a bats collection at the Natural History Museum “Tranquilino Sandalio de Noda”, as a new tool of assessing cultural and scientific extension for local public. The collected works incorporated to the museum collections 24 specimens of the order Chiroptera, being represented different species and development phases. The specimens were classified taxonomically and grouped on 5 Families and 11 species, all residents of Pinar del Rio province. The materials used as scientific support of the exhibitions are to the service of the public at the Museum´s library. The incorporation of 11 living bats species, inhabitants of Pinar del Rio, it will be used as complement for the Museum fossil bats collection, aspect that will increase their attractiveness and values on the scientific consuls and exhibitions.