Platyrrhinus helleri, (PETERS, 1866)

Velazco, Paúl M., Gardner, Alfred L. & Patterson, Bruce D., 2010, Systematics of the Platyrrhinus helleri species complex (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae), with descriptions of two new species, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society (Zool. J. Linn. Soc.) 159 (3), pp. 785-812 : 793-796

PLATYRRHINUS HELLERI ( PETERS, 1866) HELLER’ S BROAD- NOSED BAT ( FIGS 6–8 )

Synonyms

Vampyrops Helleri Peters, 1866: 392 ; type locality ‘Mexico’.

Vampyrops zarhinus H. Allen, 1891: 400 ; type locality ‘Brazil’; corrected by Goldman (1920: 200) to ‘Bas Obispo, Canal Zone,’ Panama.

Platyrrhinus helleri: Hall & Kelson, 1959: 131 ; first use of current name combination.

Type series: Peters examined two specimens collected by a Mr Heller (not Edmund Heller ; contra Ferrell & Wilson, 1991) in Mexico and acquired by the ZMB from the Naturhistorisches Museum Wien (Vienna, Austria). Of those two specimens only one ( ZMB 3276 ) is in the Berlin Museum , and none from Mexico was found in the Vienna museum. We are convinced that the other specimen is lost. Therefore , we designate ZMB 3276 as the lectotype, an adult male, skin and damaged skull. The braincase was removed and only the rostrum is present; the right and left M3 and the left M2 also are missing .

Distribution: Platyrrhinus helleri is known from Oaxaca and Veracruz ( Mexico) to northern Colombia, north-western Venezuela, western Colombia, and western Ecuador ( Fig. 9 ).

Measurements of the primary types: ZMB 3276 [ helleri ]: PB 5.4, C-C 4.7, M1–M1 8.0, M1 W 1.7, M2 W 2.0, DENL 14.9, MANDL 8.3, COH 4.2, WMC 6.4, m1 W 1.2, FA 37.8. MCZ 3211 [ V. zarhinus ]: GLS 21.5, CIL 20.0, CCL 19.7, BB 9.4, ZB 12.6, PB 5.4, C-C 5.1, MB 10.2, PL 9.9, MTRL 7.7, MLTRL 6.3, M1–M1 8.8, M2–M2 8.2, MXBR 5.3, M1 W 1.6, M2 W 1.9, DENL 14.8, MANDL 8.4, COH 4.7, WMC 6.2, m1 W 1.3, FA 38.4.

Diagnosis: Platyrrhinus helleri is a small bat with a robust skull and broad rostrum. All measurements overlap those of P. angustirostris , P. fusciventris , and P. incarum ( Table 5). Dorsal fur varies from pale to dark brown; ventral fur is pale grey, with individual hairs unicoloured; dorsal stripe brilliant white and narrow; a single array of seven vibrissae surround margin of noseleaf; one interramal vibrissa present; inverted ‘V’-shaped posterior margin of the uropatagium fringed with long, dense hair; metacarpal III subequal in length to the metacarpal V; paraoccipital processes moderately developed; fossa on the squamosal root of the zygomatic arch either lacking or barely perceptible; tips of upper incisors approximately at level of cingula of upper canines; M1 protocone small and blunt; stylar cuspule present on the lingual face of M2 paracone.

Emended description: A small Platyrrhinus ( FA 36.0– 41.3 mm; GLS 20.5–22.7; CCL 18.6–20.8; Table 5). Dorsal pelage is short (³ 6.3 mm), bicoloured with darker tips; ventral pelage grey, hairs typically monocoloured on the abdomen, but sometimes with paler tips; facial and dorsal stripes broad and bright; folds in pinnae are not well marked but distinguishable; hair on the upper surface of feet short and only moderately dense; hair along trailing edge of uropatagium dense and long; posterior margin of uropatagium has shape of an inverted ‘V’, and width of uropatagium 2–5 mm at midline; proximal third of forearm covered with dense, short hair; metacarpal III subequal to the metacarpal V; insertion of plagiopatagium on metatarsal I. Two genal vibrissae arise from a basal protuberance (protuberance present); seven vibrissae surround margin of noseleaf in a single array; three vibrissae on each side of upper lip below vibrissae surrounding noseleaf; four submental vibrissae on each side of chin; one interramal vibrissa; noseleaf longer than wide; inferior border of nasal horseshoe completely free of upper lip. Posterior border of hard palate shaped as inverted ‘V’; postorbital processes moderately developed; paraoccipital processes moderately developed; fossa on the squamosal root of the zygomatic arch lacking or only barely perceptible. Upper inner incisors convergent, not in contact, and tips at level of cingula of upper canines ( Fig. 7A ); upper outer incisors monolobate; two stylar cuspules on posterior cristid of P4; fossa on hypoconal basin of P4 deep; M1 parastyle present; M1 mesostyle lacking; labial cingulum on M1 metacone; stylar cuspule absent on lingual cingulum of M1 metacone; sulcus on posterior cristid of paracone joined to cingulum of lingual face of metacone on M1; M1 metastyle present; M1 protocone small and blunt; M2 parastyle present; labial cingulum on M2 paracone present; stylar cuspule present on lingual face of M2 paracone; M2 metastyle present; stylar cuspule absent on lingual face of M2 metacone; lingual cingulum of the M2 metacone not extending to the paracone; hypoconal basin on M2 developed; labial and lingual cingulids present on p4; one cuspulid on the posterior labial side of P4; one stylid cuspulid on the anterior cristid of p4; two stylid cuspulids on the posterior cristid of p4; m1 lacks a paraconid; labial and lingual cingulids on m1; stylid cuspulid on anterior cristid of m1 protoconid; m1 metaconid lacking, m2 hypoconid absent; stylid cuspulid between the metaconid and protoconid poorly developed on m2; labial and lingual cingulids present on m2.

Remarks: Carter & Dolan (1978) reported on the syntype ZMB 3276, which we here designate the lectotype of P. helleri ( Peters, 1866) , and commented that the specimen was probably female. One of us (P. M. V.) has examined the specimen and determined that it is of a male. The holotype of V. zarhinus, MCZ 3211, is an adult female. In the original description, H. Allen (1891) reported that this specimen had been collected in Brazil by the Thayer expedition. Goldman (1920: 200, footnote) pointed out the error and G. M. Allen (1931) emended the type locality to Obispo, Panama, in accordance with the accession catalogue of the MCZ.

Figures

Figure 6. Dorsal view of skulls of A, Platyrrhinus helleri (FMNH 127115); B, Platyrrhinus incarum (FMNH 203627); C, Platyrrhinus angustirostris sp. nov. (FMNH 129150); and D, Platyrrhinus fusciventris sp. nov. (USNM 560806). All photographs to same scale.

Figure 7. Lateral view of skulls of A, Platyrrhinus helleri (FMNH 127115); B, Platyrrhinus incarum (FMNH 203627); C, Platyrrhinus angustirostris sp. nov. (FMNH 129150); and D, Platyrrhinus fusciventris sp. nov. (USNM 560806). All photographs to same scale.

Figure 8. Ventral view of skulls of A, Platyrrhinus helleri (FMNH 127115); B, Platyrrhinus incarum (FMNH 203627); C, Platyrrhinus angustirostris sp. nov. (FMNH 129150); and D, Platyrrhinus fusciventris sp. nov. (USNM 560806). All photographs to same scale.

Figure 9. Map of Central and South America, illustrating the distribution of specimens of Platyrrhinus angustirostris sp. nov. (stars), Platyrrhinus fusciventris sp. nov. (asterisks), Platyrrhinus helleri (circles), and Platyrrhinus incarum (diamonds).