Sturnira parvidens (Goldman, 1917)

Don E. Wilson & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2019, Phyllostomidae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 9 Bats, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 444-583 : 548-549

136.

Northern Yellow-shouldered Bat

Sturnira parvidens

French: Sturnire du Mexique / German: Nordliche Gelbschulterfledermaus / Spanish: Sturniro de México

Taxonomy. Sturnira Lilium parvidens Goldman, 1917 ,

“Papayo (about 25 miles [= 40 km] northwest of Acapulco), Guerrero, Mexico.”

Sturnira parvidens was considered a subspecies of S. lilium but also confused with S. luisi . Molecular and morphological analyses recognized it as distinct from other similar taxa. Monotypic.

Distribution. Mexico (from S Sonora on Pacific slope and C Tamaulipas on Gulf coast to S and including Yucatan Peninsula) and Central America to N Costa Rica (S limit is Cordillera de Talamanca).

Descriptive notes. Head—body 54-65 mm (tailless), ear 15-18 mm, hindfoot 12-15 mm, forearm 37-42 mm; weight 13-18 g. The Northern Yellow-shouldered Bat is small and most similar to Baker’s Yellow-shouldered Bat (S. bakeri ) and the Little Yellow-shouldered Bat (S. lilium ). Dorsal fur is short (3-5 mm between shoulders) and velvety, typically orange-brown, sometimes grayish or bright orange. Dorsal hairs are tricolored, with narrow dark brown basal bands, wider pale gray or silver medial bands, and dark tips. Shoulders patches are deep yellow, orange, or dark red (most obvious in adult males). Ventral fur is pale brownish to reddish. Muzzle is blunt, forehead is rounded, and ears and noseleaf are short. Wing membranes are dark brown. Forearm is thinly haired on dorsal surface. Dorsal surfaces of femur, tibia, and feet are densely covered with short hairs,as is free margin of tail membrane. Skull has globular braincase, with broad rostrum and well-developed sagittal crest. I' are bicuspidate, procumbent, and at least twice the height of I, and I, and I, are tricuspidate and subequal in height. Lingual cusps (metaconid and entoconid) of M, and M, are well defined and separated by deep notch. Chromosomal complement has 2n = 30 and FN = 56, with a subtelocentric X-chromosome (as “S. Lilium ” from Mexico).

Habitat. Tropical dry forest, semideciduous lowland forests, pre-montane rainforests, secondary forests, and plantations of coffee, and other fruits from lowlands to elevations of ¢. 1600 m.

Food and Feeding. The Northern Yellow-shouldered Bat has a predominantly frugivorous diet, eating fruits of Piper spp. ( Piperaceae ) and species of Solanaceae and Melastomataceae . It is attracted to banana fruits in Mexico. Apparently, its diet includes some pollen and nectar because several individuals in Costa Rica were found carrying several types of pollen. A long-term study in Panama and Costa Rica found no evidence of insects in stomach contents, although some remains were detected in samples from Mexico.

Breeding. Throughout its extensive distribution, pregnant Northern Yellow-shouldered Bats have been recorded in every month of the year. In Mexico, records of pregnant females come from May-June and August in Sinaloa and Yucatan. In Costa Rica, birth peaks have been recorded in February-March and June-July.

Activity patterns. Northern Yellow-shouldered Bats are nocturnal. They are rarely found at a roost, and most ofthe captures are in mist nets, maybe suggesting continuous activity through most of the night. They roost in cavities in large trees, vine tangles, and small holes in tree branches and among palm leaves.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Banding and recapture studies in Costa Rica suggest the Northern Yellow-shouldered Bat have comparatively small home ranges and tend to be sedentary. In Panama,it was captured on mist nets on the ground or in canopies, without significant differences. It can be locally common in some specific areas and habitats. In Costa Rica, it showed no significant differences in seasonal abundance throughout the year.

Status and Conservation. Not assessed on The IUCN Red List. Given its wide distribution and habitat flexibility, its conservation status might be stable.

Bibliography. Baker (1967), Fleming et al. (1972), Gannon et al. (1989), Gardner (20089), Hernandez-Canchola & Ledn-Paniagua (2017), Reid (2009), Sdnchez-Hernandez & Romero-Almaraz (2003), Sénchez-Hernandez et al. (1986), Stoner (2001), Velazco & Patterson (2013, 2014).

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. Mexico (from S Sonora on Pacific slope and C Tamaulipas on Gulf coast to S and including Yucatan Peninsula) and Central America to N Costa Rica (S limit is Cordillera de Talamanca).