Sturnira koopmanhilli, McCarthy, Albuja & Alberico, 2006

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

129.

Choco Yellow-shouldered Bat

Sturnira koopmanhilli

French: Sturnire du Choco / German: Choco-Gelbschulterfledermaus / Spanish: Sturniro del Chocé

Other common names: Chocoan Yellow-shouldered Bat, Koopman and Hill's Yellow-shouldered Bat

Taxonomy. Sturnira koopmanhilli McCarthy, Albuja & Alberico, 2006 ,

“Los Pambiles, confluence of unnamed river with Rio las Piedras, Reserva Ecolégica Cotacachi-Cayapas, Province de Emeraldas, Ecuador, 00°32’N, 78°37'W, 1200 m.”

Sturnira koopmanhilli was previously confused with S. mordax . Monotypic.

Distribution. Pacific lowlands and adjacent slopes of Andes from Choco Department in W Colombia, S to Chimborazo Province in NW Ecuador.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 72-80 mm (tailless), ear 13-20 mm, hindfoot 16— 19 mm, forearm 48-53 mm; weight 25-36 g. The Choco Yellow-shouldered Batis medium-sized, similar to the Highland Yellow-shouldered Bat ( S. ludovici ) but larger and more robust. Dorsal fur is grayish brown to pale brown, long (9-10 mm), and bicolored. Shoulders of adult males can be reddish brown to blackish brown. Noseleaf has small rounded “tooth” of skin at nostrils and one on each side of the leaf. I' are robust, projecting forward, and tips contact each other; upper and lower dental rows have spaces between premolars and molars (crowns not in contact); and lower molars have ill-defined cusps toward tongue, giving each molar a flat, plain aspect.

Habitat. Wet primary and well-preserved forests at elevations of 300-2000 m. These habitats, usually referred to as the Choco, are characterized by high rainfall and high biotic diversity, and flora and fauna have high levels of endemism. Los Pambiles, the type locality, is situated along an irregular ridge of the Cordillera de Toisan. Transitional lower montane—pre-montane forest at Los Pambiles was dominated by trees of medium height (less than 25 m), with two strata that were not always distinct and continuous,in part because of the rough topography. Recent records suggest Choco Yellow-shouldered Bats can reach humid forests of the Nechi Refuge, the eastern extension of the Choc6-Magdalena Province. Precipitation and environmental humidity are high (annual rainfall ¢. 4000 mm).

Food and Feeding. Although details of the diet of the Choco Yellow-shouldered Bat are unknown, its greatly enlarged and reinforced upper and lower incisors suggest more specialized frugivorous habits than other species in the genus. Similarly, spacing between molariform teeth is less obvious but also suggests specialized food habits.

Breeding. Two female Choco Yellow-shouldered Bats from late July at Los Pambiles had developing teats and were pregnant with small fetuses; one fetus had crown—rump length of 3 mm. A third female was lactating. In late November, two females were lactating, and a third was postlactating. A seemingly adult male had incompletely fused manual epiphyses in late November. In the Choco of western Colombia, two females were recorded in mid-May with one fetus each (crown-rump lengths 5 mm and 20 mm), while a third one had an enlarged uterus. A pregnant female from Valle de Cauca had one fetus in mid-April, and two juveniles were collected in late July.

Activity patterns. Choco Yellow-shouldered Bats are nocturnal.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Data Deficient on The IUCN Red List. The Choco Yellow-shouldered Bat is uncommon and poorly known, with a restricted distribution. Deforestation and mining are its main threats.

Bibliography. Gardner (2008g), Martinez-Arias & Solari (2013), McCarthy et al. (2006), 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. Pacific lowlands and adjacent slopes of Andes from Choco Department in W Colombia , S to Chimborazo Province in NW Ecuador .