| Status | NT |
|---|---|
| Status system | IUCN3.1 |
| Genus | Lophostoma |
| Species | occidentale |
| Authority | Davis & Carter, 1978 |
The western round-eared bat (Lophostoma occidentale) is a bat species found only on the Pacific coast of northwestern Ecuador.
Taxonomy and etymology
It was described as a new subspecies of the white-throated round-eared bat in 1978 by Davis and Carter. As the white-throated round-eared bat was in the genus Tonatia at the time, the western round-eared bat had a trinomen of Tonatia silvicola occidentalis.[1] In 2011, it was recognized as a full species. In the same publication, it was established that Lophostoma aequatorialis was a junior synonym of L. occidentale.[2] Its species name "occidentalis" is Latin for "western."
Description
Its forearm length is 51.2-56.8 mm in. Its dorsal fur is long and dark brown, while the fur around its throat is whitish. It has white or pale gray patches of fur behind its ears.[2]
Range and status
It is found in South America, where its range includes Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. It has been documented at elevations of 300-979 m ft.[3]
As of 2016, it was evaluated as a near-threatened species by the IUCN. Its population has likely declined by 20-25% in the last three generations due to habitat destruction.[3]
References
- ^ Davis, W. B. & Carter, D. C. (1978). "A review of the round-eared bats of the Tonatia silvicola complex, with descriptions of three new taxa". Occasional Papers Museum of Texas Tech University. ' (53): 1–12.
- ^ Velazco, P. M. & Cadenillas, R. (2011). "On the identity of Lophostoma silvicolum occidentalis (Davis & Carter, 1978) (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae)". Zootaxa. ' (2962): 1–20.[dead link]
- ^ Solari, S. (2020). "Lophostoma occidentalis". Vol. 2020. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-1.RLTS.T88149174A166525772.en. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
