West Indian mammals from the Albert Schwartz Collection : biological and historical information / by Robert M. Timm and Hugh H. Genoways.

Abstract

l >M 1976, Albert Schwartz and several students working with him made extensive collections of mammals (ca. 2,000 specimens), reptiles and amphibians, birds, and butterflies in the West Indies. Schwartz's private collection of mammals from the West Indies is among the most comprehensive and important mammal collections from the region, vet much of it has never been reported in the scientific literature. Schwartz's original intent was to fully document all of the terrestrial mammals oi the West Indies. In P>S C >, Schwartz transferred his mammal collection of some 6,500 specimens to the University of Kansas, and included in that collection were more than 1,400 specimens from the West Indies. It is our purpose herein to present a catalogue of the West Indian mammals assembled by Albert Schwartz, to titter critical comments on the taxonomic status o\ several species, as well as to report new biological information based on his specimens and field observations. Hie Albert Schwartz Collection represents a unique sample of West Indian mammals that includes new island records and significant series ot poorly known species that contribute to systematic and /oogeographic studies of the region. Detailed measurements and ecological information are presented in accounts of the following species: one species of marsupial, one species of noctilionid bat, five species of mormoopids, IN species of phyllostomids, three species of natalids, three species ( >i vesperti lion ids, five species of molossids, three species of capromvid rodents, two species of dasyproctid rodents, and one herpestid carnivore. Discussions are focused primarily on the Antillean populations ot these taxa and when sufficient material is available taxonomic recommendations are presented.

Systematics of Funnel-Eared Bats (Chiroptera: Natalidae)

“…The records from Marie Galante, and Martinique, the last of which is known from a mention in A. Schwartz's research notes (Timm and Genoways, 2003), are based on a single specimen each.…”

“…On Nevis, it has been encountered less frequently, with the single specimen in museum collections from that island having been killed accidentally by a ceiling fan . In Martinique, it is also known from a single individual (Timm and Genoways, 2003), and in St. Maarten, it has been recorded exclusively from a skull and partial skeleton found in a cave . In Montserrat, an island where bat populations have been severely affected by recent volcanic eruptions , CVA scores are plotted in figure 49.…”

“…In addition, Dá valos (2005) demonstrated a deep genetic divergence between Chilonatalus and Natalus, supporting the generic distinction of the former. Such sweep of old-name revalidations, however, was countered by Timm and Genoways (2003), and Genoways et al (2005) who maintained that all greater Antillean Natalus are not distinct from N. stramineus at the species level, and retained Chilonatalus as a synonym of Natalus. Simmons (2005) nonetheless summarized the rise in recognized diversity of Natalidae listing it as comprising three genera and eight species (table 2).…”

Roosting under tree leaves in Schwartz’s Myotis (Chiroptera)

“…What little is known about its natural history remains largely unpublished (Larsen, 2016). It is often said to be a cave-roosting species (Timm and Genoways, 2003) based on records from Barbados, but the Barbados population is now known to represent a different species, the Nyctor Myotis (M. nyctor LaVal & Schwartz, 1974) (Larsen et al, 2012).…”

“…obs.). Schwartz's Myotis has never been found there, although one was captured at a cave entrance (Timm and Genoways, 2003).…”