Three New Bats From Trinidad American Museum Novitates

The tiny state of Colima on Mexico’s Pacific coast is one of the three most biodiverse hot spots in the world. Straddling temperate and tropical zones, with rugged topography ranging from a volcanic mountaintop to sandy beaches, the state shelters nearly half—66—of Mexico’s species of Chiroptera, or bats. In this volume, studded with more than 200 full-color photographs and maps, a team of mammalogists from Mexico and the United States marshal information gathered over decades to present a comprehensive portrait of the bats of Colima. Bats of Colima, Mexico provides readers with the tools necessary to understand and identify each species of Colima’s bat population, from the sac-winged bats of family Emballonuridae to the mustached bats of family Mormoopidae. A dichotomous key indicates how each bat can be differentiated and describes the seven families within which they fall. The authors provide an in-depth description of each species, including a photograph, a map of its distribution across Colima, and information on habitat, reproduction, conservation status, and more. By calling attention to Colima’s rich chiropteran fauna, Bats of Colima, Mexico should not only foster interest in the rich biodiversity of the region but also nurture further collaboration between scientists and naturalists in the United States and Mexico.

Includes entries for maps and atlases.

With more than two hundred species distributed from California through Texas and across most of mainland Mexico, Central and South America, and islands in the Caribbean Sea, the Phyllostomidae bat family (American leaf-nosed bats) is one of the world’s most diverse mammalian families. From an insectivorous ancestor, species living today, over about 30 million years, have evolved a hyper-diverse range of diets, from blood or small vertebrates, to consuming nectar, pollen, and fruit. Phyllostomid plant-visiting species are responsible for pollinating more than five hundred species of neotropical shrubs, trees, vines, and epiphytes—many of which are economically and ecologically important—and they also disperse the seeds of at least another five hundred plant species. Fruit-eating and seed-dispersing members of this family thus play a crucial role in the regeneration of neotropical forests, and the fruit eaters are among the most abundant mammals in these habitats. Coauthored by leading experts in the field and synthesizing the latest advances in molecular biology and ecological methods, Phyllostomid Bats is the first overview in more than forty years of the evolution of the many morphological, behavioral, physiological, and ecological adaptations in this family. Featuring abundant illustrations as well as details on the current conservation status of phyllostomid species, it is both a comprehensive reference for these ecologically vital creatures and a fascinating exploration of the evolutionary process of adaptive radiation.