Myotis handleyi, Moratelli, 2013

Don E. Wilson & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2019, Vespertilionidae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 9 Bats, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 716-981 : 945

415.

Handley’s Myotis

Myotis handleyi

French: Murin de Handley / German: Handley-Mausohr / Spanish: Ratonero de Handley

Taxonomy. Myotis handleyi Moratelli et al., 2013 ,

“Pico Avila, 5 km northeast of Caracas, ca. 10.33°N, 66.52°W, Distnto Federal, Venezuela, elevation 2092 m.”

Subgenus Pizonyx; albescens species group. See M. nigricans . Monotypic.

Distribution. N Venezuela, known from Cordillera de la Costa (Distrito Federal, Aragua, and Miranda) and Macizo Oriental (Monagas). It also might occur in adjacent ranges such as Serrania del Interior, Sierra de Aroa, Serrania de San Luis, and Cordillera de Mérida.

Descriptive notes. Head—body c¢. 40—46 mm, tail 33-42 mm, ear 12-14 mm, hindfoot 7-9 mm, forearm 33-7-37- 3 mm; weight 3-5- 6 g. Handley’s Myotis varies geographically, and individuals from Macizo Oriental are generally smaller than those from Cordillera de la Costa, which is separated from Macizo Oriental by the Unare Depression, a gap of c. 200 km of lowland dry forests. If Handley’s Myotis proves to be restricted to upper elevations, these differences might be indicative of distinct subspecies. Fur is relatively long (dorsal fur 6-9 mm; ventral fur 5-7 mm) and silky. Ventral hairs are strongly bicolored, with black bases (three-fourths the hair length) and light buff tips (one-fourth); dorsal hairs are moderately tricolored, with black bases (three-sixths), central mummy brown band (two-sixths), and muted yellow tips (one-sixth); third (terminal) band is well defined in most individuals but can be difficult to see in others. Ears are medium-sized, extending forward halfway from eye to nostril. Antitragal notch is barely evident. Tragus is pointed, slightly curving outward above and convex below, with small triangular lobe at outer base (length 7-8 mm). Membranes are mummy brown; plagiopatagium is broadly attached to foot at base of toes. Skull is small to medium-sized (greatest length of skull 13-5-14- 2 mm); P? is aligned in tooth row, smaller than P* and P*, visible in labial view, but crowded to lingualside and barely visible in few individuals; sagittal crest is usually absent but low and weakly developed when present; lambdoidal crests are absent or, when present, are very low to moderate in development; and occipital is rounded and projects behind posterior surfaces of occipital condyles.

Habitat. Montane humid forests at elevations of 1100-2092 m.

Food and Feeding. Handley’s Myotis is an aerial insectivore that forages in forested habitats and over water.

Breeding. One pregnant, nine lactating, and one post-lactating Handley’s Myotis were caught in May.

Activity patterns. Handley’s Myotis emergesjust before sunset. Individuals were caught while emerging from crevices on an outside wall at the Rancho Grande Biological Station. Wing morphology is typical of aerial insectivore that uses cluttered spaces.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Not assessed on The [UCN Red List.

Bibliography. Moratelli, Gardner et al. (2013), Moratelli, Wilson et al. (2016).

Figures

394. Gray Myotis (Myotis grisescens), 395. South-eastern Myotis (Myotis austroriparius), 396. Yuma Myotis (Myotis yumanensis), 397. Cave Myotis (Myotis velifer), 398. Peninsular Myotis (Myotis peninsularis), 399. Guatemalan Myotis (Myotis cobanensis), 400. Chilean Myotis (Myotis chiloensis), 401. Silver-upped Myotis (Myotis albescens), 402. Yellowish Myotis (Myotis levis), 403. Dinelli’s Myotis (Myotis dinellu), 404. Izecksohn’s Myotis (Myotis izecksohni), 405. LaVal's Myotis (Myotis lavali), 406. Montane Myotis (Myotis oxyotus), 407. Clyde Jones's Myotis (Myotis clydejonesi), 408. Schwartz's Myotis (Myotis martiniquensis), 409. Dominican Myotis (Myotis dominicensis), 410. Barbados Myotis (Myotis nyctor), 411. Atacama Myotis (Myotis atacamensis), 412. Curacao Myotis (Myotis nesopolus), 413. Colombian Black Myotis (Myotis caucensis), 414. Sir David Attenborough’s Myotis (Myotis attenboroughi), 415. Handley’s Myotis (Myotis handleyi), 416. Diminutive Myotis (Myotis diminutus), 417. Common Black Myotis (Myotis nigricans), 418. Brandt's Myotis (Myotis brandtii), 419. Siberian Whiskered Myots (Myotis sibiricus)

Distribution. N Venezuela , known from Cordillera de la Costa (Distrito Federal, Aragua, and Miranda) and Macizo Oriental (Monagas). It also might occur in adjacent ranges such as Serrania del Interior, Sierra de Aroa, Serrania de San Luis, and Cordillera de Mérida.