Patagonian bonneted bat
Species of bat
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Patagonian bonneted bat (Eumops patagonicus), also called the Patagonian dwarf bonneted bat, is a species of free-tailed bat found in Argentina, Bolivia and Paraguay.
| Patagonian bonneted bat | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Chiroptera |
| Family: | Molossidae |
| Genus: | Eumops |
| Species: | E. patagonicus |
| Binomial name | |
| Eumops patagonicus Thomas, 1924 | |
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| Synonyms | |
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Taxonomy and etymology
It was described as a new species in 1924 by British zoologist Oldfield Thomas. Thomas had obtained the holotype from Argentinean-Italian scientist Roberto Dabbene, who worked in Buenos Aires at the time.[2] Its species name "patagonicus" means "belonging to Patagonia."[3] The Patagonian bonneted bat was widely considered a subspecies of the dwarf bonneted bat (Eumops bonariensis) from approximately 1932[4] until the 1990s.[5] Based on Gregorin et al.'s 2016 classification, the Patagonian bonneted bat is a member of the bonariensis species group of the genus Eumops. Other members include the dwarf bonneted bat, E. delticus, and E. nanus.[6]
Description
It is a small member of its genus, with a forearm length of 44 mm (1.7 in). Its head and body is 54 mm (2.1 in); its tail is 31 mm (1.2 in) long; its ears are 14.5 mm (0.57 in) long.[2]
Range and habitat
Its range includes several countries in southern South America, including Argentina, Bolivia, and Paraguay.[1]
Conservation
It is currently evaluated as least concern by the IUCN—its lowest conservation priority. It meets the criteria for this assessment because it has a large range, its population size is likely large, and it is not thought to be in rapid population decline.[1]