Pteronotus parnellii J. E. Gray 1843
Creators: name: Don E. Wilson
name: Russell A. Mittermeier
Publisher: name: Lynx Edicions
Year: 2019
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Chordata
Mammalia
Chiroptera
Mormoopidae
Pteronotus
Pteronotus parnellii

description: 10.
Parnell’s Common Mustached Bat
Pteronotus parnellii
French: Ptéronote de Parnell / German: Parnell-Schnurrbartfledermaus / Spanish: Pteronotus de Parnell
Other common names: Parnell's Mustached Bat
Taxonomy. Phyllodia parnellii J. E. Gray, 1843,
Jamaica.
J.D. Smith in 1972 recognized seven extant subspecies of P. parnelli: P. p. parnellii, Pp. pusillus, P. p. portoricensis, P. p. mexicanus, P. p. mesoamericanus, P. p. fuscus, and P. p. rubiginosus. Several studies based on molecular, morphometric, and acoustic data have shown that P. parnellii represents a species complex, supporting elevation of these subspecies to distinct species. Accordingly, P. parnellii sensu stricto is currently known exclusively from Jamaica; it has been proposed that the population in Cuba belongs to the same lineage of theJamaican population, although its phylogenetic status has not yet been assessed. There are fossil records of Pteronotus cf. parnellii from Florida, several islands in the Bahamas, and Greater and Lesser Antilles, whose taxonomic status needs to be reevaluated. Monotypic.
Distribution. Cuba and Jamaica.
Descriptive notes. Head-body ¢. 59 mm, tail 18-22 mm, ear 20-22 mm, hindfoot 13 mm, forearm 50-54 mm; weight 10-5-16 g. Parnell’s Common Mustached Batis the largest species of mormoopid in the Greater Antilles. Dorsal fur is generally tricolored, although color bands are not obviously discernible; hairs are dark brown on bases and tips, grading to paler central zone. Ventral fur is bicolored; hairs are dark brown with whitish tips. Rostrum is relatively long and delicate. Condylo-basal lengths are 18-4-19-5 mm. Many external and cranial features of Parnell’s Common Mustached Bat also apply to the other species within this complex, which are currently recognized in subgenus Phyllodia: ears pointed, with lanceolated part broad; tragus simple and lanceolated, with small secondary fold; ears connected by two low, inconspicuous ridges that fuse on top of muzzle forming prominent rostral tubercle; skull flat in profile, with rostrum of equal length as braincase; braincase oval and broad; tympanic rings relatively small, covering about one-third of auditory bullae; basioccipital region narrow, constricted between two large bullae; upper incisors robust and markedlybifurcated; and outer lower incisors bilobed.
Habitat. Highly cluttered habitats varying from gallery forests at sea level to forests, croplands, and plantations with high densities of vegetation at elevations up to ¢. 1300 m.
Food and Feeding. Parnell’s Common Mustached Bats feed on a high diversity of lepidopterans, but its diet also includes dipterans, coleopterans, cockroaches, termites, and hemipterans. It captures and eats various sizes of insects from fruit flies to moths with 7cm wingspan. Several groups oflepidopterans and coleopterans are avoided, which suggests they are selective relative to prey.
Breeding. Parnell’s Common Mustached Bat is monoestrous and uniparous. Reproductive season seems to start in March in Jamaica, with several reports of pregnant females in March—May. Females give birth in April-July, and lactating females are observed until September. In Cuba, mating season starts in January or February and pregnant females are found from March to July. Births occur mostly in July and juveniles are observed until September. A large maternity colony was reported from the middle ofJuly to the end of August on the southern coast of Cuba.
Activity patterns. Parnell’s Common Mustached Bat is more active in the first part of the night, usually emerging after dark. In Cuba, it is reported to be crepuscular, becoming active up to 35 minutes after sunset. It flies slower and lower compared with smaller sympatric mormoopids. Despite overlapping in activity time with other mormoopids, larger overall size and unique foraging strategy of Parnell’s Common Mustached Bat probably reduce competition for prey. It can fly at least 2-3 hours without landing. Echolocation calls during search phase consist of long CF-FM pulses of more than 20 milliseconds and contain three harmonics. The CF segment of second harmonic contains the frequency of maximum energy, at c.60 kHz.
Movements, Home range and Social organization. Parnell’s Common Mustached Bat prefers to roost in hot and humid chambers of large caves but is also found in cooler roosts like small chambers and along cave walls. It is found in association with other bat species, particularly mormoopids. It flies at a variety of heights when foraging. There is sexual segregation during the breeding season, causing movements of individuals among distinct roosts.
Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. Parnell’s Common Mustached Batis very common and widespread in Jamaica, but it is the least common species of mormoopid in Cuba.
Bibliography. Clare et al. (2013), Davalos (2006), Emrich et al. (2014), Genoways et al. (2005), Goldman & Henson (1977), Macias et al. (2006), Mancina et al. (2012), Morgan (2001), Pavan & Marroig (2016), Smith (1972), Simmons & Conway (2001), Silva-Taboada (1979), de Thoisy et al. (2014), Vater et al. (2003).
description: Published as part of Don E. Wilson & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2019, Mormoopidae, pp. 424-443 in Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 9 Bats, Barcelona :Lynx Edicions on pages 440-441, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6419781