392.

Elegant Myotis

Myotis elegans

French: Murin élégant / German: Elegantes Mausohr / Spanish: Ratonero elegante

Taxonomy. Myotis elegans Hall, 1962,

“12% mi. [= 20 km] N Tihuatlan, 300 ft. [= 91 m] elevation, Veracruz, Mexico.”

Subgenus Pyzonix; ruber species group. Monotypic.

Distribution. Lowlands from E Mexico (San Luis Potosi) S to N Costa Rica.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 39-45 mm, tail 31-35 mm, ear 11-13 mm, hindfoot 6-7 mm, forearm 31-9-34- 1 mm; weight 3-5 g. Fur of the Elegant Myotis is short (dorsal fur 4-7 mm; ventral fur 3-5 mm) and woolly. Dorsal fur ranges from medium brown to cinnamon or reddish brown, with bases sometimes darker, but appears almost unicolored. Ventral fur is strongly bicolored, with dark brown bases and reddish brown to bright yellowish brown tips. Ears are short, extending forward halfway from eye to nostril. Tragusis long and slender, with broad base and narrower terminal one-half; anterior edge is almost straight; and tip is rounded. Membranes and skin are medium to dark brown. Wing membranes attach to outer toe; uropatagium lacks fringe of hairs. Fur on dorsum of uropatagium extends to knees, or perhaps slightly farther; remainder of membranes is bare or sparsely furred. Baculum is poorly developed in proximal median knob and considerably smaller than other Neotropical Myotis . Skull is small (greatest skull lengths 12-13- 4 mm); sagittal crest is generally absent but, when present,is very low; lambdoidal crest is present, ranging from low to moderately developed; occipital region 1s rounded and project beyond posterior surfaces of occipital condyles. Laterally, forehead slopes gently; braincase slopes very slightly upward until it meets occiput, which is usually conspicuously raised above level of remainder of braincase, which is itself flattened and notably lacking in inflation. Small upper premolars are usually crowded but in tooth row. Chromosomal complement has 2n = 44 and FN = 50, with submetacentric X- and Y-chromosomes.

Habitat. Tropical rainforests, deciduous forests, evergreen lowland forests, and open habitats (e.g. scrublands) from sea level up to elevations of ¢. 750 m (mostly 200 m).

Food and Feeding. The Elegant Myotis probably feeds on insects that it captures in flight near and over water bodies.

Breeding. A pregnant Elegant Myotis, with one embryo, was captured in February in Mexico.

Activity patterns. Activity of Elegant Myotis starts soon after sunset.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. The Elegant Myotis is widespread, presumably has a large population, occurs in protected areas, and is unlikely to be declining at nearly the rate to qualify for listing in a threatened category.

Bibliography. Arita (2014f), Baker & Patton (1967), Hall, E.R. (1962, 1981), LaVal (1973b), Miller & Rodriguez-Herrera (2016b), Moratelli et al. (2013), Reid (2009), Simmons (2005).