An Annotated Checklist of Nebraskan Bats

Part 1

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An Annotated Checklist of Nebraskan Bats

OLIN L. WEBB and J. KNOX JONES, JR.

University of Kansas Publications Museum of Natural History

Volume 5, No. 21, pp. 269-279 May 31, 1952

University of Kansas LAWRENCE 1952

UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS PUBLICATIONS, MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY

Editors: E. Raymond Hall, Chairman, A. Byron Leonard, Edward H. Taylor, Robert W. Wilson

Volume 5, No. 21, pp. 269-279 May 31, 1952

UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS Lawrence, Kansas

PRINTED BY FERD VOILAND, JR., STATE PRINTER TOPEKA, KANSAS 1952

24-2965

An Annotated Checklist of Nebraskan Bats

OLIN L. WEBB and J. KNOX JONES, JR.

HISTORY

The first mention of bats in Nebraska possibly was by Harrison Allen, in his "Monograph of the Bats of North America" (1864:14, 20, 30, 35, 42), who listed Nycticejus crepuscularis [= Nycticeius humeralis], Lasiurus borealis, Scotophilus carolinensis and Scotophilus fuscus [both = Eptesicus fuscus], and Scotophilus noctivagans [= Lasionycteris noctivagans], as collected in "Nebraska" (then Nebraska Territory) by J. G. Cooper. Henry W. Setzer (in litt.) reports that none of the bats collected by Cooper now exists in the United States National Museum and that no data pertaining to any of them are available except that a single specimen of Nycticeius humeralis was traded to the British Museum in 1866. Cooper journeyed through parts of the present state of Nebraska in the summer and autumn of 1857 and, judging from Taylor's (1919:72-80) report of Cooper's travels, this was the only time he entered any part of Nebraska Territory. The writers are of the opinion that the specimens in question probably were collected in Nebraska; but since Allen listed no exact localities or dates of collection and since the specimens and data pertaining to them are not now available, we have not included them here as Nebraskan records.

In the first comprehensive account of Nebraskan mammals, Myron H. Swenk (1908:137-139) listed six kinds of bats, Myotis evotis, Myotis californicus ciliolabrum [= Myotis subulatus subulatus], Lasionycteris noctivagans, Eptesicus fuscus, Lasiurus borealis, and Lasiurus cinereus, as occurring within the state. Zimmer (1913:665) recorded Nyctinomus mexicanus [= Tadarida mexicana] from Nebraska. Subsequently, Swenk (1915:854) reported Myotis lucifugus lucifugus in the state and three years later (1918:411) he reported Eptesicus fuscus pallidus for the first time. The report of M. l. lucifugus seemingly was not substantiated by any actual specimens. The addition of Myotis volans interior (Quay, 1948:181) brought to ten the number of species and subspecies of bats reported from the state.

In the present paper, Myotis keenii septentrionalis, Myotis lucifugus carissima, and Pipistrellus subflavus subflavus are reported from Nebraska for the first time. Also, the first authentic record of Myotis lucifugus lucifugus is presented, along with additional information on previously reported species. A total number of 169 specimens from Nebraska was available for the present study. This includes almost all of the known specimens preserved in all collections as well as material obtained by us in the past six years.

Nebraska has no natural caves or caverns; however, there are two extensive man-made limestone caves near Louisville, in Cass and Sarpy counties, where four kinds of bats have been found. Two of these are here reported as new to Nebraska. The quarries, one on either side of the Platte River Valley, are in a horizontal stratum of limestone 40 feet in thickness, and are of the room and pillar type; that is to say, the stone has been quarried away leaving rooms having supporting pillars approximately every 50 feet. The average temperatures in summer and winter within these tunnels, recorded over a period of several years by the Ash Grove Lime and Portland Cement Company of Louisville, are 65° F. and 50° F. respectively. The Kiewit Stone Quarry, abandoned since 1936, is one-half mile west of Meadow, Sarpy County, and has one remaining entrance measuring approximately 30 by 30 feet. This quarry has an area of approximately one-fifth square mile and is usually flooded with several feet of water. The other man-made cave, known formerly as the National Stone Quarry, is one mile northeast of Louisville, Cass County. This quarry was abandoned in September, 1938, and until the winter of 1948-1949 had eight or nine entrances and two air shafts. It was approximately one-third square mile in area. All the openings to this quarry were covered in late 1949. Bats were first observed in the National Stone Quarry by one of us (Webb) as early as 1939, less than a year after operations in the quarry ceased.

METHODS AND ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Records of Nebraskan bats are arranged in two categories; specimens examined and additional records. The latter refer to citations in the literature. Genera are arranged according to Simpson (1945:59, 60), and species are listed alphabetically under each genus. Specimens examined are in the personal collection of the authors unless otherwise indicated.

In connection with this study the authors acknowledge the assistance of Drs. Edson H. Fichter, Department of Biological Sciences, Idaho State College, and E. Raymond Hall and Rollin H. Baker, University of Kansas Museum of Natural History for critical assistance with the manuscript. We are indebted to Mr. Richard B. Loomis, University of Kansas, for aid in collecting specimens; to Dr. Henry W. Setzer, United States National Museum, for providing information on possible early Nebraskan records; and to Mr. Fred Brammer, Ash Grove Lime and Portland Cement Company, Louisville, Nebraska, for information on, and permission to collect in, the quarries of that area. For the loan of specimens we are grateful to Dr. William H. Burt, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology, Dr. C. Bertrand Schultz, University of Nebraska State Museum, Dr. Otis Wade, University of Nebraska Department of Zoology, Miss Lucille Drury, Cleveland Museum of Natural History, Mr. W. E. Eigsti, Hastings Museum, Hastings, Nebraska, and to those in charge of the collections of the Nebraska Game, Forestation and Parks Commission.

ACCOUNTS OF SPECIES

~Myotis evotis evotis~ (H. Allen)

Long-eared Myotis

Vespertilio evotis H. Allen, Smithsonian Misc. Coll., 165:48, June, 1864 (part), type from Monterey, Monterey Co., California.

Myotis evotis, Miller, N. Amer. Fauna, 13:78, October 16, 1897.

Distribution in Nebraska.--Pine Ridge area of northwestern part of state.

Part 2

Record of occurrence.--Specimen examined, 1, as follows: SIOUX CO.: Warbonnet Canyon, 1 (Univ. Nebr. State Mus.).

Remarks.--This specimen was taken by Merritt Cary on July 22, 1901.

~Myotis keenii septentrionalis~ (Trouessart)

Eastern Long-eared Myotis

Myotis keenii septentrionalis, Miller and Allen, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., 144:105, May 25, 1928.

Distribution in Nebraska.--Known from limestone quarries in Cass and Sarpy counties. Probably in other parts of extreme eastern Nebraska.

Records of occurrence.--Specimens examined, 35, as follows: CASS CO.: 1 mi. NE Louisville, 4. SARPY CO.: 1/2 mi. W Meadow, 31 (some of these specimens have been deposited in other collections as follows: Private Collection of P. H. Krutzsch, 3; Private Collection of W. G. Frum, 2; Nebr. Game, Forestation and Parks Comm., 1; Univ. Kansas Mus. Nat. Hist., 2; Univ. Nebr. State Mus., 7).

Remarks.--Although not so common as Pipistrellus in the limestone quarries, hibernating bats of this species frequently are found there, usually as solitary individuals either in drill holes or clinging to the walls of the quarries; occasionally, however, two or three bats have been found together in a single drill hole.

~Myotis lucifugus carissima~ Thomas

Brown Myotis

Myotis (Leuconoe) carissima Thomas, Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist., (ser. 7), 13:383, May, 1904, type from Yellowstone Lake, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming.

Myotis lucifugus carissima, Cary, N. Amer. Fauna, 42:43, October 3, 1917.

Distribution in Nebraska.--Known from a single record in extreme northwestern Nebraska, but probably occurs throughout Panhandle of state.

Record of occurrence.--Specimen examined, 1, as follows: SIOUX CO.: Agate, 1 (Univ. Mich. Mus. Zool.).

~Myotis lucifugus lucifugus~ (Le Conte)

Brown Myotis

V[espertilio]. lucifugus Le Conte, McMurtrie's Cuvier, Animal Kingdom, 1:431, June, 1831, type from Georgia, probably from the Le Conte Plantation, near Riceboro, Liberty County.

Myotis lucifugus [lucifugus], Miller, N. Amer. Fauna, 13:59, October 16, 1897.

Distribution in Nebraska.--Known only from the limestone quarry in Sarpy County, but probably occurs over most of eastern third of state.

Records of occurrence.--Specimens examined, 2, as follows: SARPY CO.: 1/2 mi. W Meadow, 2 (Univ. Kansas Mus. Nat. Hist., 1).

Remarks.--Two bats of this subspecies were found in the quarry in Sarpy County on December 30, 1949. None was found on subsequent visits to the quarry, although three other species of bats have been found there in large numbers. These specimens appear to be the first actual records of M. l. lucifugus in the state, although Swenk (1915:854, and in subsequent lists) reported it as "uncommon eastwardly".

One of these bats, a male (KU 35076), possesses a peculiar dental abnormality. Both of the second upper premolars (P3) are lacking, although the mandibular dentition is normal. This condition has been reported previously for this species by Frum (1946:176) in specimens from West Virginia.

~Myotis subulatus subulatus~ (Say)

Small-footed Myotis

Vespertilio subulatus Say, Long's Exped. to Rocky Mts., 2:65 (footnote), 1823, type from the Arkansas River near La Junta, Otero Co., Colorado.

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