Part 8

Specimens.--Boaco: Los Cocos, 14 km S Boaco, 220 m, 28; San Francisco, 19 km S, 2 km E Boaco, 200 m, 3. Carazo: 3 km N, 4 km W Diriamba, 600 m, 25. Managua: 6 mi WSW Managua, 3.

This relatively large mastiff bat has not been reported previously from Nicaragua. Specimens from several localities in Boaco were captured in mist nets over streams; most of those from northwest of Diriamba were shot in the early evening as they foraged high around large trees in a coffee finca, but several were netted over a water-filled concrete tank or found in the water in the tank as detailed in the account of Eptesicus furinalis. At Los Cocos, bats that we netted seemed to be emerging from a hollow located high in a tree over the stream.

Selected measurements of M. p. pretiosus from Nicaragua, which compare favorably with those of topotypes from Venezuela, are listed in Table 4 along with measurements of M. ater and M. sinaloae. The taxonomic relationships of M. pretiosus and M. ater are less than clear, and some authors (Handley, 1966b:773, for instance) have suggested that the two may be conspecific. Whatever their ultimate relationships may prove to be, two distinctive taxa seem to be present in Nicaragua; the larger is assignable to ater and the smaller to pretiosus, as currently understood. Furthermore, the presumed presence of two large Molossus with dark-based hairs elsewhere in Central America (Dilford C. Carter, personal communication) and in southeastern México (Goodwin, 1956:4; Goodwin and Greenhall, 1964:20) argues for specific recognition of pretiosus.

The species ater and pretiosus differ mainly in size (Table 4), some measurements clearly separating the two when sexual dimorphism is considered. Also, the average weights of 18 nonpregnant females and four males of pretiosus (all adults) collected on 20 February 1968 at Los Cocos, were 20.9 (14.6-23.8) and 27.0 (24.6-31.7) gms, respectively, significantly smaller than corresponding figures for 11 nonpregnant females and nine males of M. a. nigricans taken two weeks later on the Cosigüina Peninsula--29.1 (26.1-33.0) and 32.9 (29.3-35.1) gms. It is of note that we have not collected these two large species at the same localities in Nicaragua, and it is possible that one competitively excludes the other in local situations.

TABLE 4.--Selected measurements of adults of three species of Molossus from Nicaragua.

Table Legend:

Col. A: Number of specimens averaged or catalogue number, and sex Col. B: Length of forearm Col. C: Greatest length of skull Col. D: Condylobasal length Col. E: Zygomatic breadth Col. F: Breadth of braincase Col. G: Length of maxillary toothrow Col. H: Breadth across upper canines

==================================================================== A B C D E F G H --------------------------------------------------------------------

Molossus ater nigricans, Departamento de Chinandega, Nicaragua

Average 10 () 49.5 23.2 20.2 14.3 11.0 8.2 6.1 Minimum 48.2 22.8 19.9 14.1 10.5 8.0 6.0 Maximum 50.7 23.5 20.5 14.9 11.2 8.3 6.3 Average 10 ([Female]) 49.0 22.0 19.2 13.6 10.7 7.8 5.8 Minimum 47.1 21.5 18.8 13.3 10.5 7.6 5.6 Maximum 51.2 22.5 20.0 14.1 11.0 8.2 6.1

Molossus pretiosus pretiosus, Departamento de Boaco, Nicaragua

Average 8 () 45.1 21.7 18.8 13.4 10.6 7.6 5.9 Minimum 44.1 21.0 18.3 13.1 10.2 7.4 5.6 Maximum 46.1 22.2 19.1 13.7 10.9 7.9 6.1 Average 23 ([Female]) 43.6 20.2 17.7 12.5 10.1 7.3 5.2 Minimum 41.0 19.5 17.2 12.2 9.5 7.1 5.0 Maximum 44.8 20.7 18.2 13.1 10.4 7.6 5.6

6 mi SW Managua, Nicaragua

KU 70135, 44.8 21.7 18.6 13.0 10.2 7.7 5.8 KU 70137, 45.1 21.6 19.0 13.2 10.7 7.7 5.8 KU 70136, [Female] 43.5 19.9 17.8 12.7 10.3 7.5 5.5

3 km N, 4 km W Diriamba, Nicaragua

Average 7 () 44.8 21.2 18.5 13.0 10.5 7.4 5.5 Minimum 43.8 20.7 18.3 12.7 10.2 7.2 5.4 Maximum 45.7 21.3 18.8 13.3 10.9 7.6 5.5 Average 9 ([Female]) 44.0 20.7 18.0 12.6 10.2 7.3 5.3 Minimum 42.0 20.0 17.4 12.0 10.0 7.0 5.0 Maximum 45.5 21.2 18.6 13.0 10.6 7.5 5.5

Molossus sinaloae sinaloae, El Recreo, Nicaragua

Average 4 () 47.6 21.2 18.6 12.3 9.8 7.7 5.4 Minimum 46.7 20.7 18.3 12.0 9.7 7.6 5.3 Maximum 48.6 21.5 18.9 12.6 10.0 7.9 5.5 Average 10 ([Female]) 47.5 20.2 17.8 11.8 9.7 7.3 5.1 Minimum 46.2 20.0 17.6 11.5 9.5 7.1 5.0 Maximum 48.3 20.4 18.0 12.0 9.8 7.5 5.5 --------------------------------------------------------------------

Among females from Departamento de Boaco, none of 18 collected on 20 February was pregnant, whereas three of four obtained on 4 April were gravid (embryos 13, 15, and 17 mm in crown-rump length) as was one (embryo 21 mm) taken on 18 July. Among those from northwest of Diriamba, two of three were pregnant on 30-31 March (embryos 7 and 13 mm in length), whereas only three of eight carried embryos (29, 31, and 34 mm) in mid-August at a time when flying young also were collected. Additionally, a female captured 6 mi WSW Managua on 27 March had an embryo that measured 11 mm.

Four adult males collected on 20 February had an average testicular length of 5.7 (4-7) mm, whereas those of seven obtained in late March averaged 5.0 (4-6) mm; testes of two adults taken on 18 July were 6 and 6.5 mm, and those of three taken in the period 12-15 August were 5 mm in length.

Molossus sinaloae sinaloae J. A. Allen, 1906

Specimens.--Boaco: Santa Rosa, 17 km N, 15 km E Boaco, 300 m, 1. Managua: 1 km N Sabana Grande, 1; 3 mi SW Managua, 1; 8 km SW Managua, 400 m, 3. Rivas: San Juan del Sur, 20 m, 1. Zelaya: S side Río Mico, El Recreo, 25 m, 73.

This mastiff bat can be distinguished easily from the other two large species of Molossus in Nicaragua in that the hairs of the dorsum are relatively long and are pale, frequently white, basally. The species has been reported twice previously from Nicaragua--from Greytown by Miller (1913a:89) and by Goodwin and Greenhall (1964:13), who listed four individuals from Río Grande.

Most of our specimens were taken from buildings. A large series obtained in a house at El Recreo in late June 1966 consisted only of females and young, many of which were nearly full grown; some females still were lactating and at least two were pregnant (on 23 June--crown-rump length of embryos 12 and 14 mm). A group taken from another house at El Recreo (from cracks in the stone wall and from between rafters and the corrugated metal roof) in late July 1966 consisted of adult males, lactating females, and young. Similarly, an adult male, a pregnant female (embryo 14 mm in crown-rump length), and a hairless juvenile were shot, on 16 February 1964, from a small colony in an attic of a large house southwest of Managua; Glossophaga soricina also was taken in this attic. The testes of an adult male captured in June were 6 mm in length; those of four taken in July were 5, 5, 6, and 7 mm, and one obtained in August had testes that measured 3 mm.

Selected measurements of M. s. sinaloae from El Recreo are given in Table 4.

CHECKLIST OF NICARAGUAN BATS

Following is a checklist of the 68 species of bats thus far reported from Nicaragua. Citations are given only to publications that are primary sources of information on Nicaraguan specimens. In some instances, specimens were reported in the literature under a name different than the one here employed; we have mentioned earlier-used names where it seemed appropriate to do so. Taxa preceded by an asterisk are included in the present paper.

Family EMBALLONURIDAE