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Pleiffer's Red Bat

Lasiurus pfeifferi

French: Lasiure de Pfeiffer / German: Pfeiffe ~Haarschwanzfledermaus / Spanish: Lasiuro de Pfeiffer

Taxonomy. Atalapha pfeifferi Gundlach in Peters, 1861,

Trinidad, Cuba .

See L. egregius . Lasiurus pfeifferi was previously considered a subspecies of L. borealis based on morphology, and restriction-enzyme analysis of mtDNA tentatively considered it a subspecies of L. seminolus . Recent molecular studies based on mtDNA and nDNA maintained L. pfeifferi as a distinct species. Lasiurus pfeifferi is included in the Red Bat group. Monotypic.

Distribution. Endemic to Cuba.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 54-55 mm, tail 48-49 mm, ear 10-11 mm, hindfoot 7-8 mm, forearm 40-50 mm; weight 12-18 g. Wingspans are 330-360 mm. Females are larger than males. Dorsal and ventral fur is slightly frosted and reddish. Shoulders have whitish patch. Dorsal hairs are tricolored, with blackish bases, pale middles, and reddish tips. Ventral hairs have blackish bases and reddish tips. Ears are wide and short, not surpassing anterior part of muzzle when folded forward; tragus reaches one-half the ear length. Eyes are small. Wing membranes are dark and reticulated; uropatagium is densely furred, with reddish long hairs. Tail is longer than legs, reaching edge of uropatagium or extending 1-2 mm more. Calcar reaches one-half the free edge of uropatagium; claws are black. Skull is small, delicate, and short. Rostrum is wide and short, with marked slope on forehead, and much smaller than braincase. Braincase is rounded and high; sagittal crest is evident. Upperincisors are short, pointed, convergent, and in contact with cingulum of C'. P? is extremely reduced and displaced to lingual side between C' and P*. M' and M? are similar in shape and size; M” is reduced. Dental formulais 11/3, C1/1,P2/2,M 3/3 (x2) = 32. Chromosomal complement has 2n = 28 and FN = 48, with medium-sized submetacentric X-chromosome and small acrocentric Y-chromosome.

Habitat. Mountainous woodlands and woodland patches at elevations of 50-1000 m.

Food and Feeding. Pfeiffer’s Red Bat hunts insects in flight. Feces of one individual contained only beetles, and stomach contents of ten individuals mostly contained fruits (mangoes) and insects, mainly moths.

Breeding. A pregnant Pfeiffer’s Red Bat with three developed embryos was caught in March. Earliest parturition date recorded is 22 May, and young were captured in July.

Activity patterns. Pfeiffer’s Red Bats are crepuscular. Individuals were observed flying nine minutes after sunset; one individual was captured at 03:00 h. Roosting sites are mainly in foliage of large trees, but a few individuals have been observed roosting in caves. Three individuals were observed roosting among foliage on the top of a tree c. 15 m aboveground. Echolocation calls are of medium duration (c.7-1 milliseconds), with narrowband and single harmonic, and sweep from ¢.56 kHz to ¢.26 kHz.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Pfeiffer’s Red Bat is solitary, but three individuals were seen roosting together in two occasions.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Near Threatened on The IUCNRed List. Pfeiffer’s Red Batis widespread but rare. It is found in protected areas throughout its distribution. Major threats are human density on the island, habitat conversion, and severe weather (e.g. hurricanes).

Bibliography. Collen (2012), Baird et al. (2015), Garcia & Mancina (2011), Koopman et al. (1957), Miller (1931), Morales & Bickham (1995), Novaes, Garbino et al. (2018), Silva-Taboada (1979), Simmons (2005), Solari (20189).