202 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANliOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 69 



VAMPYRESSA MINUTA Miller 



Little Yellow-eared Bat 



[Plate 2n, figs. 3, za\ 



Vampyressa minuta Miller, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., Vol. 42, No. 1882, p. 25, 

 March 6, 1912. Type from Cabima, Panama. 



• This recently described species bears a rather close general resem- 

 blance to some of the small forms of Artibeus, but is smaller than 

 any of them. The arrangement of white facial stripes is the same — 

 a supraorbital pair reaching upward from the nose pad to the inner 

 sides of the ears, and the cheek stripes extending from the angle of 

 the mouth toward the ears. The short rounded ears have yellow 

 margins. The forearm measures about 32 millimeters. 



Vampyressa mintita is very closely allied to Vampyressa thyone 

 Thomas. It apparently differs from that species only in rather slight 

 cranial details as shown by comparison with an Ecuadorean specimen 

 which has been determined as V. thyone by Thomas. The skull is 

 slightly smaller, the difference in size being most noticeable in the 

 braincase. The nasals are less developed anteriorly between the 

 maxillae, the resulting gap or roimded excision constituting a distinct 

 posterior extension of the anterior nares. The palate seems relatively 

 narrower behind the posterior molars. The dentition is about the 

 same. 



The type was collected at Cabima by August Busck in May, 191 1. 

 The only other known specimen flew into my room at Cana where it 

 was captured during the evening of June 6, 1912. The bright, yellow 

 edges of the ears and tragus attracted my attention at once. This 

 color, most intense on the lower part of the ears, was somewhat 

 duller toward the tips. It is still shown in the dry skin, but is much 

 less conspicuous than when fresh. 



Specimens examined: Cabima, i (type) ; Cana, i. 



Genus CHIRODERMA Peters 

 The alliance of the genus Chirodernm seems to be most nearly 

 with Vampyrops which it resembles in external markings ; but the 

 nose leaf is broader and the forearm and interfcmoral membrane 

 are more heavily furred than in that genus. The skull is similar to 

 those of Vampyrops and Vampyressa, the dental formula being the 

 same, but the teeth differ in detail. A striking contrast is presented, 

 however, by the apparent absence of nasals, their excision fore- 

 shadowed in Vampyressa having progressed to the extreme degree. 

 The teeth are 28 in number. 



