90 



NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA 75 



Goodwin first reported the species from Costa Rica based on a specimen from 

 Guanacaste Province. Gardner et al. (1970) added a specimen from the Caribbean 

 lowlands. LaVal (1977) found two roosting in a building at La Selva, and five, 

 including three pregnant females, roosting with Molossus sinaloae in a building 

 in Puerto Viejo in January. One species of bat fly, Basilia costaricensis (two 

 females), was obtained on a single M. albescens at La Selva. 



Specimens examined (3)— Finca La Selva, 3 km S of Puerto Viejo, 70 m 

 [1 male,KU; lmale,LACM]; IkmS, 11.5 km E of San Miguel, 270 m [1 female, 

 USNM]. 



Myotis elegans 

 Elegant Myotis 



The elegant myotis occurs from San Luis Potosi, Mexico, to Costa Rica 

 (Fig. 70). The species is monotypic. Myotis elegans is among the smallest of the 

 Neotropical myotis. It is a lowland species, typically found from sea level to 300 m, 

 although it is known from as high as 750 m. 



Most individuals have been taken in forested areas, both wet and dry. Roosts 

 have not been described. This is an insectivorous species. Although occasional 

 reproductively active individuals have been reported, nothing is known about the 

 annual pattern. 



This species reaches the known southern limit of its range in Costa Rica, where 

 it is known only from the La Selva area and Guanacaste Province (LaVal 1973a, 

 1977). LaVal caught 20 at La Selva. An undescribed species of bat fly (Nycteri- 

 biidae) of the genus Basilia (1 male, 3 females) was collected on an elegant myotis 

 at La Selva. 



Specimens examined (2)— 5.5 mi N, 1 mi E of Puerto Viejo, 120 m [1 female, 

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



Myotis keaysi 

 Hairy-legged Myotis 



Bats of this polytypic species are found from Tamaulipas, Mexico, throughout 

 Central America except for most of Panama, then south in South America to Peru. 

 The Costa Rican subspecies is Myotis keaysi pilosatibialis . In Central America as 

 a whole, the elevational range of hairy -legged myotis is from sea level to more 

 than 2,500 m. Interestingly, all lowland records of this species are from north of 

 Honduras. 



This bat has been taken in a variety of habitats ranging from arid scrub to trop- 

 ical rain forest. Few roosts have been documented, but individuals use caves, hollow 

 trees, and perhaps buildings in some areas. The species is definitely insectivorous. 

 The reproductive cycle is seasonal polyestry (LaVal and Fitch 1977). Individuals 

 captured near San Miguel were taken in mist nets in undisturbed primary forest. 



LaVal (1973a) reported hairy-legged myotis from several localities in Costa 

 Rica. All Costa Rican localities of record for M. keaysi seem to be from middle 

 and high elevations. The specimens taken from Cinco Esquinas, Heredia Province, 

 were part of a colony of 200 individuals that W. E. Duellman found roosting at 

 night under a bridge. 



