Characterising the faecal microbiota of the bat Myotis velifer

Research on wildlife microbiota has gained popularity because of its potential to shape host evolution and ecology. Bats, as the second most diverse and ecologically relevant group of mammals after rodents,harbor a variety of microorganisms that can be beneficial or pathogenic. In this study, we characterized the fecal microbiome of seven male and seven female Myotis velifer. Fecal samples were collected in the "El Salitre" cave, Mexico. We amplified and sequenced the V3-V4 regions of the 16S rRNA molecular marker using Illumina technology. The aim of this study was to describe the fecal microbiota of Myotis velifer, its richness and abundance, and the comparison of microbial diversity between females and males.