Chaerephon jobimena, Goodman & C Ardiff, 2004

Goodman, Steven M. & C Ardiff, Scott G., 2004, A new species of Chaerephon (Molossidae) from Madagascar with notes on other members of the family, Acta Chiropterologica 6 (2), pp. 227-248 : 230-236

Chaerephon jobimena sp. nov.

( Figs. 2 , 3 , 4 ; Tables 1 , 2 )

Holotype — FMNH 169716, an adult ♂, collected on 23 January 2001 by Steven M. Goodman, field number SMG 11932. The specimen was prepared as a round study skin, with associated skull and partial post- cranial skeleton. The skin, skull, and post- cranial skeleton are in good condition. Tissue samples were preserved in EDTA. Measurement – external (in mm): total length 114, tail length 42, hind foot length (without claw) 7, ear length 23, forearm length 46; body mass: 15.5 g; skull: (in mm) greatest skull length 18.8, greatest zygomat- ic breadth 10.9, postorbital width 3.9, mas- toid breadth 10.3, lacrimal width 6.2, post- palatal length 7.3, palatal length 7.8; dental (in mm): maxillary toothrow 6.6, upper molariform row 5.1, upper toothrow 7.8, width M 3 1.8, and upper canine height 2.9 ( Table 1 ). Etymology — The species epithet is de- rived from northern dialects of Malagasy , the region of the island the holotype was collected, with joby meaning dark or black and mena red. When formed as a compound word in Malagasy the ‘y’ in joby becomes an ‘i’. The combination of these two words alludes to the two color morphs of this species.

Type locality — Madagascar: Province d’Antsiranana, Réserve Spéciale d’Ankara- na, 2.6 km E Andrafiabe, in forest near An- drafiabe Cave, 12°55.9’S, 49°03.4’E, about 50 ma.s.l. ( Fig. 1 ).

Habitat — The type specimen was cap- tured in a harp trap placed on a small knoll about 35 m from the principal west entrance of Andrafiabe Cave . The habitat surround- ing the site is dry semi-deciduous forest growing on basaltic soils and alluvial sedi- ments at the base of the western edge of the

limestone Ankarana Massif. The limestone in this area is largely eroded into pinnacle karst with solution flutes, stress fractures, and bedding planes. The forest becomes wooded savanna several hundred meters away from the capture site. Diagnosis — A member of the genus Chaerephon (see Freeman, 1981; Peterson et al., 1995) given the following characters: tooth behind the canine in line with the canine; posterior upper molar with inverted ‘N’ shaped cusp; lips wrinkled; ears joined by band of skin. Chaerephon jobimena isa relatively robust molossid with an average forearm length of 46.5 mm, five upper cheek teeth, a notably elevated mandibular condyle, and a relatively constricted incisive foramina that is not included in any palatine emargination. It lacks the white wing patches characteristic of several members of this genus. Wing membranes and uropatagium are dark and show no notable change in fur coloration along lower inner edge of wing membrane. The dorsum and throat of C. jobimena is a uniform medium chocolate brown. On the mid- to lower-ventrum hairs become more broadly tipped with light brownish-gray, giving an indistinct grizzled gray appearance ( Fig. 2 ). Aru- fous pelage phase also occurs. Interaural band forms complete connection between the ears. Paratypes — Madagascar: Province de Toliara, Forêt de Zombitse , 22°51’S, 44°43’E, 870 ma.s.l., collected 18 April 1993 by S. M. Goodman and I. H. Rasolazaka — adult ♀, FMNH 151942 (SMG 5932); adult ♂, FMNH 151985 (SMG 5936). Madagascar: Province de Fiana- rantsoa, Parc National de l’Isalo , 3.8 km NW Ranohira , along Namaza River , 22°32.4’S, 45°22.8’E, 800 ma.s.l., collected 16–19 April 1999 by S. M. Goodman and D. Rakotondravony — adult ♀, FMNH 166075 (SMG 10990); adult ♂, FMNH 166076 (SMG 10991); adult ♀, FMNH

166077 (SMG 10998); adult ♂, UADBA 11501 (SMG 10999); adult ♂, UADBA 11502 (SMG 11000); adult ♂, FMNH 166100 (SMG 10968). Madagascar: Provi- nce de Fianarantsoa, Parc National de l’Isa- lo, 3.8 km NW Ranohira , along Namaza River, 22°32.4’S, 45°22.8’E, 800 ma.s.l., collected 1 December 2002 by S. M. Good- man and H. V. Razakarivony — adult ♂, FMNH 175992 (SMG 13344); adult ♂, FMNH 175993 (SMG 13345). Madagascar: Province d’Antsiranana, Réserve Spéciale d’Ankarana , Andrafiabe cave in 3rd canyon next to Andôkotôkana River (access to the Fitsangatsanganan’Ilay Olona Tôkana pas- sage), 3.5 km SE Andrafiabe village, 12°56.5’S, 49°03.3’E, ca. 50 ma.s.l., col- lected 15 May 2003 by SMG and SGC — adult ♂, FMNH 176329 (SMG 13706). Madagascar: Province d’Antsiranana, An- karana National Park [sic], west side of park, ‘ Grotte de Cathedral’, collected 5 June 1995 by J. M. Hutcheon — adult ♀, UWZM 27547 (JMH 99). Madagascar: Province d’Antsiranana, Ankarana National Park [sic], west side of park, Grotte d’Andrafiabe , collected 7 June 1995 by J. M. Hutcheon — adult ♂, UWZM 27555 (JMH 107); adult ♂, UWZM 27556 (JMH 108); UWZM 27557 (JMH 109). All of these specimens were preserved in fluid and the skulls removed and cleaned, with the exceptions of FMNH 151985 that the com- plete cadaver was conserved in fluid and FMNH 151942 that was prepared as a round skin with associated skull and skeleton.

Description — In most adult individuals of C. jobimena the dorsal pelage is a dense and velvety rich medium chocolate brown with lightly tipped hairs, particularly on the mid-dorsum to rump, which gives an etched or slightly iridescent appearance. Basally the dorsal hairs are beige-white. In the holo- type two small groups of white hair occur symmetrically on the dorsum posterior-laterally to the ear insertions; these patches are not apparent in the other specimens refer- able to this taxon. Ventrally, the throat is the

same color as the dorsum, but at the level of the upper thoracic region there is a relative- ly abrupt change in pigmentation and the hairs become more broadly tipped light brownish-gray ( Fig. 2 ). This transition is slightly diffused and does not form a dis- tinctive throat collar. There is no notable change in fur coloration along the lower in- ner edge of the wing membrane. In three of the 12 adult specimens of C. jobimena the pelage coloration is distinctly rufous and this species shows two chromatic phases. Of 89 individuals captured for which color morph was recorded at Ankarana, 17 were rufous and 72 were dark; rufous males (x = 45.6 mm) had a shorter mean forearm than gray-colored males (x = 46.0). This species lacks the conspicuous postaural crest, inter- aural pocket, or glands at the base of the tail found in some other members of this genus (e.g., Allen, 1917; Hill, 1974; Kingdon, 1974; Harrison, 1975). The wing membrane and uropatagium are dark brownish-black. The muzzle is relatively blunt. The upper lips have approximately 5–6 wrinkles per side and a regular, but not dense, covering of hairs ( Fig. 3 ).

The ears are notably longer in C. jo- bimena than in the two other species of Chaerephon occurring on Madagascar, but falling within the general range of several African and Asiatic species with compara- ble forearm lengths ( Table 1 ). The pinnae of C. jobimena are relatively erect and partial- ly supported by a well-developed anterior border ( Fig. 3 ). There is a broad membrane connecting the ears, the center of which forms a shallow ‘V’-shape. The antitragus is lobe-shaped and slightly asymmetric — measuring 5 mm (width) by 3 mm (height) — and the tragus is a minute spike-like structure hidden behind the antitragus.

The skull of C. jobimena is relatively robust, with a short broad rostrum, expand- ed braincase, and tapered postorbital con- striction ( Fig. 4 ). The lambdoidal crests are relatively well developed and the supraoccipital and frontal areas slightly inflated, giving the braincase a bulbous but not overly rounded appearance. No sagittal crest is present and the interorbital region has a slight depression. Lacrimal protuberances and infraorbital foramina are relatively well developed, and nasals are not inflated. Paired basisphenoid pits are present and moderately deep. Incisive foramina are in the form of two small holes directly behind the canines and with a narrow septum sepa- rating them and there is not a pronounced emargination of the palate (condition 1 of Taylor, 1999).

Distribution — This species is currently known from the northern end of Madagascar in the Réserve Spéciale d’Ankarana and in the southern central area from the Parc National d’Isalo and the Parc National de Zombitse-Vohibasia ( Fig. 1 ).

Figures

FIG. 2. Ventral view of the holotype of C. jobimena (FMNH 169716) obtained on 23 January 2001 near Andrafiabe Cave in the Réserve Spéciale d’Ankarana. (Photograph taken by Harald Schütz)

FIG. 3. Drawings of the head of C. jobimena. Upper: lateral view and lower: dorsal view. (Drawing made by Rebecca Kramer)

FIG. 4. Different views of cranium of C. jobimena (holotype FMNH 169716). Top — dorsal, middle — ventral, and bottom — lateral. (Photograph taken by John Weinstein, image number Z94380_04d)

FIG. 1. Map showing sites at which Chaerephon sp. nov. has been collected as well as other localities mentioned in text