Part 5

TABLE 2.--Selected measurements of two subspecies of Artibeus toltecus from Nicaragua.

Table Legend:

Col. A: Number of specimens averaged and sex Col. B: Length of forearm Col. C: Greatest length of skull Col. D: Zygomatic breath Col. E: Mastoid breadth Col. F: Length of maxillary toothrow

============================================================ A B C D E F ------------------------------------------------------------ Artibeus toltecus toltecus, Departamento de Matagalpa

Average 6 40.3 20.3 12.1 10.7 6.6 (3, 3[Female]) Minimum 38.8 19.8 11.8 10.5 6.5 Maximum 41.5 20.5 12.5 10.9 6.8

Artibeus toltecus hesperus, Isla de Ometepe, Rivas

Average 10 38.0 19.4 11.5 10.2 6.3 (4, 6[Female]) Minimum 37.0 18.8 11.2 9.8 6.1 Maximum 39.7 19.8 11.8 10.5 6.5 ------------------------------------------------------------

Artibeus toltecus toltecus (Saussure, 1860)

Specimens.--Matagalpa: Santa María de Ostuma, 1250 m, 5; 2 km N, 6 km E Esquipulas, 960 m, 1.

This bat has been reported from Nicaragua previously by Andersen (1908:300) and Davis (1969:28), based on a total of four specimens. We netted this species at Santa María de Ostuma in patches of cloud forest at a cafetal. The specimen from near Esquipulas was taken in a net placed across a trail in second growth forest. Two females collected on 11 April and one taken on 30 June were pregnant (embryos 21, 26, and 12 mm, respectively, in crown-rump length). Testes of a male netted on 14 March were 7 mm in length, whereas those of two obtained on 11 April measured 4 and 7 mm. Selected measurements of our six specimens are given in Table 2.

Artibeus watsoni Thomas, 1901

Specimens.--Chontales: 1 km N, 1.5 km W Villa Somoza, 330 m, 3. Nueva Segovia: 7 km N, 4 km E Jalapa, 600 m, 1. Zelaya: Bonanza, 850 ft, 6; S side Río Mico, El Recreo, 25 m, 6; Cara de Mono, 50 m, 1.

Davis (1970a:393-394) recently reviewed the systematic status of this small fruit-eating bat and recorded specimens from southeastern Nicaragua; the species was first reported from the country by Andersen (1908:290), based on a specimen from the Escondido River. Our additional material reveals that A. watsoni occurs throughout eastern Nicaragua, the specimen from Nueva Segovia extending the known range as mapped by Davis (loc. cit.).

A female from Bonanza (23 February) carried an embryo 14 mm in crown-rump length, whereas one from El Recreo (26 February) was not reproductively active; one of two females netted near Villa Somoza in early August was pregnant (embryo 21 mm in crown-rump length). Seven adult males collected in late February and early March had an average testicular length of 5.9 (5-7) mm; testes of two adults taken in late June and one captured in early August all measured 5 mm. The testes of young males (grayish pelage, partially unfused phalangeal epiphyses) were 2 or 3 mm in length.

Centurio senex senex Gray, 1842

Specimens.--Chinandega: 4.5 km N Cosigüina, 15 m, 1; San Antonio, 35 m, 5. Matagalpa: 2 km N, 6 km E Esquipulas, 960 m, 3. Nueva Segovia: 7 km N, 4 km E Jalapa, 660 m, 1. Zelaya: S side Río Mico, El Recreo, 25 m, 1.

Paradiso (1967) reviewed geographic variation in this unique bat, the type locality of which was restricted to Realejo, Chinandega, Nicaragua, by Goodwin (1946:327). Because additional material had not been reported from Nicaragua, Paradiso (op. cit.:598) felt it was "premature to restrict the type locality to a specific area in that country" (the holotype was obtained on the voyage of the H.M.S. Sulphur, which called at Realejo), and preferred the more general designation "west coast of Mexico or Central America." In view of the fact that we now have specimens from but a few miles distant from Realejo (at San Antonio), we see no reason to contest Goodwin's restriction of the type locality to that place.

Specimens from San Antonio were collected along a small stream, bordered by a bilevel gallery forest, in an area otherwise planted mostly to cane. Many trees of the lower level were covered by an extremely thick network of vines, which were interwoven with branches and supported fallen leaves and debris from the upper level. This situation led to formation of small "rooms" or "cubicles" under some shorter trees; the bats were shot as they hung from small branches under one such tree, which was in fruit. All of our other specimens were captured in mist nets.

Pregnant females were taken on the following dates (crown-rump length of embryo in parentheses): 25 February (12 mm), 2 March (17 mm), 15 March (14 mm); a nonpregnant female also was taken on 15 March. Five males captured at San Antonio on 9 and 10 March had an average testicular length of 5.6 (5-6) mm. A male taken in July had testes 4 mm in length, whereas those of one obtained on 14 March were 5 mm long.

Selected measurements (average, with extremes in parentheses) of 11 adults (seven males and four females) are as follows: length of forearm, 42.5 (41.5-43.7) mm; condylobasal length (10 specimens only), 14.8 (14.5-15.0) mm; zygomatic breadth, 14.8 (14.4-15.1) mm; interorbital breadth, 5.0 (4.7-5.2) mm; breadth across upper molars, 10.6 (10.5-11.0) mm; length of maxillary toothrow, 5.0 (4.8-5.3) mm. These measurements generally agree with those given by Paradiso (1967:600) for 20 individuals from Panamá. Females in our series average slightly larger than do males in external and cranial measurements. Six males weighed an average of 22.9 (20.7-25.1) gms; one nonpregnant female weighed 17.1 gms.

Diphylla ecaudata Spix, 1823

Specimens.--Boaco: Los Cocos, 14 km S Boaco, 220 m, 5. Madriz: 5 km N, 9 km E Condega, 800 m, 1. Matagalpa: 2 km N, 6 km E Esquipulas, 960 m, 1.

Our specimens constitute the first report of this species from Nicaragua. We follow Burt and Stirton (1961:37) in regarding D. ecaudata as monotypic.

Specimens from Los Cocos (three males and two females) were captured in a mist net stretched across a large, quiet pool in a small stream. The banks supported well-developed gallery forest, the understory of which had been cleared for human habitation; grassland (grazed) and small stands of secondary forest obtained beyond the riparian habitat. Domestic ducks, a possible source of food, were observed sleeping along the bank of this stream and on top of large boulders situated in the stream. Males from this locality taken on 20 February, 4 April, and 18 July had testicular lengths of 5, 6, and 6.5 mm, respectively. Two adult females collected there on 4 April were reproductively inactive. An adult male (testes 6 mm) from near Condega was captured on 23 June in a daytime roost in a small, cave-like crevice (see account of Peropteryx marcotis), and one from northeast of Esquipulas (testes 5 mm) was netted on 14 March along a forest trail (see account of Vampyressa pusilla).

Natalus stramineus saturatus Dalquest and Hall, 1949

Specimens.--Granada: 6 km S Nandaime, 5. Zelaya: S side Río Mico, El Recreo, 25 m, 2.

This funnel-eared species occupies an extensive geographic range (northern México to Brazil) but appears to be relatively rare in Middle America to the south of Guatemala. Our specimens represent the first of this species to be reported from Nicaragua.

Both specimens from El Recreo, adult males, were caught by hand at night after they flew through an open door into a small room, possibly seeking insects that were swarming around a light bulb. Those from near Nandaime (three males, two females) were caught in a mist net set over the mouth of a well in which they were roosting; the well was approximately 2 m in diameter, and the water level was about 5 m below the rim. The females were not reproductively active (6 August).