Artibeus gnomus, Handley, 1987

Don E. Wilson & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2019, Phyllostomidae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 9 Bats, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 444-583 : 580

209.

Dwarf Fruit-eating Bat

Artibeus gnomus

French: Dermanure naine / German: Zwergsilberfruchtvampir / Spanish: Artibeo enano

Other common names: Dwarf Little Fruit-eating Bat

Taxonomy. Artibeus gnomus Handley, 1987 ,

“El Manaco (= Km 74), 39 km SE El Dorado, Bolivar, Venezuela, 150 m.”

Artibeus gnomus is placed in Dermanura by some authors, but itis reassigned to Artibeus (subgenus Dermanura ) after reinterpretation of molecular results. Before its description, some populations were referred to as A. pumilio , although that name is now associated with A. glaucus . Monotypic. Distribution. South America, E of Andes, including E Venezuela, the Guianas, E Colombia, E Ecuador, E Peru, Bolivia, and Brazil.

Descriptive notes. Head—body 44-54 mm (tailless), ear 14-19 mm, hindfoot 9-10 mm, forearm 34-38 mm; weight 8-13 g. The Dwarf Fruit-eating Bat has gray-brown to brown dorsal pelage, and hairs are faintly tricolored (very pale basal band followed by medium to dark gray band and light-brown tip). Ventral fur is paler. Facial stripes are bright white and sharply defined. Noseleaf and horseshoe are gray-brown medially and yellowish to the sides; ears are brownish, edged with yellowish narrow rim, but entire tragusis yellowish. Proximal one-half (dorsal) of forearm is covered with dense and long body fur. Wing membranes are blackish and attach to base of outer toes. Short brown hairs sparsely cover dorsal surface of leg. Uropatagium is sooty brown, with dorsal surface almost naked, and deeply emarginated. Cranially, rostrum is very short, with supraorbital region well inflated. Dental formulais 12/2, C1/1,P 2/2, M 2/2 (x2) = 28. I! are distinctly bilobated.

Habitat. Forested areas, pristine humid lowland forests, forest edges, crop fields in recovery (second growth forests), and cerrado formations and savannas at elevations of 100-680 m.

Food and Feeding. The Dwarf Fruit-eating Bat is considered frugivorous and feeds on fruits in the canopy; however,its specific habits are unknown. Its diet includes figs ( Ficus spp., Moraceae ) and Cecropia sp. ( Urticaceae ).

Breeding. Pregnant and lactating Dwarf Fruit-eating Bats have been found in January— April in Venezuela, French Guiana, and eastern Brazil (Para); June-July in Venezuela and Brazil (Mato Grosso); and October-November in Venezuela and Peru. Based on these data, bimodal polyestry appears to be the reproductive pattern.

Activity patterns. In Peru, one Dwarf Fruiteating Bat was located roosting under a cut leaf of Monstera lechleriana ( Araceae ).

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Roosting groups of Dwarf Fruiteating Bat have had 2-8 individuals, but no details were given about the make-up of these groups.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCNRed List (as Dermanura gnoma ). The Dwarf Fruiteating Bat has a wide distribution and occurs in protected areas. Nevertheless, its natural history is poorly understood due to confusion with similar species.

Bibliography. Ascorra et al. (1996), Bernard & Fenton (2002), Handley (1987), Hershkovitz (1949), Lim, Engstrom, Patton & Bickham (2008), Marques-Aguiar (2008a), Solari, Hoofer et al. (2009), Solari, Munoz-Saba et al. (2013), Timm (1987).

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)

Artibeus gnomus is placed in Dermanura by some authors, but itis reassigned to Artibeus (subgenus Dermanura ) after reinterpretation of molecular results. Before its description, some populations were referred to as A. pumilio , although that name is now associated with A. glaucus . Monotypic. Distribution. South America, E of Andes, including E Venezuela , the Guianas, E Colombia , E Ecuador , E Peru , Bolivia , and Brazil .