216.

Allen’s Yellow Bat

Rhogeessa alleni

French: Rhogeessa d'Allen / German: Allen-Gelbfledermaus / Spanish: Rogesa de Allen

Taxonomy. Rhogeessa alleni Thomas, 1892,

“Santa Rosalia, near Autlan, Jalisco, Mexico.”

Previously separated in genus Baeodon, but this was later reduced to a subgenus of Rhogeessa, based on bacular, external and skull morphology. Recent molecular studies using mtDNA and nDNA grouped this species with R. gracilisin a clade sister to all other congeners, reinforcing some morphological evidence that suggests these two species may be basal within the genus; they may be better isolated in genus Baeodon. Monotypic.

Distribution. C & S Mexico (N Jalisco to Oaxaca).

Descriptive notes. Head-body ¢. 47-48 mm, tail 34-42 mm, ear 14-15 mm, hindfoot 6-7 mm, forearm 32-4-34- 2 mm; weight 5-8- 8 g. Dorsal fur is short and tricolored, with gray bases, buff center, and Dresden brown tips; venter bicolored, with gray bases and light ocherous-buftf tips. Ears blackish. Uropatagium almost naked. Skull large (greatest skull length more than 14- 5 mm), except in postorbital width; sagittal crest and helmet are present. I, is minute and unicuspid; C' has one or two small cusps on lingual cingulum; M? is reduced. Numerous collected specimens had tooth malformation, which could indicate the presence of a deleterious gene. Chromosomal complement has 2n = 30.

Habitat. Tropical deciduous forests, thorny forests, coniferous forests, and xeric shrubland. Bats were captured over a pond near a small cliff, over a temporary river in tropical xeric shrubland, in gallery forest surrounded by tropical xeric shrubland, and near willow trees next to a canyon surrounded by tropical xeric shrubland. Altitudinal range is 125-1990 m, and the species is frequently found above 1000 m.

Food and Feeding. Insectivorous.

Breeding. Post-lactating females were captured in February and September.

Activity patterns. Crepuscular and nocturnal. One was caught around midnight and another immediately before sunset.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. Widely distributed and found in several protected areas, but generally rare. Major threats are habitat loss and ensuing fragmentation of distribution.

Bibliography. Aguilar-Lépez etal. (2015), Alvarez & Avina (1965), Alvarez-Castafieda & Gonzélez-Ruiz (2018), Arroyo-Cabrales & Baker (2014b), Baird et al. (2008, 2009), LaVal (1973a), Simmons (2005), Solari (20199).