64 NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA 75 



This species is common in the lowlands throughout Costa Rica. LaVal and 

 Fitch (1977) captured 101 at La Selva, and we have found them to be abundant 

 there on many occasions since 1968. We found them to be common in second growth 

 habitats up to 700 m in Parque Nacional Braulio Carrillo. An adult female col- 

 lected at Puerto Viejo on 14 July 1961 carried a single embryo, 18 mm crown- 

 rump length. 



We collected two species of streblid bat flies, Speiseria ambigua (1 female) 

 and Trichobius joblingi (1 female), from C. perspicillata. The biology of three 

 species of bat flies of the family Streblidae, which are host-specific, blood-feeding 

 ectoparasites on C. perspicillata, was investigated at La Selva by Fritz (1983). 

 He found that the life cycles of the bat flies are tightly synchronized with the life 

 cycles of their hosts. 



Specimens examined (43)— Puerto Viejo, Rio Sarapiqui, 100 m [10 males, 



3 females, KU; 5 males, 4 females, UMMZ]; 2.5 km SE of Puerto Viejo [2 males, 

 1 female, CM]; Finca La Selva, 3 km S of Puerto Viejo, 70 m [1 male, KU; 

 1 female, LACM; 2 males, MSB]; 1 1 km S, 4.5 km W of Puerto Viejo, 270 m 

 [6 males, 2 females, USNM]; 1 km S, 11.5 km E of San Miguel, 680 m [1 male, 

 1 female, USNM; 2 males, 2 females, UNA]. 



Additional records (10)— 1.5 mi S of Cariblanco [2 males, 1 sex ?, MVZ]; 



4 mi W of Puerto Viejo, 300 ft [3 females, TCWC]; 5.5 mi S, 1 mi E of Puerto 

 Viejo, 400 ft [4 males, TCWC]. 



Subfamily Stenoderminae 



Artibeus jamaicensis 

 Jamaican Fruit-eating Bat 



Jamaican fruit-eating bats are found from Sinaloa and Tamaulipas, Mexico, 

 south through northern South America to Brazil and Paraguay (Fig. 48). Two 

 subspecies are known from Costa Rica, Artibeus jamaicensis paulus from 

 Guanacaste Province, and A. j. richardsoni from the rest of the country. Although 

 widespread and abundant, species limits and infraspecific variation within this com- 

 plex of bats are not well understood. 



This is one of the most common species of bats throughout tropical America. 

 It is found in most habitat types except perhaps the highest and driest. The known 

 roosting habits are also catholic: caves, tunnels, hollow trees, logs, culverts, bridges, 

 foliage, leaf-tents, and under tree roots (Foster and Timm 1976; Tutde 1976). Gard- 

 ner (1977) reported fruits as the primary food source, but flowers, leaves, and 

 occasional insects also are taken. The reproductive cycle is one of bimodal polyestry 

 (Wilson 1979). Morrison (1983) summarized natural history information. 



The distribution in Costa Rica is widespread and well documented. This is 

 one of the most common species of bat at La Selva. LaVal and Fitch (1977) cap- 

 tured 111 during their study, and we have captured numerous individuals during 

 OTS field courses. They are found routinely in all habitats at La Selva. In Parque 

 Nacional Braulio Carrillo, we found them to be common up to 700 m. 



