35 



RESULTS 



Morphology of the species examined 



External morphology 



Many of the bats described here resemble each other to an enormous extent and may only 

 be identified by delicate characters. External characters relevant for identification are the 

 development of the iiropatagium, the insertion of the wing membrane at the foot or at tlie 

 tibia, presence and development of a calcar, the length relations of the bones supporting 

 the wings, shape and relative size of the nose leaf or the auricle and the tragus, 

 respectively. 



Generally, in all phyllostomid flower bats, the lower lip shows a distinctly V-shaped 

 median notch laterally lined by small warts. The elongate tongue covered with brush-like 

 hairy papillae is clearly visible also in living oder undissected specimens. In all long-faced 

 species an elongate rostrum will attract attention. 



Lionycteris 



L. spiirrelli: Very small bat; forearm length <35 nmi. Muzzle imperceptibly elongated 

 compared to non-nectar-feeding phyllostomids. Relatively large nose leaf (wide and short). 

 Auricles small and rounded, dark. Lower lip showing a very small median V-shaped notch 

 of warty bulges with a tip ending ventrahy in an unpaired wart (fig. 4). 

 Tragus short with small serrated basal wings (ref. fig.4). Pelage reddish brown to black 

 brown, lighter ventrally (greyish brown); wing membranes darker than fiir. 



Forearm sparsely haired, very short tliumb. Metacarpalia III>IV>V, 1. phalanx III>IV=V. 

 Plagiopatagium inserts distally at the tibia. Uropatagium present. Short tail projecting 

 beyond the wing membrane in its last third and ending with a perceptible smmp (fig.4). 



Fig.4: Lionycteris spurelli, head, tragus, and interfemoral membrane 



