PhylloTraits 1.0: Unveiling the diversity of functional traits

Functional traits play a key role in understanding species ecological and evolutionary dynamics. However, the plenty of data collected on functional traits is sparse across literature so retrieving it, especially information for tropical species, becomes a challenge. We introduce PhylloTraits, a functional trait comprehensive database from bats of the family Phyllostomidae. The New World phyllostomids are one of the mammalian families with the greatest diversity of trophic and ecological habits. In addition, this family of bats is a prominent component of mammalian assemblages in the Neotropics. Phyllotraits 1.0 compiles a data collection on wing and body morphology from 230 species at individual level. The wing morphology traits can provide insight into flight performance and maneuverability. The body morphology traits are useful in addressing ecological aspects of Phyllostomidae bats. PhylloTraits 1.0 provides efficient access to functional data collated from various sources, including published literature in English, Spanish and Portuguese, and field studies. Furthermore, PhylloTraits 1.0 includes geographic coordinates of individual data to facilitate the examination of biogeographic patterns across different regions. By uncovering and synthesizing these functional traits and capturing individual variation, PhylloTraits aims to enhance our understanding of the ecological roles, evolutionary adaptations, and conservation implications of phyllostomid bats. This database would serve as a tool for comparative studies, ecological modeling, and conservation assessments. We anticipate that PhylloTraits will stimulate further research and promote collaborative efforts to unravel the intricate relationships between functional traits, their evolution and the ecological dynamics of Phyllostomidae bats.