Myotis dinellii Thomas, 1902

Novaes, Roberto Leonan M., Claudio, Vinicius C., Diaz, M. Monica, Wilson, Don E., Weksler, Marcelo & Moratelli, Ricardo, 2022, Argentinean Myotis (Chiroptera, Vespertilionidae), including the description of a new species from the Yungas, Vertebrate Zoology 72, pp. 1187-1216 : 1187

Myotis dinellii Thomas, 1902

Comments.

Medium to large-sized species (FA 34.7-39.4 mm, body mass 5-6 g; Table 6 , Fig. 12 ), with silky, long fur (LDF 7-9 mm, LVF 6-8 mm). Ears comparatively long (length 14-17 mm). Dorsal fur strongly bicolored, with blackish bases (1/2 hair length) and tips ranging from Buff Brown to Aniline Yellow, forming two clearly color bands in the dorsal fur. The ventral fur is strongly bicolored, with blackish bases (2/3 hair length) and tips (1/3 hair length) ranging from Ivory Yellow to Pale Olive Buff. Membranes, rostrum, and ears are blackish, contrasting strongly with the body coloration. Legs and dorsal surface of uropatagium naked. A fringe of hairs along the trailing edge of the uropatagium present, but with scattered hairs, less evident than M. albescens and M. levis . The plagiopatagium attached to feet on the level of the base of the toes by a wide band of membrane. Skull medium to large in size (GLS 13.9-15.2 mm, BCB 6.5-7.1 mm), and the rostrum comparatively long and broad. The P3 is smaller than P2 and always aligned in the toothrow and visible in labial view. Sagittal crest absent in most specimens, but when present, is very low; lambdoidal crests usually very low. Parietals decay subtly forward to frontal bone; occipital region rounded and projects beyond the occipital condyle limits; braincase elongated in dorsal view; postorbital and interorbital constrictions comparatively narrow.

This species occurs from southern Bolivia southward through Argentina, occupying deciduous forests, savannas, and semiarid open environments ( Wilson 2008; Sandoval and Barquez 2013; Gamboa-Alurralde et al. 2017; Moratelli et al. 2019a). In Argentina it is present from Southern Andean Yungas (Provinces of Tucumán and Salta), southward to High Monte, Southern Andean Steppe, Low Monte, and Patagonian Steppe (Provinces of Catamarca, Chubut, San Juan, and Mendoza), extending eastward to Dry Chaco, Espinal, and Humid Pampas (Provinces of Buenos Aires and Córdoba), occupying an altitudinal range from 50 to 2,500 m ( Barquez and Díaz 2020).

Figures

Figure 12. Adult male of Myotis dinellii (MACN 14747) from Cordoba, Argentina.