Taxonomic status of artibeus anthonyi (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae), a fossil bat from Cuba

Abstract

The subgenus Artibeus includes 8 species of frugivorous bats of widespread neotropical distribution. The only fossil species, Artibeus anthonyi, was described from deposits of the Cuban Quaternary, and its taxonomic status has been debated in the literature. Based on exceptionally well-preserved new fossil material, an emended diagnosis and a detailed description of the cranium of A. anthonyi are presented. In addition, we used multivariate analyses to explore the morphometric differentiation between A. anthonyi and the extant species of the subgenus Artibeus. A. anthonyi shows the greatest morphological divergence compared with extant Artibeus species. © 2009 American Society of Mammalogists.