Myotis ruber ( E . Geoffroy, 1806)

Novaes, Roberto Leonan M., Claudio, Vinicius C., Diaz, M. Monica, Wilson, Don E., Weksler, Marcelo & Moratelli, Ricardo, 2022, Argentinean Myotis (Chiroptera, Vespertilionidae), including the description of a new species from the Yungas, Vertebrate Zoology 72, pp. 1187-1216 : 1187

Myotis ruber ( E. Geoffroy, 1806)

Comments.

Medium to large-sized species (FA 35.8-40.5 mm; body mass 4-8 g; Table 4 , Fig. 6 ); with woolly, moderately long fur (LDF 6-8 mm, LVF 5-6 mm). Ears comparatively short (length 13-15 mm). Dorsal fur reddish and varying from Cinnamon Brown to Ochraceous Tawny, with slightly darker bases (1/3 hair length). The ventral fur strongly bicolored, with Prout’s Brown bases (2/3 hair length) and yellowish red tips (1/3 hair length). Membranes and ears are Mummy Brown. Legs and dorsal surface of uropatagium naked. Fringe of hairs along the trailing edge of the uropatagium absent. The plagiopatagium is attached to feet on the level of the base of the toes by a wide band of membrane. Skull robust and moderate in size (GLS 15.1-15.6 mm; BCB 6.7-7.2 mm); rostrum comparatively elongated; mastoid process well-developed. The P3 is smaller than P2 and can be aligned or displaced to lingual side in the toothrow. Sagittal crest present and usually low to medium; lambdoidal crests usually present and ranging from medium to high. Parietal straight or slightly inclined forward; occipital region flattened and not projected beyond the occipital condyle limits in most specimens; braincase elongated in dorsal view; postorbital and interorbital constrictions are comparatively narrow.

The distribution is associated with ombrophilous and seasonal tropical forests from Northeastern Brazil to northern Argentina and Paraguay, where it appears to be strongly associated to humid and dense forested environments ( Weber et al. 2010; Moratelli et al. 2019a). In Argentina, we confirm the occurrence throughout ombrophilous tropical forests in Humid Chaco (Formosa Province) and moist Atlantic Forest (Misiones Province), in an altitudinal range from 70 to 550 m. However, literature indicates a wider distribution, with records in Buenos Aires, Corrientes, Entre Ríos, and Santa Fe provinces ( Barquez and Díaz 2020).

Figures

Figure 6. Adult male of Myotis ruber (MACN 18035) from Misiones, Argentina.