Pteronotus davyi, J. E. Gray, 1838

Don E. Wilson & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2019, Mormoopidae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 9 Bats, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 424-443 : 438

3.

Davy’s Naked-backed Bat

Pteronotus davyi

French: Ptéronote de Davy / German: Davy-Nacktrlickenfledermaus / Spanish: Pteronotus de Davy

Other common names: Lesser Naked-backed Bat

Taxonomy. Pteronotus davyi J. E. Gray, 1838 “Trimidad [Island],” Trinidad and Tobago.

J. D. Smith in 1972 recognized three subspecies of P. davyi : P. d. davyi , P. d. fulvus, and P. d. incae. Molecular and morphometric studies have shown that P. davy: represents a species complex, supporting elevation of fulvus to a distinct species. Hence, P davyi sensu stricto occurs in coastal lowlands of Venezuela and in the Lesser Antilles, and as an isolated population in Peru; its distribution might extend to Colombia and northward to Costa Rica and Nicaragua, but phylogenetic status of these populations has not been assessed. Pteronotus davyi seems uncommon in Central America, and no extant populations are known in Panama, Guyana, Suriname, French Guyana, and Brazil. Occurrence records in north-eastern Brazil were erroneous and corresponded to P. gymnonotus . Fossil records of P. davyi are reported from Bahia and Goias in Brazil and Tobago Island. Based on fossil records, its distribution was more extensive in the late Quaternary than it is today. Two subspecies recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution.

P.d.davyiJ.E.Gray,1838—Nicaragua,CostaRica,NColombia,andNVenezuela;LesserAntillesonMarie-Galante,Dominica,Martinique,St.Lucia,Grenada,Trinidad,andCuracao.

P. d. incae]. D. Smith, 1972 — Piura, Lambayeque, and Cajamarca departments, NW Peru.

Descriptive notes. Head-body ¢.50-57 mm, tail 18-25 mm, ear 16-19 mm, hindfoot 9-12 mm, forearm 46-50 mm; weight 8-11 g. Dorsal fur under wing membranes is longer than ventral fur. Hairs are usually unicolored or only slightly bicolored, varying from grayish to reddish brown. Rostrum is very broad, with wide and concave nasals. Individuals of subspecies incae are overall larger than those of davyi . Some external and cranial features are shared with the other species currently recognized in the subgenus Pteronotus : wing membranes fused dorsally at midline; ears pointed, with anteromedial edge of pinna smooth (lacking serrations); skull rostrum noticeably upturned in lateral profile and shorter than one-half total length of skull; braincase oblong and basioccipital region broad between auditory bullae; and lower incisors reduced in size and trilobed. Condylo-basal lengths are 14-4-15-7 mm.

Habitat. Tropical thorn forest, semideciduous forest, woodlands, and swamps. Davy’s Naked-backed Bat usually forages over water and near vegetation. It is sensitive to ambient temperatures below 15°C; it thermoregulates efficiently and usually maintains high body temperature (c.38°C) in warm environments. In Peru, subspecies incae occurs at higher elevations (up to 2700 m) on western slope of Andes and might be adapted to tolerate colder temperatures.

Food and Feeding. Diet of Davy’s Naked-backed Bat includes lepidopterans, dipterans, and dermapterans.

Breeding. In Dominica, pregnant Davy’s Naked-backed Bats were observed in March and one lactating female in July. Ajuvenile was reported in September in Curacao.

Activity patterns. Davy’s Naked-backed Bats seem to be crepuscular, being the first to leave caves at dusk in multispecies assemblages. They prefer roosting in large and warm caves. Echolocation calls during search phase consist of short CF-FM pulses of c.4-5 milliseconds, with up to three harmonics. Second harmonic is frequently most intense, starting with a CF component of 68-70 kHz, followed by a FM sweep, and ending in a QCF segment averaging 54 kHz.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Davy’s Naked-backed Bats frequently share large and warm caves with other mormoopids, phyllostomids, and natalids. Males and females apparently roost in the same areas of caves. They select areas of caves that minimize ventilation and maximize temperature. There are no records of long-range movements by Davy’s Naked-backed Bat, but it is the only mormoopid inhabiting islands of the Lesser Antilles farther from the coast.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. Davy’s Naked-backed Bat is classified as endangered in Curacao.

Bibliography. Adams (1989), Bonaccorso et al. (1992), Czaplewski & Cartelle (1998), Davalos (2006), Eshelman & Morgan (1985), Fracasso & Salles (2005), GBIF Secretariat (2017), Genoways et al. (2001), Ibanez et al. (1999), Jennings et al. (2004), Lenoble, Bochaton et al. (2014), Mares & Wilson (1971), Mares et al. (1981), Patton & Gardner (2008), Pavan & Marroig, (2016), Pedersen et al. (2013), Petit et al. (2006), Simmons & Conway (2001), Smith (1972), Willig (1985).

Figures

1. Antllean Ghost-faced Bat (Mormoops blainuviller), 2. Peters’s Ghostfaced Bat (Mormoops megalophylla), 3. Davy’s Naked-backed Bat (Pteronotus davyi), 4. Thomas's Naked-backed Bat (Pteronotus fulvus), 5. Big Naked-backed Bat (Pteronotus gymnonotus), 6. Macleay’s Mustached Bat (Pleronotus macleayii), 7. Sooty Mustached Bat (Pleronotus quadridens), 8. Wagner's Lesser Mustached Bat (Pteronotus personatus), 9. Dobson’s Lesser Mustached Bat (Pteronotus psilotis), 10. Parnell’s Common Mustached Bat (Pteronotus parnellii), 11. Hispaniolan Common Mustached Bat (Preronotus pusillus), 12. Puerto Rican Common Mustached Bat (Pteronotus portoricensis), 13. Mexican Common Mustached Bat (Pteronotus mexicanus), 14. Mesoamerican Common Mustached Bat (Pteronotus mesoamericanus), 15. Allen’s Common Mustached Bat (Pleronotus fuscus), 16. Paraguana Common Mustached Bat (Pteronotus paraguanensis), 17. Womurs Common Mustached Bat (Pteronotus rubiginosus), 18. Amazonian Common Mustached Bat (Pteronotus alitonus)

Subspecies and Distribution. P.d.davyiJ.E.Gray,1838—Nicaragua,CostaRica,NColombia,andNVenezuela;LesserAntillesonMarie-Galante,Dominica,Martinique,St.Lucia,Grenada,Trinidad,andCuracao. P. d. incae]. D. Smith, 1972 — Piura, Lambayeque, and Cajamarca departments, NW Peru .