Systematic review of the Antillean bats of the Natalus micropus-complex (Chiroptera: Natalidae)

Abstract

Nongeographic and geographic morphometric variation in Antillean populations of bats of the Nata/us micropus-complex were analyzed using univariate and multivariate statistical techniques. Samples of males and females from Jamaica and the Dominican Republic revealed females to be significantly larger than males in three measurements and males were significantly larger than females in two measurements. Generally, low coefficients of variation were found in samples of both sexes. The highest value obtained was 5.7 for length of phalanx 1 (digit III) in the sample from Old Providence Island. Two species-Nata/us micropus and N. tumidifrons-were recognized within this com- plex. The chief difference between the species was the larger overall size of N. tumid- ifrons. N. tumidifrons is confined to the Bahamas and is considered to be rnonotypic. Two subspecies are recognized in N. micropus with the nominate subspecies occurring on Old Providence Island, Jamaica, and Hispaniola, and N. m. macer on Cuba and the Isle of Pines.