387.

Southern Hairy-legged Myotis

Myotis keaysi

French: Murin de Keays / German: Sidliches HaarfliRiges Mausohr / Spanish: Ratonero de Keays

Other common names: Hairy-legged Myotis

Taxonomy. Myotis ruber keaysi |. A. Allen, 1914,

“Inca Mines (altitude 6000 feet |= 1829 m}), Peru (lar. 13° 30 S., long. 70º W.”

Subgenus Pyzonix; ruber species group. Myotis keaysi was originally described as a subspecies of M. ruber and raised to the species level in 1973 based on morphology. Monotypic.

Distribution. Known from highlands in Venezuela to Andes of Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, and NW Argentina.

Descriptive notes. Head-body ¢. 56-61 mm, tail 29-41 mm, ear 11-14 mm, hindfoot 6-9 mm, “similarto its Neotropical congeners. Fur of the Southern Hairy-legged Myotis is medium to long (dorsal fur 5-8 mm; ventral fur 4-7 mm) and woolly. Dorsal hairs are bicolored, varying from medium brown to cinnamon-brown, with little contrast between bases and tips, although bases are darker. Ventral hairs are bicolored, with dark brown bases and light brown or yellowish tips. Hair color can vary seasonally. Ears are comparatively short, extending forward halfway from eye to nostril. Antitragal notch is barely evident. Membranes are mummy brown; plagiopatagium is broadly attached to foot at bases of toes. Fringe of hairs along trailing edge of uropatagium is absent; dorsal surface of uropatagium is covered by dense pelage, extending to middle oftail and not exceeding knees. Skull is medium-sized (greatest skull lengths 13-5-15- 2 mm, but generally greater than 14 mm); frontal bone is vertically sloped and noticeable laterally; palatal angle is acute (angle formed between palatal plane and plane of basicranium is greater than 30°); wider nasal angle is noticeable laterally (angle formed between nasals and plane of frontals is greater than 45°); parietal is inclined forward; occipital region is comparatively flattened posteriorly; sagittal crest is usually present, ranging from low to medium; and lambdoidal crests are always present, weakly to strongly developed. P? is aligned in tooth row and visible labially.

Habitat. Moist Andean forests and mix of transitional and montane forests near Chacoan thornscrub vegetation at elevations of 550-2500 m (mostly above 2000 m).

Food and Feeding. The Southern Hairy-legged Myotis is insectivorous and forages in forested areas and over water.

Breeding. In Peru, Southern Hairy-legged Myotis were pregnant in July and non-reproductive in February, June, August, and December.

Activity patterns. Activity of Southern Hairy-legged Myotis begins at sunset and ends c.1 hour before sunrise. Common roosting sites are caves, natural water wells, hollow trees, and abandoned mines.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. The Southern Hairy-legged Myotis is widespread, presumably has a large population without decline, and occurs in protected areas.

Bibliography. Allen (1914), Barquez & Diaz (20169), Barquez et al. (1999), Gamboa et al. (2017), Graham (1987), Hernandez-Meza et al. (2005), LaVal (1973b), Mantilla-Meluk & Mufoz-Garay (2014), Moratelli et al. (2013), Wilson (2008b).