Sturnira perla, Jarrin-Valladares & Kunz, 2011

Don E. Wilson & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2019, Phyllostomidae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 9 Bats, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 444-583 : 546-547

131.

Perla Yellow-shouldered Bat

Sturnira perla

French: Sturnire de La Perla / German: Perla-Gelbschulterfledermaus / Spanish: Sturniro de La Perla

Other common names: La Perla Forest Yellow-shouldered Bat

Taxonomy. Sturnira perla Jarrin-Valladares & Kunz, 2011 ,

“ Ecuador, Provincia Santo Domingo de los Tsachilas, Bosque Protector La Perla at 200 meters of altitude (0°08’N, 79°30°W), 2 km south of La Concordia.”

This species is monotypic.

Distribution. Endemic to NW Ecuador; its presence in SW Colombia is expected.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 56-66 mm (tailless), ear 14-17 mm, forearm 41-45 mm; weight 18 g. The Perla Yellowshouldered Bat is medium-sized, externally similar to Luis’s Yellow-shouldered Bat (S. wisi) and the Northern Yellowshouldered Bat ( S. parvidens ). Dorsal fur is grayish brown with four-banded hairs; sometimes shoulders and neck of adults (especially males) have yellow or reddish patch; ventral fur is paler, with tricolored hairs. The Perla Yellow-shouldered Bat is characterized by a spherical skull, noticeably round and robust, with pronounced curved zygomatic arches. Lower molars have poorly defined cusps toward tongue.

Habitat. [.owlands and adjacent slopes in primary and secondary humid tropical forests on western side of the Andes at elevations of 35-700 m.

Food and Feeding. There is no specific information available for this species, but yellow-shouldered bats feed on fruits, being largely dependent on Solanum (Solanaceae) and Piper (Piperaceae) on the lowlands. The distinct shape of the skull of the Perla Yellow-shouldered Bat suggests that it might also be divergent in its feeding behavior.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. The Perla Yellow-shouldered Bat is nocturnal.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Data Deficient on The IUCN Red List. The Perla Yellow-shouldered Bat is rare and poorly known, with a restricted distribution. There is no information available on population size, and therefore its conservation status is unknown. Deforestation and mining are probably its main threats. Records came from two protected areas: Cotacachi-Cayapas Ecological Reserve and La Perla Protected Forest. Nevertheless, La Perla is an isolated patch of Ecuadorean Choco forest consisting of only 226 ha of primary forest surrounded by vast expanses of monocultures consisting mostly of grazing lands, oil palms, and banana trees.

Bibliography. Jarrin-Valladares & Kunz (2011), Tirira (2017).

Figures

119. Bidentate Yellow-shouldered Bat (Sturnira bidens), 120. Lesser Yellow-shouldered Bat (Sturnira nana), 121. Arata-Thomas Yellow-shouldered Bat (Sturnira aratathomasi), 122. Honduran Yellow-shouldered Bat (Sturnira hondurensis), 123. Burton's Yellow-shouldered Bat (Stwrnira burtonlimi), 124. Highland Yellow-shouldered Bat (Sturnira ludovici), 125. Adriana’s Yellow-shouldered Bat (Sturnira adrianae), 126. Tschudi’s Yellow-shouldered Bat (Sturnira oporaphilum), 127. Mistratoan Yellow-shouldered Bat (Sturnira mistratensis), 128. Soriano’s Yellow-shouldered Bat (Sturnira sorianoi), 129. Choco Yellow-shouldered Bat (Sturnira koopmanhilli), 130. Talamancan Yellow-shouldered Bat (Sturnira mordax), 131. Perla Yellow-shouldered Bat (Sturnira perla), 132. Tilda’s Yellow-shouldered Bat (Sturnira tildae), 133. Hairy Yellow-shouldered Bat (Sturnira erythromos), 134. Bogota Yellow-shouldered Bat (Sturnira bogotensis), 135. Greater Yellow-shouldered Bat (Sturnira magna), 136. Northern Yellow-shouldered Bat (Sturnira parvidens), 137. Baker's Yellow-shouldered Bat (Sturnira bakeri), 138. Little Yellow-shouldered Bat (Sturnira Lilium), 139. Gianna’s Yellow-shouldered Bat (Sturnira giannae), 140. Dominica Yellow-shouldered Bat (Sturnira angeli), 141. Paulson’s Yellow-shouldered Bat (Sturnira paulsoni), 142. Luis’s Yellow-shouldered Bat (Sturnira luisi)

Distribution. Endemic to NW Ecuador ; its presence in SW Colombia is expected.