LA SELVA-BRAULIO CARRILLO MAMMALS 



89 



Eptesicus furinalis 

 Argentine Brown Bat 



Argentine brown bats range from Jalisco and Tamaulipas, Mexico, south to 

 Argentina. Davis (1965) considered Costa Rican animals to belong to a distinct 

 subspecies, which he described as Eptesicus gaumeri carteri. Subsequently (Davis 

 1966), he arranged both gaumeri and carteri as subspecies of the wide-ranging 

 E. furinalis. Additional study of geographic variation in this species is warranted. 



This species occurs in a wide range of environmental conditions from sea level 

 to high montane habitats. Roosts are known from caves, buildings, hollow trees, 

 and logs (Villa-R. 1967). These bats are insectivorous, but details of the diet are 

 unknown. The reproductive cycle has not been studied adequately in any given 

 locality. 



Starrett and Casebeer (1968) listed specimens from F^intarenas, Limon, and 

 Alajuela Provinces. LaVal and Fitch (1977) captured a single individual from La 

 Selva. Apparently no specimens have been preserved from this region. 



Lasiurus ega 

 Southern Yellow Bat 



Southern yellow bats are found from southeastern Texas and adjacent Mexico 

 to Argentina. A single subspecies, Lasiurus ega panamensis, is known from Cen- 

 tral America. Systematics of the genus Lasiurus, based on genie data, were reviewed 

 recently by Baker et al. (1988). 



This species has an enormous range, and has been taken in a wide variety of 

 habitats ranging from xeric desert scrub to rainforest. These bats normally roost 

 in foliage. Details of food habits are not known; however, the species is certainly 

 insectivorous. These bats are monestrous; litter size varies from one to three (Nowak 

 and Paradiso 1983). 



Goodwin (1946) recorded this species from San Jose and Alajuela Provinces. 

 Starrett and Casebeer (1968) added specimens from Puntarenas Provmce, and Gard- 

 ner et al. (1970) recorded specimens from the Meseta Central. Our specimen is 

 the first from the Caribbean slope of Costa Rica. 



Specimen examined (1)— 11 km S, 4.5 km W of Puerto Viejo, 270 m [1 male, 

 USNM]. 



Myotis albescens 

 Silver-tipped Myotis 



The silver-tipped myotis ranges from Chiapas, Tabasco, and Veracruz, Mex- 

 ico, to Argentina. Myotis albescens, a monotypic species, is typical of lowland 

 rain forests, although individuals were netted from as high as 1,500 m by LaVal 

 (1973a). 



These bats usually are found in areas of mature forest, although they also follow 

 riparian corridors through disturbed habitats. They roost in caves, hollow trees, 

 and buildings. They are strictly insectivorous. The reproductive cycle is one of 

 seasonal polyestry (Myers 1977). 



