Sturnira luisi, W. B. Davis, 1980

Don E. Wilson & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2019, Phyllostomidae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 9 Bats, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 444-583 : 550-551

142.

Luis’s Yellow-shouldered Bat

Sturnira luisi

French: Sturnire de Luis / German: Luis-Gelbschulterfledermaus / Spanish: Sturniro de Luis

Taxonomy. Sturnira luisi W. B. Davis, 1980 ,

“Cariblanco, 3000 ft [= 914 m], 11 mi. [= 17- 7 km] NE Naranjo, Alajuela, Costa Rica.”

Distinction of Sturnira luis: from S. Lilium and its associated taxa hampered its proper identification until molecular and morphological analyses validated its status as a distinct species. Monotypic.

Distribution. Known with certainty from Costa Rica, Panama, NW Ecuador, and Suriname, as determined by genetic analyses. Morphologically identified specimens from Colombia and Peru require propervalidation.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 67-74 mm (tailless), ear 14-19 mm, hindfoot 15-19 mm, forearm 41-45 mm; weight 17-25 g. Luis’s Yellow-shouldered Bat is small and similar to the Northern Yellow-shouldered Bat (S. parvidens ) and Baker's Yellow-shouldered Bat (S. bakeri ). Dorsal furis short (4—=6 mmbetween shoulders) velvety, and typically pale-brown. Dorsal hairs are tricolored, with narrow dark brown basal bands, wider pale gray or silver medial bands, and dark tips. Ventral fur is dark gray, with individual hairs short and bicolored. Shoulders patches are deep yellow, orange, or dark red (most obvious on adult males). Muzzle is blunt, forehead is rounded, and ears and noseleaf are short. Wing membranes are dark brown. Forearm is sparsely haired on dorsal surface. Dorsal surfaces of femur, tibia, and feet are sparsely covered with short hairs, as is free margin of tail membrane. Skull has globular braincase, with slender rostrum. I' are procumbent and at least twice the height of I?, and I, and I, are tricuspidate and subequal in height. Lingual cusps (metaconid and entoconid) of M, and M, are well defined and separated by deep notch. Without certainty about identity of most specimens assigned to S. luisi , karyotype 1s unknown.

Habitat. Caribbean slope of Costa Rica to Panama, tropical dry forests and semideciduous lowland forests in western Ecuador, and disturbed forest and fruit plantations from lowlands up to elevations of ¢. 700 m.

Food and Feeding. Luis’s Yellow-shouldered Bat is expected to be predominantly frugivorous, eating fruits of Solanum spp. ( Solanaceae ) and Piper spp. ( Piperaceae ). It was attracted to fruits plantations in western Ecuador.

Breeding. Reproductive ecology is poorly understood due to confusion with similar species of Sturnira , but Luis’s Yellow-shouldered Bat should be similar to what is known for those species.

Activity patterns. Luis’s Yellow-shouldered Bat is nocturnal.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. Exact limits of the distribution of Luis’s Yellow-shouldered Bat will not be known until all specimens assigned to it and related taxa are reexamined. Additional research on its ecology and population status is needed to clarify conservation threats.

Bibliography. Carrera et al. (2010), Davis (1980), Gardner (2008g), Hernandez-Canchola & Ledn-Paniagua (2017), Jarrin-Valladares & Clare (2013), Noguera-Urbano et al. (2009), Reid (2009), Velazco & Patterson (2013, 2014).

Figures

119. Bidentate Yellow-shouldered Bat (Sturnira bidens), 120. Lesser Yellow-shouldered Bat (Sturnira nana), 121. Arata-Thomas Yellow-shouldered Bat (Sturnira aratathomasi), 122. Honduran Yellow-shouldered Bat (Sturnira hondurensis), 123. Burton's Yellow-shouldered Bat (Stwrnira burtonlimi), 124. Highland Yellow-shouldered Bat (Sturnira ludovici), 125. Adriana’s Yellow-shouldered Bat (Sturnira adrianae), 126. Tschudi’s Yellow-shouldered Bat (Sturnira oporaphilum), 127. Mistratoan Yellow-shouldered Bat (Sturnira mistratensis), 128. Soriano’s Yellow-shouldered Bat (Sturnira sorianoi), 129. Choco Yellow-shouldered Bat (Sturnira koopmanhilli), 130. Talamancan Yellow-shouldered Bat (Sturnira mordax), 131. Perla Yellow-shouldered Bat (Sturnira perla), 132. Tilda’s Yellow-shouldered Bat (Sturnira tildae), 133. Hairy Yellow-shouldered Bat (Sturnira erythromos), 134. Bogota Yellow-shouldered Bat (Sturnira bogotensis), 135. Greater Yellow-shouldered Bat (Sturnira magna), 136. Northern Yellow-shouldered Bat (Sturnira parvidens), 137. Baker's Yellow-shouldered Bat (Sturnira bakeri), 138. Little Yellow-shouldered Bat (Sturnira Lilium), 139. Gianna’s Yellow-shouldered Bat (Sturnira giannae), 140. Dominica Yellow-shouldered Bat (Sturnira angeli), 141. Paulson’s Yellow-shouldered Bat (Sturnira paulsoni), 142. Luis’s Yellow-shouldered Bat (Sturnira luisi)

Distribution. Known with certainty from Costa Rica , Panama , NW Ecuador , and Suriname , as determined by genetic analyses. Morphologically identified specimens from Colombia and Peru require propervalidation.