Incan little mastiff bat


The Incan little mastiff bat is a species of bat in the family Molossidae, the free-tailed bats. It belongs to the subgenus Micronomus.

Taxonomy and etymology

It was described as a new species by American zoologist Charles O. Handley.
Although the holotype had been collected in 1915 by Edmund Heller, it was not scientifically described until 1956.
Its species name "phrudus" comes from Ancient Greek "phroudos," meaning "gone" or "disappeared."
Handley chose this name "with allusion to their type locality, the 'Lost City' of Machu Picchu..."
Along with Kalinowski's mastiff bat, it is one of only two species of Mormopterus in the New World.

Description

Its head and body length is ; its tail length is ; its forearm length is.
Its fur is dark brown.
Its ears are thin, rounded, and not conjoined as in some other free-tailed bats.
It has a small tragus with a pointed tip and an inconspicuous antitragus.
Its lips are slightly wrinkled.
Males, at least, have a gular gland.
Its dental formula is, for a total of 30 teeth.

Biology and ecology

Little is known about the biology of the bat.
It has been observed roosting in caves at an altitude of. It may be a microendemic species.

Range and habitat

It is only known from a very small area of occupancy of.
It is documented at relatively high elevations, from above sea level.
It occurs in lowland subtropical forest.

Conservation

This bat is endemic to Peru, where it is known only from one location; its type locality at Machu Picchu.
It is considered a vulnerable species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and a critically endangered species by the nation of Peru; though it is rare, it lives in a protected area.