408.

Schwartz's Myotis

Myotis martiniquensis

French: Murin de Martinique / German: Schwartz-Mausohr / Spanish: Ratonero de Schwartz

Taxonomy. Myotis martiniquensis LaVal, 1973,

6 km east of La Trinité, Tartane, Martinique, Lesser Antilles.

Subgenus Pizonyx; albescens species group. Records from Barbados and Guadeloupe were assigned to M. nyctor and those from Dominica to M. dominicensis . Monotypic.

Distribution. Martinique I, Lesser Antilles.

Descriptive notes. Forearm 36-539- 6 mm; weight 5-8 g. Fur is medium to long (dorsal fur 6-9 mm; ventral fur 4-6 mm) and woolly. Ventral hairs are bicolored, with dark brown bases and yellowish brown tips. Bases and tips of dorsal fur contrast weakly, varying from medium to dark brown. Ears are comparatively short, extending forward halfway from eye to nostril. Membranes are dark brown; plagiopatagium is attached to foot at toes by a broad band of membrane; fur on dorsum of uropatagium extends well past knees but not onto tibia; and remainder of membranes is very sparsely furred. Skull is medium-sized (greatest length of skull 14-2-14- 8 mm); sagittal and lambdoidal crests are generally present, ranging from low to high. P* is aligned in tooth row and visible in labial view. Bacula measurements are 0-65— 0-58 mm long, ¢. 0-29 mm deep, and 0-36- 0-42 mm wide.

Habitat. Forested habitats.

Food and Feeding. Schwartz's Myotis is an aerial insectivore that forages in forested habitats and over water.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. Schwartz's Myotis emerges just before sunset. It has been reported roosting in a rocky tunnel, crevice of a large cliff, and crevice below a concrete bridge. [t has also been observed roosting c¢. 5 m aboveground under a leaf of Coccoloba pubescens ( Polygonaceae) on a steep slope in dry tropical forest in south-western Martinique. A little group roosted under two huge umbrella-like leaves along a mangrove trail in Caravelle Nature Reserve, north-eastern Martinique. Wing morphology and echolocation are typical of aerial insectivore that uses cluttered spaces. Mean call parameters are initial frequency of 94-4 kHz, terminal frequency of 43-9 kHz, frequency of maximum energy of 54-3 kHz, call duration of 4-2 milliseconds, and pulse interval of 82-2 milliseconds.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Near Threatened on The IUCN Red List. Schwartz's Myotis has a restricted distribution and faces regular threats from hurricanes and severe weather and habitat decline from expanding tourist facilities.

Bibliography. Barataud etal. (2015), Dinets (2017b), Larsen (2016b), Larsen, Larsen et al. (2012), LaVal (1973b), Moratelli et al. (2017), Simmons (2005).