Carollia benkeithi, Solari & R. J. Baker, 2006

Don E. Wilson & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2019, Phyllostomidae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 9 Bats, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 444-583 : 535

103.

Ben Keith's Short-tailed Bat

Carollia benkeithi

French: Carollia de Ben Keith / German: Keith-Kurzschwanzblattnase / Spanish: Carolia de Ben Keith

Other common names: Benkeith's Short-tailed Bat

Taxonomy. Carollia benkeithi Solari & R. J. Baker, 2006 ,

“ 2 km S of Tingo Maria, Province of Leoncio Prado, Department of Huanuco, Peru, at approximately 9° 18’ S, 75º 59' W.” Carollia benkeithi was split from C. castanea , which was shown to be a species complex based on molecular and morphological analyses. Monotypic.

Distribution. Lowland forests of W Brazil, E Peru, and N Bolivia, S of the Amazon River. Because of abundance of individuals in the C. castanea complex, hampering precise species identification in the field and in collections, a detailed assessment ofits distribution is still needed.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 52-58 mm, tail 5-14 mm, ear 11-20 mm, hindfoot 8-14 mm, forearm 33-7-37-2 mm; weight 11-16 g. Ben Keith’s Short-tailed Batis small. Dorsal hairs lack sharply defined banding; they have broad buffy chestnut band at bases, followed by brown yellowish band, and then narrow chestnut to dull gray-brown tips. Ventral fur has short bicolored, brown-tipped hairs. Forearms are short and naked, with tuft of hairs at bases of thumbs. Uropatagium is wide, with shallow distal notch. Tail is short, almost one-third the length of uropatagium. Wings are attached to ankles. Muzzle is conspicuous but short; lower lip has central papillae surrounded by smaller warts in a V-shape. Noseleafis short, with elongated tip. Ears are moderately large and triangular, and tips are pointed. Rostrum is short, braincase is globular, and zygomatic arches are incomplete. Anterior upper tooth row (to P?) is almost parallel, but posterior one-half is more divergent. Upper and lower molars are not broad. Cusps of M| are reduced and inconspicuous in side view. Dental formula for all species of Carollinis 12/2, C 1/1, P 2/2 M 3/3 (22) = 32. Chromosomal complement has 2n = 22 and FN = 38, with a single pair of mediumsmall acrocentric autosomes.

Habitat. Typically tropical evergreen forests, but also secondary forests and much less commonly clearings or plantations, at elevations mostly below 1000 m. Locally, Ben Keith’s Short-tailed Bat can be the most abundant species of bats in some habitats, but it can be variably abundant at a regional scale. Some specimens from eastern Peru were more commonly mist-netted in brushy vegetation containing Piper sp. ( Piperaceae ) along edges of a small airstrip in the middle ofa village.

Food and Feeding. Similar to other species of Carollia , fruits are the primary food of Ben Keith's Short-tailed Bat. It depends on Piper spp. in dry seasons, butit eats other fruit species during wet seasons, with preferences for fruits produced by understory plants such as Solanum (Solanaceae) and Vismia (Hypericaceae) . Insects are occasionally eaten. A study in south-eastern Peru found insect remains in ¢.20% of fecal samples, and more than 65% of feces included only fruit (including seeds of 48 plant species), and only one (2%) included pollen. Species of Carollia reacted to potential food (artificial fruit and real ripe Piper ) only when it had the typical odor of ripe fruit; they used odor as a primary clue to find ripe fruit. Shape and position offruits play important roles in foraging behavior. Echolocation is used for orientation in space and obstacle avoidance; echolocation calls are important at close range for final location of a fruit so it can be taken in flight.

Breeding. Female Ben Keith's Short-tailed Bats have been reproductively inactive in May-July and pregnant in February-March, September, and November, which is similar to what is known for other species of Carollia . No specific data exist for Ben Keith's Short-tailed Bat, but the closely related Chestnut Short-tailed Bat ( C. castanea ) in Peru and Bolivia seems to be predominantly polyestrous.

Activity patterns. Ben Keith's Short-tailed Bat is active during the first hours after sunset. Field data suggest that it is more active in the first one-half of the night, with only occasional captures after midnight. Scarcity of roost records probably indicates the difficulty of properly identifying it inside a roost, or it might use roosts opportunistically. Known roosts include shallow caves, rock crevices, tree holes, and human structures such as tunnels and bridges.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Ben Keith’s Short-tailed Bat seems to have small home ranges. It will share hollow trees with congeners such as the Silky Short-tailed Bat (C. brevicaudum), Seba’s Short-tailed Bat ( C. perspicillata ), and the Proboscis Bat ( Rhynchonycteris naso ).

Status and Conservation. Not assessed on The IUCN Red List. Ben Keith's Short-tailed Bat can be fairly abundant locally, and its wide distribution might suggestit is not currently threatened.

Bibliography. Ascorra, Solari & Wilson (1996), Ascorra, Wilson & Romo (1991), Bonaccorso et al. (2007), Fleming (1991), Gorchov et al. (1995), Hoffmann & Baker (2003), McLellan & Koopman (2008), Pine (1972), Solari & Baker (2006), Tuttle (1970), Wilson (1979).

Figures

103. Ben Keith's Short-tailed Bat (Carollia benkeithi), 104. Chestnut Short-tailed Bat (Carollia castanea), 105. Gray Short-tailed Bat (Carollia subrufa), 106. Manu Short-tailed Bat (Carolia manu), 107. Sowell’s Short-tailed Bat (Carollia sowelli), 108. Silky Short-tailed Bat (Carollia brevicaudum), 109. Hernandez’s Short-tailed Bat (Carollia monohernandez), 110. Seba’s Short-tailed Bat (Carollia perspicillata), 111. Behn' ’ s Big-eared Bat (Glyphonycteris behnii), 112. Davies’s Big-eared Bat (Glyphonycteris daviesi), 113. Tricolored Big-eared Bat (Glyphonycteris sylvestris), 114. Niceforo’s Big-eared Bat (Trinycteris nicefori), 115. Least Big-eared Bat (Neonycteris pusilla), 116. Hairy Little Fruit Bat (Rhinmophylla alethina), 117. Fischer's Little Fruit Bat (Rhinophylla fischerae), 118. Dwarf Little Fruit Bat (Rhinophylla pumilio)

Distribution. Lowland forests of W Brazil , E Peru , and N Bolivia , S of the Amazon River. Because of abundance of individuals in the C. castanea complex, hampering precise species identification in the field and in collections, a detailed assessment ofits distribution is still needed.