Part 6

We have compared our Nicaraguan material with a number of Mexican specimens, including the holotype of N. s. saturatus and topotypes of N. s. mexicanus. We concur with Goodwin (1959) that in México there are two rather distinct subspecies, between which a broad zone of intergradation obtains. Our Nicaraguan specimens agree most closely with N. s. saturatus, and, until additional comparative material is available from Middle America, we tentatively refer them to that race. Handley (1966b:770) and Starrett and Casebeer (1968:15), however, regarded mexicanus as the appropriate name for specimens from Panamá and Costa Rica.

Selected measurements of two males from El Recreo are: length of forearm, 41.2, 39.0 mm; greatest length of skull, 17.1, 16.5 mm; zygomatic breadth, 8.4, 8.5 mm; mastoid breadth, 7.7, 7.6 mm; breadth of braincase, 8.2, 8.1 mm; interorbital constriction, 3.2, 3.2 mm; length of maxillary toothrow, 7.3, 7.1 mm.

Myotis albescens (E. Geoffroy St.-Hilaire, 1806)

This handsome Myotis has been reported previously from Nicaragua only from the Caribbean lowlands--from the Escondido and Prinzapolka rivers (Miller and Allen, 1928:203). We netted two specimens, both males, at Santa Rosa, 17 km N and 15 km E Boaco, 300 m, Boaco, in central Nicaragua on 13 July and 9 August 1967, under the same conditions described in the account of Myotis elegans. Testes of our specimens were 7 and 6 mm, respectively, in length. External and cranial measurements are as follows: total length, 84, 83 mm; length of tail, 31, 33 mm; length of hind foot, 9, 9 mm; length of ear, 15, 15 mm; length of forearm, 32.9, 35.1 mm; weight, 6.4, 6.2 gms; greatest length of skull, 13.9, 14.4 mm; zygomatic breadth, 8.9, 9.0 mm; postorbital breadth, 3.8, 3.9 mm; breadth of braincase, 7.2, 7.3 mm; mastoid breadth, 7.4, 7.6 mm; breadth across upper molars, 5.6, 5.5 mm; length of maxillary toothrow, 5.3, 5.3 mm.

Myotis elegans Hall, 1962

The first specimen on record of this rare Myotis from Central America, a nonpregnant female, was taken on 11 July 1967 at Santa Rosa, 17 km N and 15 km E Boaco, 300 m, Boaco. It was captured in a mist net as it foraged over a small stream that supported relatively well-developed gallery forest along the bank. The surrounding area was grassland (grazed), with small patches of tropical forest located on the sides of hills. Twenty other species of bats were taken at this same locality including Myotis argentatus and Myotis nigricans nigricans.

External and cranial measurements of our specimen, followed in parentheses by those of the female holotype from Veracruz, are: total length, 71 (79) mm; length of tail, 32 (34) mm; length of hind foot, 7 (7.5) mm; length of ear, 11 (12) mm; length of forearm, 32.9 (33.0) mm; greatest length of skull, 12.5 (12.4) mm; condylobasal length, 11.6 (11.9) mm; zygomatic breadth, 8.2 mm; breadth of braincase, 5.8 (6.1) mm; postorbital breadth, 3.2 (3.2) mm; length of maxillary toothrow, 4.7 (4.6) mm. Our female weighed 3.2 gms.

Myotis nigricans nigricans (Schinz, 1821)

Specimens.--Boaco: Santa Rosa, 17 km N, 15 km E Boaco, 300 m, 2. Chinandega: 6.5 km N, 1 km E Cosigüina, 10 m, 1; San Antonio, 35 m, 1. Chontales: 1 km N, 2.5 km W Villa Somoza, 330 m, 1. Madriz: Darailí, 5 km N, 14 km E Condega, 940 m, 1. Nueva Segovia: 4.5 km N, 2 km E Jalapa, 680 m, 1. Rivas: 1 km NW Sapoá, 40 m, 1.

This small Neotropical Myotis has been reported from Nicaragua only from the Caribbean lowlands of Zelaya (Davis et al., 1964:379). Our records indicate that it is widely distributed in the republic but evidently nowhere common. Females taken on 5 March and 6 August each carried a single embryo (7 and 13 mm in crown-rump length, respectively), whereas one obtained on 21 July evidenced no reproductive activity. Richard K. LaVal currently is studying the Myotis nigricans complex; pending his revision our specimens are tentatively assigned to M. n. nigricans.

Myotis simus riparius Handley, 1960

A male (USNM 52800) from the Escondido River above Bluefields, originally reported by Miller and Allen (1928:203) as one of two M. albescens from that locality, provides the first record of the species from Nicaragua and the northernmost from Middle America. The cranial dimensions of this specimen, which compare well with those listed by Handley (1960:467) for the Panamanian holotype and paratype, are: greatest length of skull, 13.8 mm; zygomatic breadth, 8.9 mm; postorbital constriction, 3.5 mm; breadth of braincase, 6.7 mm; mastoid breadth, 7.4 mm; breadth across upper molars, 5.5 mm; length of maxillary toothrow, 5.2 mm.

From Nicaraguan specimens of albescens, the skull of the specimen of simus examined (skin not seen) differs most conspicuously in having a less inflated braincase, narrower postorbital region, and a distinct sagittal crest.

Eptesicus furinalis gaumeri (J. A. Allen, 1897)

Specimens.--Carazo: 3 km N, 4 km W Diriamba, 600 m, 7. Chinandega: Potosí, 5 m, 1; 6.5 km N, 1 km E Cosigüina, 10 m, 1; San Antonio, 35 m, 1. Chontales: 1 km N, 2.5 km W Villa Somoza, 330 m, 1; Hato Grande, 13 km S, 8 km W Juigalpa, 60 m, 3.

Davis (1965:234) reported two specimens of this species from Nicaragua, one from Carazo (listed above) and the other from 1 mi SE Yalagüina, 2600 ft, Madriz. The only other specimen on record from Nicaragua is from Greytown (Miller, 1897:100). Except for two individuals that were shot as they foraged in early evening, our specimens were captured in mist nets stretched over water or as described below.

Some of the bats captured northwest of Diriamba were taken in a net placed across the center of a water-filled, concrete cistern that was located in a large, open space used for drying coffee beans. Open at the top, the cistern was approximately 12 m in diameter, and the water level was approximately 3 m below the rim. Several Artibeus jamaicensis, A. lituratus, and Molossus pretiosus were caught in the same net. Aside from bats removed from the net, a few Eptesicus and Molossus were retrieved from the water where they fell, apparently stunned, after colliding with the wall of the cistern. The fact that a number of decomposed bats of these two species were observed floating in the water indicated that such entrapment was not caused by the placement of our net.

A female pregnant with two embryos (crown-rump length 15 mm) was captured on 22 April, whereas one taken on 5 July was lactating. Adult males taken in March (two) and April (two) had testes 5, 7, 9, and 10 mm long, respectively.

Rhogeessa tumida tumida H. Allen, 1866

Specimens.--Boaco: Santa Rosa, 17 km N, 15 km E Boaco, 300 m, 2. Carazo: 3 km N, 4 km W Diriamba, 600 m, 2. Chinandega: 6 km N, 1 km E Cosigüina, 10 m, 3; Hda. Bellavista, 720 m, Volcán Casita, 1. Matagalpa: 1 km NE Esquipulas, 420 m, 1.

This small vespertilionid occurs throughout much of Central America, but the available material still is insufficient to permit an accurate assessment of geographic variation in that region. All but one of our specimens were trapped in mist nets. Those captured near Diriamba were taken in a net stretched across a trail bordered by high cut-banks, whereas those from other localities were netted over small streams. The one bat from Bellavista was shot as it foraged in the evening along trees bordering the hacienda yard.

Two females taken on 5 March each had swollen uteri and may have been in an early stage of pregnancy. Others taken on 13 July, 9 August, and 15 August were reproductively inactive. Males had testes that measured 2.5 (March), 3 (July), and 2 (August) mm.

We have compared our material with representative specimens from México of R. parvula and R. tumida, as defined by Goodwin (1958); we are not wholly convinced that these are valid species (rather than variable geographic races of the same species). Certainly there is need for additional investigation of the problem. Our Nicaraguan specimens most closely resemble R. t. tumida (see Goodwin, op. cit.:3), to which they are tentatively referred.

Selected measurements of two females from Boaco and a male from Matagalpa, followed by the average (and extremes) of three males and three females from western Nicaragua (Carazo and Chinandega), are, respectively: length of forearm, 30.4, 28.5, 28.3, 28.2 (27.5-29.0) mm; greatest length of skull, 12.8, 12.7, 12.8, 12.1 (11.8-12.5) mm; zygomatic breadth, 8.1, 8.4, 8.6, 8.1 (7.8-8.6) mm; mastoid breadth, 7.1, 7.2, 7.2, 6.8 (6.6-7.1) mm; breadth of braincase, 6.0, 5.7, 6.0, 5.6 (5.3-6.1) mm; postorbital constriction, 3.3, 3.0, 3.3, 3.0 (2.9-3.2) mm; length of maxillary toothrow, 4.7, 4.7, 4.5, 4.3 (4.2-4.6) mm; weight, 4.4, 4.3, 3.8, 3.5 (3.1-3.9) gms.

Tadarida laticaudata yucatanica (Miller, 1902)

One adult male (testes 5 mm) of this free-tailed bat from Potosí, 5 m, Chinandega, on the Cosigüina Peninsula, provides the only record of the genus Tadarida from Nicaragua. This specimen was netted after dark over a small stream that flowed into the Bay of Fonseca approximately 200 yards below our nets (see account of Noctilio leporinus). Other species taken in the same net included Carollia subrufa, Sturnira lilium, Eptesicus furinalis, Molossus ater, and Molossus molossus.

Selected measurements of the male are: total length, 92 mm; length of tail, 31 mm; length of hind foot, 10 mm; length of ear, 15 mm; length of forearm, 39.2 mm; weight, 10.3 gms; greatest length of skull, 17.2 mm; zygomatic breadth, 10.6 mm; postorbital constriction, 4.0 mm; breadth of braincase, 8.6 mm; length of maxillary toothrow, 6.5 mm.

Eumops auripendulus (Shaw, 1800)