REFRACTOMETRIC URINE SPECIFIC GRAVITY OF FREE-LIVING EGYPTIAN FRUIT BATS (ROUSETTUS AEGYPTIACUS)

In both human and veterinary medicine, urine specific gravity (USG) is commonly measured by refractometry to indirectly reflect the osmolality of urine to thereby evaluate the kidney's ability to concentrate or dilute urine according to physiologic need and certain disease conditions. However, for accurate interpretation of the significance of any value, knowledge of the expected USG for the healthy species in question is required. It is generally believed that fruit bats, and Egyptian fruit bats (Rousettus aegyptiacus) in particular, are unable to highly concentrate their urine. In this study, the USG was determined using a handheld urine refractometer in 43 free-living Egyptian fruit bats of both sexes. The calculated nonparametric 90% confidence interval for Egyptian fruit bats in this study was 1.006–1.050, with no association with capture site, sex, weight, or packed cell volume and total solids. Results suggest that free-living Egyptian fruit bats are able to highly concentrate their urine.