Artibeus toltecus (Saussure, 1860)

Don E. Wilson & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2019, Phyllostomidae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 9 Bats, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 444-583 : 577

201.

Toltec Fruit-eating Bat

Artibeus toltecus

French: Dermanure tolteque / German: Tolteken-Fruchtvampir / Spanish: Artibeo tolteca

Taxonomy. Stenoderma tolteca [sic] Saussure, 1860 ,

“ Mexique [= Mexicol.” Restricted by P. Hershkovitz in 1949 to Mirador, Veracruz, Mexico.

Artibeus toltecus 1s placed in Dermanura by some authors but was reassigned to Artibeus (subgenus Dermanura ) according to reinterpretation of molecular results. Some authors included Dermanura rava as a South American species of A. toltecus , but it is a distinct species. Two subspecies recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution.

A. t. toltecus Saussure, 18360 — from NE Mexico (Nuevo Leon and Tamaulipas) S to C & E Guatemala, W Belize, W Honduras, NC Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama.

A. t. hesperus W. B. Davis, 1969 — from NW Mexico (Sinaloa and Durango) S to S Guatemala, El Salvador, SW Honduras, and SW Nicaragua (Ometepe I).

Descriptive notes. Head-body 51-63 mm (tailless), ear 1-19 mm, hindfoot 8-12 mm, forearm 37-6—42-3 mm; weight 15-20 g. Dorsal fur of the Toltec Fruit-eating Bat is dark gray-brown to blackish; hairs are 6-8 mm long. Dorsal color gradual darkens from north to south in the distribution. Facial stripes are narrow, not marked, or faint. Ears and noseleaftare moderated in size, without yellowish or whitish rim along margins. Ventral fur is paler gray-brown, and tips of hairs are frosted. Tail membrane is short (8-9 mm), U-shaped, and lightly haired, with sparse fringe; tail is absent. Legs and feet are sparsely haired. The Aztec Fruit-eating Bat ( A. aztecus ) 1s similar to the Toltec Fruiteating Bat, but it is larger and has a well-haired fringe on the uropatagium. Dental formula is 12/2. Cl/1,P 2/2, M 2/2:(x2) =28.

Habitat. Tropical and temperate forests, mountain cloud forests, perennial and deciduous tropical forests along Pacific and Gulf coastal lowlands, evergreen forests, and fruit groves and plantations, most commonly at elevations of 600-1500 m.

Food and Feeding. The Toltec Fruit-eating Bat eats fruits, particularly from Solanum (Solanaceae) , Ficus (Moraceae) , Cecropia (Urticaceae) , and Piper (Piperaceae) . In Monteverde, Costa Rica, field data indicate that it feeds on Solanum spp., Eugenia acapulcensis ( Myrtaceae ), Ficus spp., and 14 other plants species.

Breeding. Reproductive pattern of the Toltec Fruiteating Bat is bimodal polyestry, with birth periods in August-September and April-June. Pregnant females have been reported in January—-October and lactating females in January, May, andJune-September. Young learn to fly in August-September. In Monteverde, there are lactating peaks that coincide with maximum fruit production.

Activity patterns. The Toltec Fruit-eating Bat is nocturnal. In south-eastern Mexico, captures were correlated with monthly precipitation, which might be correlated with fruit abundance in tropical and subtropical areas. It roosts in caves,cavities, buildings, foliage, and bat-made tents. Only tents in Anthurium caperatum ( Araceae ) have been reported, but banana leaves might be used.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List (as Dermanura tolteca ).

Bibliography. Andersen (1908c), Davis (1969), Dinerstein (1986), Garcia-Garcia et al. (2010), Handley (1987), Hershkovitz (1949), LaVal & Rodriguez-Herrera (2002), Rodriguez-Herrera et al. (2007), Timm (1987), Webster & Jones (1982b).

Figures

187. Brown Fruit-eating Bat (Artibeus concolor), 188. Honduran Fruit-eating Bat (Artibeus inopinatus), 189. Fraternal Fruit-eating Bat (Artibeus fraterculus), 190. Hairy Fruit-eating Bat (Artibeus hirsutus), 192. Ecuadorian Fruit-eating Bat (Artibeus aequatorialis), 193. Jamaican Fruit-eating Bat (Artibeus jamaicenss), 194. Dark Fruit-eating Bat (Artibeus obscurus), 195. Schwartz’s Fruit-eating Bat (Artibeus schwartzi), 196. Great Fruit-eating Bat (Artibeus lLituratus), 197. Large Fruit-eating Bat (Artibeus amplus), 198. Flat-faced Fruit-eating Bat (Artibeus planirostris), 199. Rosenberg’s Fruit-eating Bat (Artibeus rosenberg), 200. Thomas's Fruit-eating Bat (Artibeus watsoni), 201. Toltec Fruit-eating Bat (Artibeus toltecus), 202. Pygmy Fruit-eating Bat (Artibeus phaeotis), 203. Gervais’s Fruit-eating Bat (Artibeus cinereus), 204. Andersen’s Fruit-eating Bat (Artibeus anderseni), 205. Little Fruit-eating Bat (Artibeus ravus), 206. Aztec Fruit-eating Bat (Artibeus aztecus), 207. Bogota Fruit-eating Bat (Artibeus bogotensis), 208. Silvery Fruit-eating Bat (Artibeus glaucus), 209. Dwarf Fruit-eating Bat (Artibeus gnomus), 210. Jamaican Fig-eating Bat (Ariteus flavescens), 211. Tree Bat (Ardops nichollsi), 212. Red Fruit Bat (Stenoderma rufum), 213. Wrinkle-faced Bat (Centurio senex), 214. Ipanema Broad-nosed Bat (Pygoderma bilabiatum), 215. Visored Bat (Sphaeronycteris toxophyllum), 216. Little White-shouldered Bat (Ametrida centurio), 217. Cuban Fig-eating Bat (Phyllops falcatus)

Subspecies and Distribution. A. t. toltecus Saussure, 18360 — from NE Mexico (Nuevo Leon and Tamaulipas) S to C & E Guatemala , W Belize , W Honduras , NC Nicaragua , Costa Rica , and Panama . A. t. hesperus W. B. Davis, 1969 — from NW Mexico (Sinaloa and Durango) S to S Guatemala , El Salvador , SW Honduras , and SW Nicaragua (Ometepe I).