Artibeus jamaicensis jamaicensis, Leach, 1821

G, H H., P, S C., P, C J. & G, L K., 2007, B A, N L A, Occasional Papers of the Museum 270, pp. 1-12 : 6

Artibeus jamaicensis jamaicensis Leach 1821

Specimens examined (45).—Chalvilles, 13 (UNSM); Flat Cap Caves, 10 (AMNH); “Apple Hole” Cavern, 1 km NE North Side Village, 5 (NMNH); Isaac’s Cave, ca. 2 km NE North Side Village, 1 (NMNH); 0.5 km S South Hill Village, 16 (NMNH).

The Jamaican fruit-eating bat was the first species of bat reported from Anguilla when J. A. Allen (1890) reported a single specimen without specific locality under the designation Artibeus “ perspicillatus (Linn.).” Later G. M. Allen (1911) referred this specimen to A. j. jamaicensis . Koopman (1968) mentions “a series now in the American Museum” of A. j. jamaicensis from Anguilla. Genoways et al. (2001) have reviewed morphological variation in Antillean populations of this species. Our Anguillan sample ( Table 1 ) closely matches the measurements of other samples of A. j. jamaicensis ; in fact, the mean of greatest length of skull of specimens from Anguilla at 28.2 is the same as the sample from Jamaica ( Genoways et al. 2001).

Table 1 presents length of forearm and seven cranial measurements of 8 males and 8 females from Anguilla. Comparing the sexes for secondary sexual variation, means for greatest length of skull, condylobasal length, and postorbital constriction are equal for males and females. Males average larger for zygomatic breadth (but only by 0.1 mm) and breadth across upper molars. Females averaged larger for length of forearm, mastoid breadth, but only by 0.1 mm, and length of maxillary toothrow. Breadth across upper molars was the only measurement with a significant size difference (P ≤ 0.05) between adult males and females Jamaican fruit-eating bats were netted at the entrance to Pitch Apple Hole. The specimen from Isaac’s Cave was shot inside of the cave. The field collector, George Goodwin, in 1926 described Flat Cap cave as a “deep cavern going through to the face of the cliff” ( McFarlane and MacPhee 1989). At Chalvilles, A. jamaicensis were taken in nets set near a large fig tree with some ripening fruits in an area surrounded by open, closely clipped pasture with scrubby trees, particularly acacias that had been trimmed to the height of an adult goat standing on its hind legs.

Six males captured between May 20 to 23 had testes that averaged 6.8 (3-9) in length and nine males captured between October 6 to 14 had testes that averaged 7.1 (5.5-8.5) in length. Two females obtained on April 3 were lactating as was a female taken on October 12. A female taken on October 11 was considered by the collector to be post-lactating. A female obtained on May 20 and four taken between October 6 and 11 evinced no gross reproductive activity. Our sample includes four juvenile bats—two taken on April 3 were nearly furless with a length of forearm of 45.6 and 49.4; another from this date was slightly older being partially haired on the dorsum and venter and having a forearm of 52.6; and a female taken on October 10 was well furred on the dorsum and venter, but still exhibited open phalangeal epiphyses. The length of forearm of this latter individual was 58.8 and it weighed 32.5. Twelve males captured between October 6 and 14 weighed an average of 40.7 (34-45.3), whereas seven females taken during this time had a mean weight of 42.5 (37.5-49.5).

Genoways et al. (2001) presented data on the presence and absence of M3/m 3 in Antillean populations of A. jamaicensis . We examined 16 specimens from Anguilla and all lacked right and left M3s but all of them had both m3s. This observation is consistent with data reported by Genoways et al. (2001) for populations of A. j. jamaicensis from Jamaica, Hispaniola, Puerto Rico, St. John, and Dominica. Genetic data for nine individuals from Anguilla presented by Phillips et al. (1989) and Pumo et al. (1996) revealed that the Anguillan population shared a mtDNA haplotype with populations on Jamaica thus also supporting their subspecific assignment to A. j. jamaicensis .

An adult female (AMNH 544822) was missing both M2s as well as the tip of the upper right canine was broken off and the tooth apparently was infected. These dental anomalies appear to have occurred during the life of the bat.