Paraguana moustached bat

The Paraguana moustached bat (Pteronotus paraguanensis) occurs only on the Paraguaná Peninsula of Venezuela.[1] The entire population uses three caves, one of which is subject to human vandalism.[1] Their total range is less than 400 km2 (150 sq mi).[1] In 2008, the caves where the bat is found were protected by the creation of the Cuevas de Paraguaná Wildlife Sanctuary–the first wildlife sanctuary in Venezuela.[2]

Paraguana moustached bat
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Chiroptera
Family: Mormoopidae
Genus: Pteronotus
Species:
P. paraguanensis
Binomial name
Pteronotus paraguanensis
(Linares & Ojasti, 1974)
Synonyms
  • Pteronotus parnellii paraguanensis Linares & Ojasti, 1974

Taxonomy

There is uncertainty if this taxa represents a species, or if it is a subspecies of Parnell's mustached bat.[1] Based on morphology, the bats were elevated from a subspecies to a species in 2008.[3] The status of the bat as a full species was affirmed by genetic sequencing.[4]

Conservation
Cave gate in Cuevas de Paraguaná Wildlife Sanctuary

In their 2008 assessment, the IUCN listed the Paraguana moustached bat as critically endangered.[1] The 2016 assessment, however, downlisted them to endangered.[1] In 2013, Bat Conservation International listed this species as one of the 35 species of its worldwide priority list of conservation.[5] In 2015, Bat Conservation International began fundraising for bat detectors to better survey the critical habitat necessary for the species' survival.[6] The species is especially threatened by intentional destruction by humans; in 1997, thousands of dead bats were found in one of the caves after locals set tires on fire at the cave entrance.[3] Some Venezuelans mistakenly believe that all bats are vampire bats, and should therefore be exterminated.[3] To reduce vandalism and protect the bats, a gate was installed in 2003 at the entrance of one of the caves, with gaps large enough for bats to come and go, but too small for human passage.[3] After the gate was installed, the number of bats using the cave "substantially increased".[3]

References
  1. Solari, S. 2016. Pteronotus paraguanensis. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T136610A21987754. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-1.RLTS.T136610A21987754.en. Downloaded on 04 May 2017.
  2. "Cuevas de Paraguaná". diversidadbiologica.minamb.gob.ve. Diversidad Biológica. Retrieved May 6, 2017.
  3. Eliécer E. Gutiérrez, Jesús Molinari; Morphometrics and Taxonomy of Bats of the Genus Pteronotus (Subgenus Phyllodia) in Venezuela. J Mammal 2008; 89 (2): 292-305.
  4. Pavan, A. C., & Marroig, G. (2016). Integrating multiple evidences in taxonomy: species diversity and phylogeny of mustached bats (Mormoopidae: Pteronotus). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 103, 184-198.
  5. "Annual Report 2013-2014" (PDF). batcon.org. Bat Conservation International. August 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 7, 2017. Retrieved May 1, 2017.
  6. "The BCI Wish List". batcon.org. Bat Conservation International. Winter 2015. Retrieved May 6, 2017.
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