Eptesicus andinus, J. A. Allen, 1914

Don E. Wilson & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2019, Vespertilionidae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 9 Bats, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 716-981 : 844

181.

Little Black Serotine

Eptesicus andinus

French: Sérotine des Andes / German: Kleine Schwarze Breitfligelfledermaus / Spanish: Eptesicus de los Andes

Taxonomy. Eptesicus andinus J. A. Allen, 1914 ,

“Valle de las Papas (alt. 10,000 ft. [= 3048 m]), Central Andes, Huila, Colombia.”

Based on morphology, E. andinus has been considered a subspecies of E. brasiliensis . Later studies based on external and skull quantitative and qualitative characters considered E. andinus as a valid species.Its taxonomy is confusing, and a review is necessary. Monotypic.

Distribution. N Venezuela S at upper elevations along the Andes of Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia; also known from WC Brazil. It has also been recorded in Guyana, but exact locality was not given.

Descriptive notes. Head-body ¢.52-62 mm, tail 31-39 mm, ear 11-16 mm, hindfoot 8-11 mm, forearm 37-2-44-4 mm; weight 7-10-4 g. Females are larger than males. Pelage of the Little Black Serotine is long and fluffy. Dorsal hairs are slightly bicolored, with dark brown bases and slightly lighter tips; ventral hairs have dark brown bases and tan tips. Ears and membranes are blackish; tragus is relatively broad and short. Braincase is domed rather than flattened; sagittal and lambdoidal crests are very poorly developed or absent; and flattened triangular plate of bone is present at connection between sagittal and lambdoidal crests. Chromosomal complement has 2n = 50 and FN = 48, with acrocentric autosomes and Y-chromosome and submetacentric X-chromosome.

Habitat. Cloud and evergreen forests in mature cloud forests, riparian cloud forests, gallery forests, and Tucuman-Bolivian forests at elevations of 100-3600 m.

Food and Feeding. The Little Black Serotine is insectivorous. Individuals have been caught foraging over streams and in areas near water.

Breeding. In Peru, pregnant Little Black Serotines have been caught in mid-August, with one embryo each. Lactating females were captured in May, July, and early August in Venezuela and November in Bolivia. Post-lactating females were captured in July in Venezuela. Volant young were captured in January in Ecuador.

Activity patterns. In northern Ecuador, Little Black Serotines have been caughtin the first three hours after sunset.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. The Little Black Serotine is widely distributed and found in protected areas, but it seems to be locally uncommon to rare.

Bibliography. Allen (1914), Baker & Patton (1967), Bianconi & Pedro (2017), Cueva et al. (2013), Davis, W.B. (1965, 1966), Davis, W.B. & Gardner (2008), Lim & Tavares (2012), Molinari & Aguirre (2016), Siles (2007b), Simmons (2005), Simmons & Voss (1998), Tirira & Boada (2009).

Figures

170. Humboldt’s Big-eared Brown Bat (Hustiotus humboldti), 171. Tropical Big-eared Brown Bat (Histiotus velatus), 172. Transparent-winged Big-eared Brown Bat (Histiotus diaphanopterus), 173. Strange Big-eared Brown Bat (Histiotus alienus), 174. Small Big-eared Brown Bat (Histiotus montanus), 175. Thomas’s Big-eared Brown Bat (Histiotus laephotis), 176. Common Big-eared Brown Bat (Histiotus macrotus), 177. Southern Big-eared Brown Bat (Histiotus magellanicus), 178. Big Brown Bat (Eptesicus fuscus), 179. Guadeloupe Serotine (Eptesicus guadeloupensis), 180. Diminutive Serotine (Eptesicus diminutus), 181. Little Black Serotine (Eptesicus andinus), 182. Chiriquinan Serotine (Eptesicus chiriquinus), 183. Argentine Serotine (Eptesicus furinalis), 184. Harmless Serotine (Eptesicus innoxius), 185. Brazilian Serotine (Eplesicus brasiliensis), 186. Taddei’s Serotine (Eptesicus taddeii), 187. Ulapes Serotine (Eptesicus ulapesensis), 188. Horn-skinned Serotine (Eptesicus floweri), 189. Lagos Serotine (Eptesicus platyops), 190. Long-tailed Serotine (Eptesicus hottentotus), 191. Ognev’s Serotine (Eptesicus ognevi), 192. Anatolian Serotine (Eptesicus anatolicus), 193. Botta’s Serotine (Eptesicus bottae), 194. Meridional Serotine (Eptesicus isabellinus), 195. Oriental Serotine (Eptesicus pachyomus), 196. Eurasian Serotine (Eplesicus serotinus), 197. Northern Serotine (Eptesicus nilssonii), 198. Sombre Serotine (Eptesicus tatei), 199. Gobi Serotine (Eptesicus gobiensis), 200. Japanese Serotine (Eptesicus japonensis), 201. Thick-eared Serotine (Eplesicus pachyotis)

Distribution. N Venezuela S at upper elevations along the Andes of Colombia , Ecuador , Peru , and Bolivia ; also known from WC Brazil . It has also been recorded in Guyana , but exact locality was not given.