Cuban yellow bat
Species of bat
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Cuban yellow bat (Lasiurus insularis) is a species of bat from the family Vespertilioninae. It was previously included as a subspecies of the northern yellow bat, a species that has a similar ecology and biology.[1] The species is endemic to Cuba, specifically the Las Villas Province in Cienfuegos,[2] and it is listed under the IUCN Red List as vulnerable due to its ongoing population reduction and relatively small geographic range.[1]
| Cuban yellow bat | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Chiroptera |
| Family: | Vespertilionidae |
| Genus: | Lasiurus |
| Species: | L. insularis |
| Binomial name | |
| Lasiurus insularis (Hall & Jones, 1961) | |
Taxonomy
The Cuban yellow bat was described as a new species in 1961 by E. R. Hall and J. K. Jones. They determined it was a subspecies of the northern yellow bat and gave it a trinomen of Lasiurus intermedius insularis, while expressing belief that it might actually be a full species.[3] The holotype had been collected in 1948 in Cienfuegos, Cuba by D. Gonzáles Muñoz.[4]
A 1976 publication suggested that the Cuban yellow bat should be considered a full species, which was corroborated by a genetic study in 1995 that found it was distinct from other yellow bats.[5] Within Lasiurus, it is part of the subgenus Dasypterus.[6]
Description
It is the largest vesper bat in Cuba, with individuals weighing 20–30 g (0.71–1.06 oz); its forearm length is 57–64 mm (2.2–2.5 in). It is covered in long, dense yellow fur.[7]