Micronycteris (Micronycteris) megalotis (Gray, 1842)

Velazco, Paúl M., Voss, Robert S., Fleck, David W. & Simmons, Nancy B., 2021, Mammalian Diversity And Matses Ethnomammalogy In Amazonian Peru Part 4: Bats, Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 2021 (451), pp. 1-201 : 58-61

Micronycteris (Micronycteris) megalotis

(Gray, 1842)

Figure 15A

VOUCHER MATERIAL (TOTAL = 7): Jenaro Herrera (MUSM 5913), Nuevo San Juan (AMNH 273117; MUSM 15217), Quebrada Blanco (MUSM 21192), Quebrada Esperanza (FMNH 89097–89099); see table 28 for measurements.

UNVOUCHERED OBSERVATIONS: None.

IDENTIFICATION: As currently understood Micronycteris megalotis is a widespread species that occurs throughout most of the rainforested Neotropical lowlands (Williams and Genoways, 2008). This species can be distinguished from other congeners by the following combination of characteristics: ear length> 22 mm; ears connected across the crown by a low interauricular band of skin with a shallow midline notch; fur on lower third of leading edge of pinna 4.5– 10 mm in length; white bases of the dorsal hairs between the shoulders approximately one-fourth to one-half the length of each hair; dorsal fur between the shoulders 8–18 mm in length; calcar longer than foot; forearm <36 mm; first and second upper premolars subequal in anteroposterior length; height of first upper premolar very slightly less than that of second upper premolar; and first, second, and third lower premolars similar in size and height (Simmons, 1996; Simmons and Voss, 1998; Simmons et al., 2002; Moras et

TABLE 28

External and Craniodental Measurements (mm) and Weights (g) of Micronycteris megalotis

and M. microtis from the Yavarí-Ucayali Interfluve

al., 2015). Descriptions and measurements of M. megalotis have been provided by Sanborn (1949a), Goodwin and Greenhall (1961), Swanepoel and Genoways (1979), Brosset and Charles- Dominique (1990), Simmons (1996), Simmons and Voss (1998), Simmons et al. (2002), Lim et al. (2005), Fonseca et al. (2007), Larsen et al. (2011), and Moras et al. (2015).

No subspecies are currently recognized (Williams and Genoways, 2008), but recent molecular studies based on one or two markers have suggested that Micronycteris megalotis might be a species complex (Clare et al., 2011; Larsen et al., 2011; Siles et al., 2013). However, these studies have not been conclusive and potential species (or subspecies) limits within the complex have not been suf- ficiently investigated nor documented. Pending more comprehensive studies including larger sample sizes and data from additional molecular markers, we recommend against formally recognizing subspecies of M. megalotis .

The voucher material we examined from the Yavarí-Ucayali interfluve was correctly identified as Micronycteris megalotis by Simmons (1996), Fleck et al. (2002), Simmons et al. (2002), and Moras et al. (2015). These specimens conform to previous descriptions of M. megalotis , and they have measurements that fall within the range of size variation previously documented for the species.

REMARKS: Both specimens of Micronycteris megalotis from Nuevo San Juan were collected from a single roost inside a very large hollow standing tree. When this tree was first visited on 18 September 1999 it contained several bats roosting about 4 m above the ground, of which one adult male was collected ; several days later (25 September 1999) this roost contained five individuals, of which an additional adult male was collected. No other species appeared to be roosting with M. megalotis on either visit.

Bats identified in the literature as Micronycteris megalotis have often been reported to roost in hollow trees, but also in a wide variety of other situations; the species is perhaps best considered a roost generalist (Voss et al., 2016).

Figures

FIG. 15. Photographs of A, an adult Micronycteris megalotis and B, an adult M. hirsuta, both captured at Jenaro Herrera. Photographs by Marco Tschapka.