We studied the taxonomy and biogeography of Mazama bricenii, a brocket deer classified as Vulnerable by the IUCN, drawing on qualitative and quantitative morphology and sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome-b gene. We used Ecological Niche Modeling (ENM) to evaluate the hypothesis that M. bricenii of the Venezuelan Cordillera de Mérida (CM) might have become isolated from populations of its putative sister species, Mazama rufina, in the Colombian Cordillera Oriental (CO). This hypothesis assumes that warm, dry climatic conditions in the Táchira Depression were unsuitable for the species. Our analyses did not reveal morphological differences between specimens geographically attributable to M. bricenii and M. rufina, and phylogenetic analyses of molecular data recovered M. bricenii nested within the diversity of M. rufina. These results indicate that M. bricenii should be regarded as a junior synonym of M. rufina. ENM analyses revealed the existence of suitable climatic conditions for M. rufina in the Táchira Depression during the last glacial maximum and even at present, suggesting that gene flow between populations in the CO and CM may have occurred until at least the beginning of the current interglacial period and may continue today. Because this pattern might characterize other mammals currently considered endemic to the CM, we examined which of these species match two criteria that we propose herein to estimate if they can be regarded as endemic to the CM with confidence: (1) that morphological or molecular evidence exists indicating that the putative endemic taxon is distinctive from congeneric populations in the CO; and (2) that the putative endemic taxon is restricted to either cloud forest or páramo, or both. Only Aepeomys reigi, Cryptotis meridensis, and Nasuella meridensis matched both criteria; hence, additional research is necessary to assess the true taxonomic status and distribution of the remaining species thought to be CM endemics.

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Methods: External measurements were taken from museum labels; craniodental measurements were taken with a caliper to the nearest 0.01mm. Geographic coordinates of relevant localities were taken from literature and altitudes from museum labels. Reviewed specimens (Apendix) are housed in: Museo de la Estación Biológica de Rancho Grande (EBRG, Aragua, Venezuela), Museo de Historia Natural La Salle (MHNLS, Distrito Capital, Venezuela), Museo de Zoología de la Universidad de Carabobo (MZUC, Carabobo, Venezuela) and Colecão Zoológica de Mastozoología, Universidad Federal de Mato Grosso (UFMT, Cuiabá, Mato Grosso, Brazil). Relevant characters of taxa unavailable to us were taken from literature. Results:Recently additional material assignable to Marmosops parvidens from northern Venezuela was analyzed. Closer examination of these specimens led to the description of a new species herein proposed, which is clearly distinguished from other species of the group by a unique combination of characters, among them, a triangleshaped carpal tubercle in males; posterior accessory cusps on the upper canines in males and females; maxilla not completely covering the fourth upper molar, and fourth lower molar bicuspid (Table 2; Fig. 2, 3, 4 and 5). Known distribution embraces the Cordillera de la Costa Central and Cordillera de Mérida in Venezuela (Fig. 1), with an elevation span of 50 to 1850 m a.s.l. Discussion and Conclusions:Before the recognition of Marmosops pinheiroi as a distinct species, many authors accepted the presence of M. p. parvidens in northern Venezuela and south of the river Orinoco (Amazonas) and M. p. pinheiroi in the south (Bolívar, Canaima National Park). More recently, the presence of parvidens was referred to the north and south of Venezuela and in sympatry with M. pinheiroi at Canaima National Park. However, examination of the specimens of Marmosops housed in Venezuelan natural history museums indicates that M. parvidens is not present in Venezuela (pending the confirmation of the identity of a single specimen from northern Venezuela housed in Washington). Equally, literature records might be misleading (e. sympatry of M. parvidens and M. pinheiroi at Canaima National Park). So far, records of the new species indicate it is restricted to the mountain ranges of northern and western Venezuela.

Caldasia 37(2): 381-391. 2015 RESUMENLas cuevas constituyen un recurso importante para murciélagos en los bosques, ya que ofrecen protección y condiciones climáticas que favorecen la reproducción, especialmente para aquellas especies con hábitos cavernícolas. Durante 12 meses (2013)(2014), se llevó a cabo un estudio sobre el uso de una cueva por parte de murciélagos en el Parque Nacional Yurubí-Sierra de Aroa, Estado Yaracuy, Venezuela. Se colocó una trampa de arpa una vez por mes y estuvo activa antes de que los murciélagos emergieran del refugio. Después de tomar datos sobre abundancia, los individuos se marcaron y se liberaron en el sitio. Se registraron seis especies pertenecientes a las familias Mormoopidae y Phyllostomidae. Pteronotus parnellii, Anoura geoffroyi y Carollia perspicillata fueron capturados todos los meses y en los tres se observó indicios reproductivos. Pteronotus parnellii y Anoura geoffroyi fueron los más abundantes con una mayor presencia para el primero. Por otro lado, Phyllostomus hastatus, Lonchorhina aurita y Desmodus rotundus usaron el refugio temporalmente, sin evidenciar alguna condición reproductiva. Se observaron cambios en el tamaño de las colonias y la composición de especies, evidencia de que el refugio es usado permanentemente por algunas especies durante la reproducción y de forma temporal por otras, que aparentemente se estarían favoreciendo sólo del resguardo que ofrece.Palabras clave. Mormoopidae, Phyllostomidae, refugios, uso de cuevas. ABSTRACTFor bats, caves represent an important resource within forests because they offer protection and favorable microclimatic conditions for reproduction, especially for cave-dwelling bats. Over 12 months (2013-2014), we studied a cave used by bats in an evergreen forest in the Yurubí National Park-Sierra de Aroa, Yaracuy State, Venezuela. For one night each month, we placed one harp trap in the entrance to the cave and activated it before the bats emerged from the cave. We captured six species from the families Mormoopidae and Phyllostomidae. Pteronotus parnellii, Anoura geoffroyi and Carollia perspicillata were recorded in every month, occasionally with

in venezuela, mammals represent an important group of wildlife with high anthropogenic pressures that threaten their permanence. Focused on the need to generate baseline information that allows us to contribute to document and conserve the richness of local wildlife, we conducted a mammalogical inventory in Yurubí National Park, located in Yaracuy State in venezuela. We carried out fieldworks in three selected vegetation types: an evergreen forest at 197m, a semi-deciduous forest ranging between 100-230m, and a cloud forest at 1 446m. We used victor, Sherman, Havahart and pitfall traps for the capture of small non-volant mammals and mist nets for bats. in addition, we carried out interviews with local residents and direct-indirect observations for medium-large sized mammals. At least 79 species inhabit the area, representing 28% of the species recorded for the North side of the country. Chiroptera (39 spp.), Carnivora (13 spp.) and Rodentia (9 spp.) were the orders with the highest richness, as expected for the Neotropics. The evergreen forest had the greatest species richness (n=68), with a sampling effort of 128 net-hours, 32 bucket-days, 16 hours of observations, and three persons interviewed, followed by cloud forest (n=45) with 324 net-hours, 790 traps-night, 77 bucket-days, 10 hours of observations, and one person interviewed. The lowest richness value was in the semi-deciduous forest (n=41), with 591 traps-night, 15 net-hours, 10 hours of observations and three persons interviewed. Data and observations obtained in this inventory (e.g., endemism, species known as "surrogate species" threatened in venezuela) give an important role at the Yurubí National Park in the maintenance and conservation of local ecosystems and wildlife, threatened by human pressures in the Cordillera de la Costa. Rev. Biol. Trop. 60 (1): 459-472. Epub 2012 March 01.