Scotophilus trujilloi, B, 2014

Brooks, Daniel M. & Bickham, John W., 2014, New Species Of Scotophilus (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) From Sub-Saharan Africa, Occasional Papers of the Museum 326, No. 326, pp. 1-24 : 16-19

publication ID	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15748542
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15800432
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/17697141-FF93-DD62-FC3A-B025D39CFD08
treatment provided by	Felipe
scientific name	Scotophilus trujilloi
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Scotophilus trujilloi View in CoL , new species

Trujillo’s House Bat

Holotype. —Voucher CMNH 98038 View Materials ( Fig. 6 View Figure 6 ); adult male; standard skin and skull deposited at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA). Collected on 18 October 1985 by Duane Schlitter. Prepared by Duane Schlitter, field number 7086. Muscle tissue sample TK 33263 . GoogleMaps External measurements (mm) are: head-body length 70.8; tail length 37.3; hind foot length 10.3; ear length 7.2; forearm 44.2. Cranial measurements (mm) are: greatest skull length 16.4; zygomatic breadth 12.0; braincase breadth 8.8; braincase height 6.5; interorbital width 4.7; greatest breadth across upper molars 8.0; greatest breadth across upper canines 5.6; mandibular length 12.1.

Type locality. — Kenya: Coastal Province, Kwale District, Moana Marine Station GoogleMaps , 1 km S, 2 km E Ukunda (4º18'S, 39º35'E).

Paratypes. — Two additional specimens were collected from the type locality in Kenya and based on morphological and genetic data are designated as paratypes. The first paratype is voucher CMNH 98040 View Materials ; adult female; standard skin and skull deposited at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA). Collected on 18 October 1985 by Duane Schlitter from Moana Marine Station , 1 km S, 2 km E Ukunda (4º18'S, 39º35'E), Kwale District, Coastal Province , Kenya. Prepared by Duane Schlitter (field number 7089). Tissue sample TK 33266 . GoogleMaps External measurements (mm) are: head-body length 75.2; tail length 39.2; hind foot length 10.4; ear length 7.5; forearm 45.9. Cranial measurements (mm) are: greatest skull length 16.4; zygomatic breadth 12.2; braincase breadth 8.5; braincase height 6.7; interorbital width 4.7; greatest breadth across upper molars 7.6; greatest breadth across upper canines 5.4; mandibular length 12.5.

The second paratype is voucher CMNH 98041 View Materials ; adult female; standard skin and skull deposited at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA). Collected on 18 October 1985 by Duane Schlitter from Moana Marine Station , 1 km S, 2 km E Ukunda (4º18'S; 39º35'E), Kwale District, Coastal Province , Kenya. Prepared by Duane Schlitter (field number 7090). Tissue sample TK 33267 . GoogleMaps External measurements (mm) are: head-body length 67.6; tail length 43.3; hind foot length 9.7; ear length 7.5; forearm 46.2. Cranial measurements (mm) are: greatest skull length 16.4; zygomatic breadth 11.9; braincase breadth 8.4; braincase height 6.9; interorbital width 4.5; greatest breadth across upper molars 7.8; greatest breadth across upper canines 5.3; mandibular length 12.2

Distribution. —The specimens are known from the type locality in Kenya, with three additional specimens (skulls only) representing two additional localities in Coastal Province, Kenya. CMNH 102240 was also collected in Kwale District of Kenya: Shimba Hills National Reserve, 7 km S, 8 km W Kwale (4º15'S, 39º23'E). CMNH 102241 and 102242 were collected in Taita District of Kenya: 3 km E Taveta (3º23'S, 37º42'E; 760 m). These combined localities encompass a minimum geographic range of approximately 543 km 2, with altitude ranging from approximately 0 to 760 m asl ( Fig. 3 View Figure 3 )

Etymology. —It is our honor to name this species for Dr. Robert Trujillo (b. 1975), who’s ground-breaking doctoral dissertation on the molecular systematics of Scotophilus paved the way for the description of the four cryptic species described in this paper ( Trujillo 2005; Trujillo et al. 2009). Dr. Trujillo’s dedication to science and environmental stewardship are reflected in his outstanding career in the US Forest Service.

Diagnosis.— Scotophilus trujilloi is distinguished from S. viridis from Mozambique Island by a combination of external and craniodental features. S. trujilloi averages larger in body size and shorter in forearm length, with females presenting non-overlapping head-body (≥ 65.4 in S. trujilloi vs. ≤ 65.0 mm for S. viridis ) and forearm lengths (≤ 46.2 in S. trujilloi vs. ≥ 47.4 mm for S. viridis ; Table 1 View Table 1 ). Additionally the dorsal pelage in S. trujilloi is mahogany, whereas the dorsal fur is brown in S. viridis . The ventral pelage in S. trujilloi is orange with a greyish abdomen, whereas the ventral fur is grayish-brown grizzled whitish abdominally in S. viridis .

Cranial measurements in S. trujilloi differ from S. viridis , with shorter mean braincase height in males (6.7 in S. trujilloi vs. 7.3 mm for S. viridis , Table 2 View Table 2 ); and females (6.9 vs. 7.2 mm), as well as non-overlapping mandibular length (≤ 12.5 in S. trujilloi vs. ≥ 12.9 mm for S. viridis ) in females ( Table 3 View Table 3 ).

Description.— Scotophilus trujilloi has a forearm length ranging 43.8–46.2 mm. Dorsal fur is reddish-mahogany. Ventral fur is orange with a greyish abdomen. Ears range 7.2–7.9 mm with semi-rounded tips. Ventral plagiopatagium is hairy proximal to body and forearm. Dorsal plagiopatagium, uropatagium, dactylopatagium, tail, legs, and feet are naked.

Premaxillae deeply notched. Sagittal crest presents along entire braincase. Skull is broad with rounded orbits. Zygomatic arch is thin. Vomer has a well developed central process. Tympanic bullae are spherical and well developed. Foramen magnum is round. Occipital condyles are well developed.

Upper incisors (I1) are bilobate with inner cusp longer and wider than outer cusp. Upper canines (C1) are very large and well developed. Paracone of upper premolar (P1) is much longer than metacone, which is longer than hypocone. P1 has a smaller diameter but similar metacone length compared to molars M1 and M2. Upper molars M1 and M2 similar in size and structure, with triangular outline that is notched exteriorly in occlusal view, interior edge shortest. Metacone of M1 and M2 slightly longer than paracone, and both longer than the hypocone. The last molar (M3) is highly reduced, similar in appearance to metacone and proximal hypocone of M2 with an ellipsoidal outline narrowing exteriorly in occlusal view.

Lower incisors (I1–I3) are small. I1 and I2 present weakly developed trilobate. Lower canine is long and well developed. First lower premolar (P1) is shorter than canine. Lower molars (M1–M3) are similar in structure, with trapezoid outline in occlusal view, exterior edge shortest. Paracone of M1–M3 longer than metacone, which is longer than hypocone. M1 and M2 are similar in size and wider in diameter than M3. All mandibular processes are well developed. Coronoid process is low and triangular shaped. Angular process extends to same level as mandibular condyle.

Comments.— S. trujilloi was identified as clade 12 by Trujillo et al. (2009). Clade 12 is sister to S. dinganii (clade 13) with which it differs by 4.2%, which is indicative of species level divergence. It differs from nominate S. viridis (clade 7) by 11.5%.