Mexican greater funnel-eared bat

The Mexican greater funnel-eared bat (Natalus mexicanus) is a species of bat found in Central America. While initially and currently described as a species, from 1959–2006 it was considered a subspecies of the Mexican funnel-eared bat, Natalus stramineus.

Mexican greater funnel-eared bat
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Chiroptera
Family: Natalidae
Genus: Natalus
Species:
N. mexicanus
Binomial name
Natalus mexicanus
Miller, 1902
Synonyms
  • Natalus stramineus mexicanus Goodwin, 1959
  • Natalus lanatus Tejedor, 2005

Taxonomy

Gerrit Smith Miller described it as a new species in 1902.[2] Per Tejedor 2005, other authors followed in listing N. mexicanus as a full species in 1949.[3] In 1959, George Goodwin revised it from a species to a subspecies of the Mexican funnel-eared bat, Natalus stramineus.[4] Per Tejedor 2011, it was revised again to species status in 2006.[5][6] In 2012, another funnel-eared bat of Mexico, Natalus lanatus, was synonymized with Natalus mexicanus, meaning that there is currently only one recognized species of funnel-eared bat in Mexico.[7]

Description

It is a small bat, weighing only 3–5 g (0.11–0.18 oz). Its forearms are 36–39 mm (1.4–1.5 in) long. Its back is a pale orange brown or yellow in color, and its belly is yellow. It has broad, cream-colored ears with blackish margins. The skin of its face is pale pink. Its limbs are very long in relation to its body size. Its flight membranes are pale brown. Its wings are long and narrow.[8]

Biology

Females are monoestrous, or capable of becoming pregnant once a year. Pregnant females have been observed January through July, and gestation is thought to last 8–10 months due to slow fetal development. The litter size is one pup.[1] It roosts in caves during the day. It is colonial, forming groups of up to 300 individuals.[8]

Range and habitat

It is found in Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Panama. It is not found at elevations above 2,400 m (7,900 ft), though most observations of it occur at around 300 m (980 ft). It prefers dry and semi-deciduous forests. Occasionally, it is also encountered in conifer forests.[1]

Conservation

As of 2019, it is evaluated as least concern by the IUCN. It meets this criteria because it has a wide geographic range, and its population size is presumed to be large. While its population trend is unknown, it is thought that it is, at least, not declining rapidly. It is threatened by cave disturbance by tourists and by mining activities.[1]

References
  1. Solari, S. (2019). "Natalus mexicanus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2019: e.T123984355A22011975.
  2. Tejedor, A (2005). "A new species of funnel-eared bat (Natalidae: Natalus) from Mexico". Journal of Mammalogy. 86 (6): 1109–1120. doi:10.1644/1545-1542(2005)86[1109:ansofb]2.0.co;2.
  3. Dalquest, W. W.; Hall, E. R. (1949). "A new subspecies of funnel-eared bat (Natalus mexicanus) from eastern Mexico". Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. 62: 153–154.
  4. Goodwin, G. G. (1959). "Bats of the subgenus Natalus" (PDF). American Museum Novitates. 1977: 1–22. Retrieved October 6, 2017.
  5. Tejedor, A (2006). "The type locality of Natalus stramineus (Chiroptera: Natalidae): implications for the taxonomy and biogeography of the genus Natalus". Acta Chiropterologica. 8 (2): 361–380. doi:10.3161/1733-5329(2006)8[361:ttlons]2.0.co;2.
  6. Tejedor, A (2011). "Systematics of Funnel-Eared Bats (Chiroptera: Natalidae)". Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History. 353: 1–140. doi:10.1206/636.1. hdl:2246/6120. S2CID 84311591.
  7. López-Wilchis, R.; Guevara-Chumacero, L. M.; Angeles Perez, N.; Juste, J.; IbáñEz, C.; Barriga-Sosa, I. D. (2012). "Taxonomic status assessment of the Mexican populations of funnel-eared bats, genus Natalus (Chiroptera: Natalidae)". Acta Chiropterologica. 14 (2): 305–316. doi:10.3161/150811012x661639. S2CID 85765304.
  8. Reid, F (1997). A field guide to the mammals of Central America and Southeast Mexico. Oxford University Press. p. 143. ISBN 0195064011. Retrieved October 6, 2017.
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