Eptesicus fuscus (Palisot de Beauvois, 1796)

D, K D., M, M B., M, M L., P, B L., S, J M., E, J W. & A, L K., 2017, N R S S B 13 T C F V S S P, Occasional Papers of the Museum 351, pp. 1-12 : 5

Eptesicus fuscus (Palisot de Beauvois, 1796)

Big Brown Bat

Eptesicus fuscus is primarily recorded from the eastern, northern, and western parts of Texas. A disjunct distribution separates the two known subspecies (E. f. fuscus and E. f. pallidus ) in Texas (Ammerman et al. 2012). This permanent resident is one of seven species that has been identified with diagnostic signs of WNS in the eastern United States (www.whitenosesyndrome. org). Although the Big Brown Bat has not been confirmed as a positive carrier for P. destructans in Texas, E. fuscus were observed roosting at locations in Childress and Scurry counties where either C. townsendii or M. velifer were documented to carry the fungus.

Cass County.—An adult female E. fuscus (ASNHC 18125, ASK 12683) was collected from a Hwy 77 culvert (33.19392°N, 94.43376°W) 7.5 km west of Douglassville, Texas, on 27 January 2017. An additional observation for the county was made at a Hwy 59 bridge (33.05429°N, 94.29038°W) over Frazier creek 1.0 km northeast of New Colony, Texas. The collected voucher specimen represents a new county record for Cass County and tested negative for P. destructans .

Scurry County.—An E. fuscus was observed roosting in a horizontal crevice located in a cave system 27.7 km northeast of Snyder, Texas. This observation of E. fuscus in Scurry County represents a new record and extends the southern distribution for this species in the Texas panhandle (Ammerman et al. 2012). Unfortunately, due to the dimensions of the crevice, the specimen could not be reached for collection. A photograph was taken for species verification ( Fig. 3 ). This individual was not tested for P. destructans , but was found in a cave system where sampling efforts yielded positive results for the fungal spores on C. townsendii .

Stonewall County.—On 2 December 2016, an adult male E. fuscus (ASNHC 18117, ASK 12674) was collected from a bridge (33.205273°N, 100.249774°W) located 8.2 km north of Aspermont on Hwy 83. This is the same location from which a M. velifer voucher for Stonewall County was collected (mentioned below). This specimen represents a new record for Stonewall County and was one of 25 E. fuscus observed on this date. This species appears to maintain a presence in the county throughout the winter because individuals also were observed at this location on 9 October 2016 and 5 February 2017.

Figures

Figure 3. Eptesicus fuscus observed roosting in a gypsum cave system in Scurry County, Texas, on 5 February 2017. Photograph by Melissa B. Meierhofer.