Cuban yellow bat
| Cuban yellow bat | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Chiroptera |
| Family: | Vespertilionidae |
| Genus: | Lasiurus |
| Species: | L. insularis
|
| Binomial name | |
| Lasiurus insularis (Hall & Jones, 1961)
| |
The Cuban yellow bat (Lasiurus insularis) is a species of bat from the family Vespertilioninae. It was previously included as a subspecies of the northern yellow bat, a species that has a similar ecology and biology.[1] The species is endemic to Cuba, specifically the Las Villas Province in Cienfuegos,[2] and it is listed under the IUCN Red List as vulnerable due to its ongoing population reduction and relatively small geographic range.[1]
Taxonomy
The Cuban yellow bat was described as a new species in 1961 by E. R. Hall and J. K. Jones. They determined it was a subspecies of the northern yellow bat and gave it a trinomen of Lasiurus intermedius insularis, while expressing belief that it might actually be a full species.[3] The holotype had been collected in 1948 in Cienfuegos, Cuba by D. Gonzáles Muñoz.[4]
A 1976 publication suggested that the Cuban yellow bat should be considered a full species, which was corroborated by a genetic study in 1995 that found it was distinct from other yellow bats.[5] Within Lasiurus, it is part of the subgenus Dasypterus.[6]
Description
It is the largest vesper bat in Cuba, with individuals weighing 20–30 g (0.71–1.06 oz); its forearm length is 57–64 mm (2.2–2.5 in). It is covered in long, dense yellow fur.[7]
Biology and ecology
Its predators include owls, as a Cuban yellow bat skull was once found in an owl pellet.[4] During the day it roosts in the foliage of fan-leaved palms such those in the genus Thrinax.[8] It is insectivorous, feeding on beetles, flies, and true bugs.[1]
Range and habitat
The Cuban yellow bat is endemic to Cuba, where it has a patchy distribution and has been rarely documented. It is associated with forest habitat.[1]
References
- ^ a b c d e Mancina, C. (2016). "Lasiurus insularis". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T136754A22036556. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-1.RLTS.T136754A22036556.en.
- ^ Simmons, N.B. (2005). "Order Chiroptera". In Wilson, D.E.; Reeder, D.M (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 460. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494.
- ^ "Lasiurus insularis". ASM Mammal Diversity Database. American Society of Mammalogists. Retrieved 12 January 2026.
- ^ a b Hall, E.R.; Jones Jr., J.K. (1961). "North American yellow bats, "Dasypterus, " and a list of the named kinds of the genus Lasiurus Gray". University of Kansas Publications, Museum of Natural History. 14 (5): 85–89.
- ^ Morales, Juan Carlos; Bickham, John W. (1995). "Molecular Systematics of the Genus Lasiurus (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) Based on Restriction-Site Maps of the Mitochondrial Ribosomal Genes". Journal of Mammalogy. 76 (3): 730–749. doi:10.2307/1382744. JSTOR 1382744.
- ^ Wilson, D. E.; Reeder, D. M., eds. (2005). "Lasiurus (Dasypterus) insularis". Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494.
- ^ "Lasiurus insularis" (PDF). Proyecto Cubabat. Retrieved 12 January 2026.
- ^ Mancina, C.; Echenique-Diaz, L.; Tejedor, A.; García, L.; Daniel-Alvarez, A.; Ortega-Huerta, M. (2007). "Endemics under threat: an assessment of the conservation status of Cuban bats". Hystrix, the Italian Journal of Mammalogy. 18 (1).