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UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS PUBLICATIONS
MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY

Volume 14, No. 1, pp. 1-8
October 24, 1960


Neotropical Bats from Western México

BY

SYDNEY ANDERSON


UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
LAWRENCE
1960




UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS PUBLICATIONS, MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY

Editors: E. Raymond Hall, Chairman, Henry S. Fitch,
Robert W. Wilson


Volume 14, No. 1, pp. 1-8
Published October 24, 1960


UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
Lawrence, Kansas


PRINTED IN
THE STATE PRINTING PLANT
TOPEKA, KANSAS
1960

28-4805




Neotropical Bats from Western México

BY

SYDNEY ANDERSON


Tropical fruit-eating bats of the genus _Artibeus_ reach their northern
limits on the lowlands of the eastern and western coasts of México.
Recent students have placed the species of Mexican _Artibeus_ in two
groups; one includes bats of small size and one includes bats of large
size (Dalquest, 1953:61; Lukens and Davis, 1957:6; and Davis,
1958:163). Three of the small species (_A. cinereus phaeotis_, _A.
aztecus_, and _A. turpis nanus_) and three of the large species (_A.
hirsutus_, _A. jamaicensis jamaicensis_, and _A. lituratus palmarum_)
have been reported as far north as Jalisco along the west coast. _A.
cinereus phaeotis_ and _A. turpis nanus_ are known from as far north as
southern Sinaloa, and _A. hirsutus_ is known from as far north as
southern Sonora (Hall and Kelson, 1959:140, 141). Additional specimens
of _A. hirsutus_ from Sonora, Sinaloa, and Chihuahua, and specimens of
_A. lituratus_ and _A. jamaicensis_ from Sinaloa that extend the known
ranges of these two species northward are reported here; data on
variation, distribution, and reproduction concerning these three
species are included. Also, specimens of _Sturnira lilium_ and of the
genus _Chiroderma_ from Chihuahua that extend their known ranges
northwestward are reported.

     Support for field work that yielded the specimens reported
     came from the National Science Foundation, the American
     Heart Association, Inc., and the Kansas University Endowment
     Association. Catalogue numbers of The University of Kansas
     Museum of Natural History are cited. The latitude (N) and
     longitude (W) are recorded to the nearest minute for each
     locality mentioned.


~Artibeus lituratus palmarum~ J. A. Allen and Chapman.--Specimens from
Eldorado (24°19', 107°20'), Sinaloa, extend the known range of the
species approximately 265 miles northwestward from Huajimic (21°37',
104°21'), Nayarit. Skins and skulls of 11 specimens (75211-75221, 7
males and 4 females) taken on November 13, 1957, 1 mi. S Eldorado, were
prepared by William L. Cutter. Skeletons of 12 specimens (75222-75233,
3 males and 9 females) from Eldorado were obtained by Cutter on the
same day. None of the 13 females was pregnant. One specimen (75211,
female) is immature; it has open phalangeal ephiphyseal sutures (as do
four other larger individuals); this specimen measured 83 mm. in total
length, weighed 45 grams, and has a skull 26.6 mm. in greatest length,
22.4 mm. in condylocanine length, 13.4 mm. in lambdoidal breadth, and
has unusually small second (last) upper molar teeth, each having about
one half the occlusal area of the M2 of the average adult in the
series. None of the 23 specimens has a third upper molar. All except
one have both third lower molars; one (75233) lacks the third lower
molar on both sides of the jaw. Facial stripes vary from conspicuous to
inconspicuous, but are evident in each of the 11 skins. The two skins
having the darkest pelage are both of males and are the only two skins
having open epiphyseal sutures. Five adult males and three adult
females are represented by skins. Three of the male skins are slightly
darker and less reddish than those of the three females, and the
contrast between paler neck and shoulders and other parts is slightly
less marked. The other two males are paler and more rufous than the
three females; the palest and most rufous of these two males is an old
individual having well-worn teeth. Dichromatism is not correlated with
age or with sex in this series, which, therefore, differs from
specimens reported by Lukens and Davis (1957:9) who observed that
dichromatism was correlated with sex. In size, as shown in measurements
below, in darkness of ventral pelage, and in cranial features the
specimens from Sinaloa agree with those from Guerrero, and differ from
specimens of _Artibeus jamaicensis_, in the ways described by Lukens
and Davis (_loc. cit._).

     Average measurements of males and females do not differ
     significantly. The following are average and extreme
     measurements in millimeters of 17 adults (lacking epiphyseal
     sutures): total length, 93.4 (90-99); length of hind foot,
     19.8 (19-21); length of ear, 23.8 (23-26); length of
     forearm, 65.2 (60.1-70.6); greatest length of skull, 29.24
     (28.0-30.2); condylocanine length, 25.25 (24.2-26.4);
     lambdoidal breadth, 15.92 (15.3-16.6); postorbital
     constriction, 6.29 (5.8-6.9); and weight (in grams), 63.2
     (51-69).


~Artibeus jamaicensis jamaicensis~ Leach.--A female (61088) obtained on
June 18, 1954, by Albert A. Alcorn, from 32 mi. SSE Culiacan (24°26',
107°07'), Sinaloa, extends the known range of the species approximately
415 miles northwestward from 2 mi. N. Ciudad Guzmán (19°43', 103°28'),
Jalisco. Two other females (61089-61090) from central Sinaloa,
collected on June 19, 1954, by A. A. Alcorn, are from 1/2 mi. E Piaxtla
(23°51', 106°38'). Each of the three specimens contained a single
embryo. The embryos (in the order the specimens are listed above)
measured 28, 26, and 25 millimeters. The Sinaloan specimens are both
paler and browner than specimens from Jalisco and from eastern México,
and the facial stripes are more distinct, being as distinct in one
specimen (61088) as in any of the _Artibeus lituratus_ reported here.
Four additional specimens from Jalisco are: 34232-34235, 3 males and 1
nonpregnant female taken by J. R. Alcorn at Hacienda San Martín
(20°18', 103°30'), 18 mi. W Chapala, 5000 feet, on July 12, 1949. Each
specimen of _A. jamaicensis_ listed above lacks epiphyseal sutures and
both an upper and a lower third molar on each side. In size, coloration
of ventral pelage, and configuration of skull, the specimens agree with
the description of specimens from Guerrero and differ from other
species as reported by Lukens and Davis (1957:7, 9).

     Minimum and maximum measurements in millimeters for the
     three _A. jamaicensis_ from Sinaloa, followed by
     corresponding figures for the four from Jalisco, are: total
     length, 80-82, 82-84; length of hind foot, 15-16, 16-17;
     length of ear, all 20, 20-21; length of forearm, 54.7-55.9,
     54.7-58.5; greatest length of skull, 26.6-27.3, 26.5-28.2;
     condylocanine length, 22.6-23.2, 22.5-23.9; lambdoidal
     breadth, 13.9-14.5, 13.7-15.1; and postorbital constriction,
     6.2-6.6; 6.3-6.7.


~Artibeus hirsutus~ Andersen.--One specimen (25053, in preservative) of
a series from 1/4 mi. W Aduana (27°02', 109°03'), 1600 feet, Sonora,
was cited by Hall and Kelson (1959:136) and reproductive data from two
skins (24841-24842) were mentioned earlier by Cockrum (1955:490). In
addition to these three specimens the series includes 20 specimens in
preservative (25052, 25054-25072). All were collected on May 16, 1948,
by J. R. Alcorn. Number 25070, on deposit in the Institute of Biology
in Mexico City, and two others (25053-25054) are not on hand as I write
this, and have not been examined by me. _Artibeus hirsutus_ has
recently been found in northern Sinaloa and in southwestern Chihuahua.
Three males (75208-75210) from El Fuerte (26°24', 108°41'), Sinaloa,
were obtained on December 10, 1957, by William L. Cutter. Four
specimens (79441-79444, 2 males and 2 females) were captured in mist
nets on the north bank of the Río Septentrión, 1-1/2 mi. SW Tocuina
(27°07', 108°22'), 1500 feet, Chihuahua, on July 18, 20, and 21, 1958,
by Kenneth E. Shain and me. I captured another (79445, a male) in a
hand net in an abandoned, horizontal mine shaft on the north side of
the Río Batopilas, at about 3500 feet elevation, across the canyon from
the village of La Bufa (27°09', 107°33'), Chihuahua, on July 10, 1958.
Eight specimens (12406-12413) in the Museum of Natural History at the
University of Illinois were collected on July 22 and 23, 1956, in Santo
Domingo Mine (26°55', 109°05'), 7 mi. SW Alamos, Sonora, by W. Z.
Lidicker, W. H. Davis, and J. R. Winkelman. Eight specimens (9981-9988)
in the Los Angeles County Museum were collected on July 26, 1953, by
Kenneth E. Stager, 5 mi. W Alamos in an old mine tunnel at Aduana. One
(36581) of six specimens (36581-36586, 4 males and 2 pregnant females)
from 2 mi. ENE Tala (20°39', 103°40'), 4500 feet, Jalisco, was
reported by Hall and Kelson (1959:136); the locality being erroneously
cited as 8 mi. ENE Tala. These six specimens were collected by J. R.
Alcorn on February 28, 1950.

The 59 specimens from Guerrero are distributed by localities as
follows: 8 mi. N, 1 mi. W Teloloapan (Teloloapan is at 18°18', 99°54'),
3600 feet, 15 specimens (66432-66446, all males, including one skeleton
and two in preservative) obtained by Robert W. Dickerman on February 7,
1955; Alpixafia, 4 kms. NW Teloloapan, 1540 M., 16 specimens
(35219-35234, 5 males and 11 females) obtained by Bernardo Villa R. on
May 22 and 23, 1949; 1 mi. N Teloloapan, 7 specimens (66447-66453, all
males, including one in preservative) obtained by Dickerman on February
8, 1955; 4 kms. SE Teloloapan (Cerro Piedras Largas), 1760 M., 15
specimens (35310-35324, 12 males and 3 females) obtained by Villa R. on
October 20 and 21, 1948; Puente de Dios, 1700 M., Yerbabuena (= 8 mi.
N, 1 mi. W Teloloapan), six specimens (28408-28413, 4 males and 2
females) obtained by Villa R. on July 25 and 29, 1948. Six of the 16
Guerreran specimens taken in May are young as shown by the open
epiphyseal sutures; all other Guerreran specimens lacked these sutures.
Of 13 adult females from Guerrero, only two, taken in May, contained
embryos (one embryo in each).

     Average and extreme measurements in millimeters of 28 adult
     Guerreran _A. hirsutus_ of both sexes (the sexes are not
     significantly different) are as follows: total length, 79.5
     (69-90); length of hind foot, 15.1 (12-17); length of ear,
     21.1 (19-24); length of forearm, 55.8 (53.1-57.8); greatest
     length of skull, 27.11 (26.3-28.0); condylocanine length,
     22.92 (22.1-23.5); lambdoidal breadth, 14.23 (13.7-14.6);
     postorbital constriction, 6.51 (6.2-6.8); and weight (in
     grams), 37.4 (34.0-42.6).

The presence or absence of the third molar tooth was recorded for 88
specimens (28 from Sonora, Sinaloa, and Chihuahua, and 60 from Guerrero
and Jalisco). The third molar tooth is present on both sides of the
lower jaw in all specimens except one (12413 Univ. Illinois) from
Sonora which lacks both upper and lower third molars. The upper third
molar is usually present on both sides. The exceptions are as follows:
the above mentioned Sonoran specimen and one other Sonoran specimen,
one specimen from La Bufa, Chihuahua, two from Jalisco, and five from
Guerrero lack the tooth on both sides; two specimens from Guerrero and
one from Sonora lack the tooth on only one side. Facial stripes are
absent or present but inconspicuous in all specimens recorded here. The
generally grayish hue, hairiness of interfemoral membrane, and
configuration of skull described by Lukens and Davis (1957:7) for _A.
hirsutus_ are evident in all the specimens reported here. Skins of
three adults from Sonora and Chihuahua are slightly browner and
somewhat paler than skins of adults from Jalisco and Guerrero.

Reproductive data from Sonora and Chihuahua are as follows: of the five
Chihuahuan specimens, two are immature (open epiphyseal sutures); the
one adult female (79443) contained a single embryo 28 mm. in crown-rump
length. Eight of 20 Sonoran specimens taken in May are females, each of
which lacks epiphyseal sutures, and each contained one embryo. One
embryo measured 8 mm. in length of uterine enlargement; all others are
longer than 20 mm. from crown to rump, but vary in stage of
development, some having no pigmentation in the membranes and others
having pigmentation. The forearm is only 42 mm. long in one young male
from Sonora. Three of 8 Sonoran specimens taken in July had open
epiphyseal sutures but were of adult size. In summary of the
reproductive data by states, _Artibeus hirsutus_ is known to bear
embryos in the following months: May in Sonora, July in Chihuahua,
February in Jalisco, and May in Guerrero. These data, along with the
presence of embryos and young of various ages among specimens taken at
the same place and time, indicate that the species does not have a
restricted breeding season.

A geographic overlap of the ranges of _A. hirsutus_ and _A.
jamaicensis_ from Guerrero to central Sinaloa is now known. But the two
species have not been taken at the same place within this region of
overlap.


~Other species.~--At the locality on the Río Septentrión, 1500 feet,
1-1/2 mi. SW Tocuina, Chihuahua, from which specimens of _A. hirsutus_
were obtained as mentioned previously, several other species of
tropical bats were captured, including _Desmodus rotundus murinus_
Wagner, _Glossophaga soricina leachii_ (Gray), _Chilonycteris parnellii
mexicana_ Miller, _Sturnira lilium parvidens_ Goldman, and _Chiroderma_
(specimens not yet certainly identified to species). The canyon of the
Río Septentrión is steep and rocky, the tropical vegetation occurs only
in the bottom of the canyon, and unless construction of a railroad had
been in progress the area could have been reached only after several
days by means of a pack train. From a distributional standpoint the
occurrence of _Sturnira_ and _Chiroderma_ 1-1/2 mi. SW of Tocuina is of
unusual interest.

The published record of _Sturnira lilium_ nearest to Tocuina is from 2
mi. N Ciudad Guzmán (19°43', 103°28'), Jalisco, and the nearest
published record of the genus _Chiroderma_ is of _Chiroderma isthmicum_
from Presidio (18°37', 96°47'), Veracruz (Hall and Kelson, 1959:126,
134). The Chihuahuan specimens extend the known range of _Sturnira
lilium_ approximately 585 miles northwestward and that of the genus
_Chiroderma_ approximately 920 miles northwestward from the localities
noted above. Five specimens (79434-79438) of _Sturnira lilium_, two
adults and three immature individuals, were taken from July 18 to July
22, 1958, by the author and Kenneth E. Shain, as also were the two
(79439-79440) _Chiroderma_.

To the list given by Koopman and Martin (1959:9) of neotropical genera
known to range farther north on the west coast of North America than on
the east coast there can now be added _Artibeus_, _Sturnira_ and
_Chiroderma_ (as noted above), _Anoura_, _Choeronycteris_ and
_Leptonycteris_ (Hall and Kelson, 1959:119, 120, 122; Hoffmeister,
1959:18), and _Liomys_ (Hall and Kelson, 1959:536).

In view of these additional genera, and others that almost certainly
remain to be discovered farther north on the west coast, the suggestion
by Koopman and Martin (1959:11) that species inhabiting humid tropical
habitats, in general extend farther north on the east coast of Mexico
than on the west coast may need to be reconsidered. On the west coast,
areas of more humid tropical vegetation and climate are more distant
from the coastline as one proceeds northwestward from Nayarit to
Sonora. The broad band of humid tropical vegetation along the coast is
progressively reduced in width, and crowded back against the mountains,
and still farther north consists of only small scattered remnants that
are difficult to visit, in the bottoms of deep canyons.


LITERATURE CITED

COCKRUM, E. L.

1955. Reproduction in North American Bats. Trans. Kansas Acad. Sci.,
      58:487-511.

DALQUEST, W. W.

1953. Mexican bats of the genus _Artibeus_. Proc. Biol. Soc.
      Washington, 66:61-66.

DAVIS, W. B.

1958. Review of Mexican bats of the Artibeus "cinereus" complex.
      Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington, 71:163-166, 1 fig. in text.

HALL, E. R., and KELSON, K. R.

1959. The mammals of North America. The Ronald Press, N. Y., Vol.
      I, xxx + 1-546 + 1-79 pp., 312 figs. and 320 maps in text,
      unnumbered figures in text.

HOFFMEISTER, D. F.

1959. Distributional records of certain mammals from southern Arizona.
      Southwest. Nat., 4:14-19, 1 fig. in text.

KOOPMAN, K. F., and MARTIN, P. S.

1959. Subfossil mammals from the Gómez Farías region and the tropical
      gradient of eastern Mexico. Jour. Mamm., 40:1-12, 1 fig. and 2
      tables in text.

LUKENS, P. W., JR., and DAVIS, W. B.

1957. Bats of the Mexican state of Guerrero. Jour. Mamm., 38:1-14.

_Transmitted August 18, 1960._




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Transcriber's Notes

Both variations, Mexico (3 times) and México (4 times) are used.

Italicized text is shown within _underscores_.

Bold text is shows within ~tildes~.