Triaenops parvus, Benda & Vallo, 2009

Don E. Wilson & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2019, Rhinonycteridae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 9 Bats, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 194-209 : 206

3.

Yemeni Trident Bat

Triaenops parvus

French: Tr aen du Yémen German: amen-Dre zahnb attnase Spanish: Rnonıcteno del Yemen

Other common names: Yemen Tr dont Lent-nosed Bat

Taxonomy. Tríamops panms Benda 8c Vallo, 2009 ,

“ Republic of Yemen, Province of Al Mahra, oasis of Hawf (easternmost edge of the country), 16 39 ' N, 53 03 ’ E, 410 l. ”

m a. s. This species is monotypic.

Distribution. Endemic to a belt of c 300 km along coast of S Arabia; known from three sites in EYemen and one site in SW Oman.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 52-61 mm, tail 30-34 mm, ear 11-4-14 mm, forearm 44-48 mm; weight 4-9 g. No specific data are available for hindfoot length. The Yerneni Trident Bat is a small rhinonycterid and the smallest species of Triamops. Pelage is similarly tinged dorsally and ventrallv, being beige, yellowish brown, or brownish gray but never reddish or rusty, hairs can be darker around eyes. Wing membranes are dark brown; ears and noseleaf are pale pinkish (unpigmented), pale gray, or grayish brown. Noseleaf is large (width 7 -4-8 -3 mm) and rounded or pentagonal, with suap-like longitudinal projection that resembles an hourglass in outline, lying across anterior part of anterior leaf, above deep anterior medial emargination. Three tall pointed projections are present on posterior part of posterior leaf, and its anterior part in medial position has long lanceolated projection, with sharply pointed tip. Total width of three posterior projections is c.50% the width of posterior leaf. Numerous cells, separated by fleshy septa, scallop lateral parts of posterior leaf, with only one small cell in central position; lateral margins of two of three tall posterior projections are emarginated at their bases. Two supplementary leaflets occur lateral to noseleaf. Ears are short, wide, and pointed, with prominent step-like emargination on anterior margin. Second phalanx of fourth wing finger has unique transverse bone projection into membrane c.2 -5-3 mm long. Skull has very prominent nasal swellings laterally and posteriorly, and braincase is almost as high as rostrum and has very low but long sagittal crest. Rostrum is relatively short compared with congeners. Wide plates are present on dorsal sides of zygomatic bones. Greatest skull lengths are 16-8-18 mm, condylo-canine lengths are 14-4-15 -3 mm. zygomatic widths are 7 -6-8 mm, and upper tooth row (C -M‘) lengths are 5 -8-6-2 mm. f’ is bilobed; C is slender, with slight cingulum and large posterior secondary cusp, extending one-halfc' crown height; P’ is small and extruded; C and P‘ are in or nearly in contact; and M is only little reduced, with metacone. I, is bicuspid, l is tricuspid and larger) than, C, is slender, P 2 has about two-thirds the crown area and one-half the height of P‘, and M is unreduced. Baculum is gracile and c. 1 -6 mm long, with broad basal epiphysis and bifurcated distal epiphysis; has relatively narrow diaphvsis (c.8 % of baculum length), relatively short arms at its distal epiphysis (arm length 0 -18-0-24 mm; c. 17-20% of baculum length), and relatively narrow proximal epiphysis (basis width 0-3-0-4 mm; c.20-30% of baculum length).

Habitat. Dry habitats of Sudanian savanna zone in southern Arabia and only in coastal areas with xeromorphic shrublands, surrounded by Acacia (Fabaceae) woodland savannas, from sea level to elevations of c. 650 m.

Food and Feeding. Diet of the Yemeni Trident Bat was studied only marginally; one sample of 20 fecal pellets from one individual contained only moths. Considering diet composition and knowledge of other species of Triamops, the Yemeni Trident Bat probably an aerial hawker. Foraging individuals were documented at various water bodies (e.g. livestock watering places, reservoir, and well) in oases and gardens. Yemeni Trident Bats are most commonly netted over and near open water.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. Yemeni Trident Bats are probably unable to enter torpor and do not hibernate. Roosting was documented only once: subadult male was found in a natural cave in Yemen. They presumably leave clay roosts at sunset and forage for several hours; foraging bats were netted c. 2-3 hours after sunset. Echolocation consists of multiharmonic QCF calls where pulse is composed of long CF component, combined with FM component at end (CF-FM); terminating FM component is steep sweep of 3-10 kHz. Male calls last 6-6-11 -7 milliseconds (mean 8 milliseconds), interpulse intervals are 13-150-1 milliseconds (mean 49 -9 milliseconds); start frequencies are 93 -8-94 -9 kHz (mean 94 -3 kHz), peak frequencies are 93 -1-94 -2 kHz (mean 93-4 kHz), and end frequencies are 90 -3-92 -6 kHz (mean 9] -8 kHz).

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Data Deficient on The IUCN Red List.

Bibliography. Benda & Va IO (2009) Zdárská (2013)

Figures

1. Orange Diamond-faced Bat (Rhmonícteris aurantia), 2. Persian Trident Bat (Triaenops persicus), 3. Yemeni Trident Bat (Tnaenops paruus), 4. African Trident Bat (Triaenops afer), 5. Rufous Trident Bat (Triaenops menamena), 6. Percival`s Trident Bat (Cloeotis pemivali), 7. Grandidiefs Trident Bat (Paratnaenops auritus), 8. Trouessart’s Trident Bat (Paratriaenops furcula), 9. Paulian ’ Trident Bat s (Paratriaenops pauliani)

Distribution. Endemic to a belt of c 300 km along coast of S Arabia; known from three sites in EYemen and one site in SW Oman .