45 



C. harrisoni (fig. 23): Quite large blossom feeding bat with conspicoiis, extremely long 

 muzzle. Forearm length 40-43 nmi. In other respect resembling C. mexicana. 



Skull morphology 



Differing from other manmials the chiropteran skull bones are deHcate in order to reduce 

 weight for flight capability. In adult animals the individual bones are mostly fused 

 together leaving the sutures essential for bone discrimination not to be recognized. So, for 

 proper orientation, it is certainly useful to refer to the juvenile skull yet lacking 

 obliterations. 



Within the chiroptera, the highly variable skull of phyllostomids is characterized by the 

 following features: 



Postorbital process lacking; the posterior rim of the orbita is, if at all, distiguishable only 

 by lateral convexities of the frontalia. 



Premaxillaria are completely present. Both the nasal and the palatinal parts of the 

 premaxillaries are completely developed and in adult individuals they are tightly 

 connected to each other and to the maxillaria. Botli palatine bones mark the boundary of 

 two Foramina palatmae laterally. 



The perioticum is largely separated from the rest of the skull (well visible in basal view). 

 There are no more than 34 teeth: 



- 2 3 1 - - 3 4 5 6 7 

 12-1-234567 



Sometimes, however, the nimiber is reduced, down to 26: 



- 2 3 1 - - 3 4 5 6 - 



- - - 1 - 2 3 4 5 6 - 



There are no more than two incisivi on each side of a jaw, the canini being always well 

 developed. In the upper jaw only the genus Anoiira bears three premolars, usually only 

 two of them are present in one jaw side (P^^ and P^); in most cases, the mandible bears 

 only three premolars per half (Pj, P^, P4). If the premolars are hmited to two, it is always 

 P2 which is missing. Considerable modifications predominantly affect the molar teeth 

 (crown morphology); when the number is reduced, always M3 is missing. 



