Mammalian Species

DIAGNOSIS. Leptonycteris yerbabuenae (Fig. 1) is 1 of 4 North American bats with a nose leaf. L. yerbabuenae can be distinguished from Choeronycteris mexicana and Macrotus californicus by the absence of a conspicuous tail and presence of brownish pelage in L. yerbabuenae (Arita 1999). Pelage of L. yerbabuenae is shorter and denser in comparison to the longer and fluffier pelage of L. nivalis (Davis and Carter 1962; Hensley and Wilkins 1988). L. nivalis is larger with grayish pelage, narrower uropatagium, and longer wings. L. yerbabuenae is smaller (15•25 g versus 18•30 g), has shorter wings (length of forearm 51•54 mm versus 56.5•59.5 mm), and a shorter 3rd finger (92•102 mm versus 106•115 mm) than L. nivalis (Arita 1999). Length of head and body of L. yerbabuenae averages as much as 10% shorter than that of L. nivalis at comparable latitudes (Hoffmeister 1957). Skull of L. yerbabuenae (Fig. 2) is smaller than that of L. nivalis (Davis and Carter 1962). It is shorter (mean < 27 mm), the condylobasal length is usually <26.3 mm, and the presphenoid ridge is more prominent and more rounded than in L. nivalis (Hoffmeister 1957, 1986). Skull of L. curasoae is generally larger than that of L. yerbabuenae. Upper incisors of L. curasoae are evenly spaced and larger than those of L. yerbabuenae. Upper incisors of L. yerbabuenae occur in 2 pairs separated by a median gap (Davis and Carter 1962).