412.

Curacao Myotis

Myotis nesopolus

French: Murin de Curacao / German: Curagcao-Mausohr / Spanish: Ratonero de Curacao

Taxonomy. Myotis nesopolus G. S. Miller, 1900,

“near Willemstad, Curacao, West Indies.”

Subgenus Pizonyx; albescens species group. See M. nigricans . Recent analyses of molecular data questioned subspecific status between mainland and island populations of M. nesopolus . Two subspecies recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution. M.n.nesopolusG.S.Miller,1900—CuracaoandBonaireIs(NetherlandsAntilles).ItmightalsooccurinAruba.

M. n. larensis LaVal, 1973 — NE Colombia and NW Venezuela.

Descriptive notes. Head—body ¢. 37-46 mm, tail 36 mm, ear 10-13 mm; weight 3-5 g. Nominate nesopolus from Curacao and Bonaire Islands has forearm lengths of 29-4— 30- 4 mm; silky and moderately long fur (dorsal fur 5-6 mm; ventral fur 3-4 mm), with little contrast between bases and tips; Dresden brown dorsal fur, with bases slightly darker; and ventral fur with blackish bases and light buff tips. Mainland subspecies larensis has forearm lengths of 31-2-33- 2 mm; silky and long fur (dorsal fur 6-8 mm; ventral fur 5-6 mm); strongly bicolored pelage; dorsal hairs with blackish (two-thirds the length) bases and tawny olive tips (one-third); and ventral hairs with blackish bases and pale (whitish) tips. Ears are comparatively moderate in length, extending forward halfway from eye to nostril. Antitragal notch is barely evident. Membranes are mummy brown. Fur on dorsal surface of uropatagium extends slightly past knee. Plagiopatagium is attached to foot at toes by a broad band of membrane. Skull is small (greatest length of skull 12:9-13- 4 mm for nominate nesopolus and 13-6-14- 5 mm for larensis). Sagittal crest of nominate nesopolus is absent, and lambdoidal crests are generally absent but, when present, are very low; parietalis inclined forward. Sagittal and lambdoidal crests of larensis are present, ranging from low to moderate in development; parietal is not inclined forward. In both subspecies, P° is aligned in tooth row and visible in labial view, and occipital region is always rounded. Bacula of four specimens from Venezuela averaged 0-70 mm long, 0-29 mm deep, and 0-31 mm wide. Wing morphology is typical of aerial insectivore that uses cluttered spaces.

Habitat. Semideciduous forests and semiarid scrublands (Curacao and Bonaire), scrub-steppe vegetation with cacti and low thorny trees along bottoms of dry ravines (near Gulf of Venezuela), semiarid environments of central lowlands on La Guajira Peninsula (Colombia) at elevations of 50-500 m.

Food and Feeding. The Curacao Myotis feeds on small insects, especially dipterans and lepidopterans, captured in flight in open areas.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. The Curacao Myotis started foraging earlier than did other insectivorous bats (just before sunset). Observations on Curacao Island suggested that nominate nesopolus flew into a group of bushes and treesto rest.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. The Curacao Myotis is generally found in small colonies.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern. Although its extent of occurrence is relatively small, the Curacao Myotis is relatively common. Nevertheless, populations on Bonaire and Curacao are under threat from habitat conversion for tourism and development.

Bibliography. Genoways & Williams (1979a), Larsen, Larsen et al. (2012), LaVal (1973b), Linares (1998), Miller (1900b), Miller & Allen (1928), Moratelli, Gardner et al. (2013), Moratelli, Wilson et al. (2017), Munoz-Garay & Mantilla-Meluk (2012), Petit et al. (2006), Solari (2016f), Wilson (2008b).