Pictures of New Bats

Arnulfo and Carol with Pale-faced bat (Phylloderma stenops)

The other new species were Godman’s whiskered bat (Choeroniscus godmani; pictured bottom right), a small dark bat with a long slender nose and lots of long whiskers. The next new species was Heller’s broad-nosed bat (Platyrrhinus helleri; bottom left, nice stripes). This was followed by the Phylloderma stenops (upper right) and ended with hairy big-eyed bat (Chiroderma villosum; top left). 

Another capture of a Fringe-lipped (frog eating) bat (Trachops cirrhosus )

New Species on project

News from Carol in Nicaragua.  This is their last week on the project.  They are now at 44 species and 1421 captures for the project. On Jan 27 they captured a new species for Nicaragua. This species has only been captured 5 times in Costa Rica. All captures have been on the Caribbean side; none in dry tropical forest. Ours was on the Pacific side of the country in the dry tropical forest (possibly a lake effect from Lake Nicaragua?).


The new species is the pale-faced bat (Phylloderma stenops; pictures on separate post)

The other new species were Godman’s whiskered bat (Choeroniscus godmani, a small dark bat with a long slender nose and lots of long whiskers. The next new species was Heller’s broad-nosed bat (Platyrrhinus helleri). This was followed by the Phylloderma stenops  and ended with hairy big-eyed bat (Chiroderma villosum). Nicaragua now has 100 species (counting Artibeus intermedius and Artibeus literatus as same species per Simmons 2005).

Having a new species record for Nicaragua is really, really exciting!


Pictures on the next post!

Final Nicaraguan species lists:

Bats (murciélagos)
1. Artibeus jamaicensis, Jamaican fruit-eating bat
2. Carollia perspicilla, Seba's short-tailed bat
3. Lophostona brasiliensis, Pygmy round-eared bat
4. Artibeus lituratus, great fruit-eating bat
5. Carollia suburbia, Gray short-tailed bat
6. Glossophaga commissarisi, brown long-tongued bat
7. Glossophaga sorcina, Common long-tongued bat
8. Myotis nigricans, black myotis
9. Rhogeessa tumuda, Central American yellow bat
10. Artibeus watsonii, Thomas' fruit-eating bat
11. Eptesicus furinalus, Argentine brown bat
12. Desmodus rotundus, Common vampire
13. Sturnia lilium Little yellow-shouldered Bat
14. Artibius literates Great fruit-eating bat
1 5. Pteronotus personas Lesser mustached bat
16. Molossus pretiosus Miller's mastiff bat
17. Centurion seneca Wrinkle-face bat
18. Artibius phaeotis Pygmy fruit eating bat
19. Artibius intermedius Medium fruit-eating bat
20. Molossops greenhalli
21. Pteronotus parnellii Common mustached bat
22. Pteronotus gymnonotus Big naked-backed bat
23. Saccoptery bilineata Greater white-lined bat
24. Noctilio leporinus Greater fishing bat

Birds (aves) (those that I figured out, usually with the help of José)
1. Turkey vulture (Cathartes aura)
2. Black vulture (Coragyps atratua)
3. Great egret (Casmerodius albus egretta)
4. Snowy egret (Egretta thula thula)
5. Cattle egret (Bubulcus ibis ibis)
6. Neotropican cormorant (Phalacrocorox olivaceous olivaceous)
7. Great-tailed grackle (Cassidix mexicanus)
8. Nicarauguan grackle (Cassidix nicaraguensis)
9. White-throated magpie jay (Calocitta formosa)
10. Wood Storks (Mycteria americana)
11. Smooth-billed Ani (Crotophaga ani)
12. Ferruginous Pygmy owl (Glaucidium brasilianum)
13. Bat Falcon (Falco rufigularis)
14. Brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis)
15. Magnificent frigatebird (Fregata magnificens)
16. White-tailed hawk (Buteo albicaudatus )
17. Ruddy ground dove (Columbina talpacotti)
18. Great kiskadee (Pitangus sulphuratus)
19. Solitary Sandpiper (Tringa solitaria solitaria)
20. Maroon chested ground dove (Claravis mondetoura mondetoura)
21. American kestrel (Falco sparverius sparverius)
22. Great potoo (Nyctibius grandis)
23. Short-tailed hawk (Buteo brachyurus)
24. Pacific screech Owl (Otis cooperii)
25. Orange-fronted parakeet (Ataringa canicularis)
26. Common paurague (Nyctidromus albicollis)
27. Double-striped Thick knee (Burhinus bistriatus)
-28. Scissor-tailed flycatcher (Muscivora forficata )
29. Bare-throated Tiger heron (tigrisoma mexicanos)
30. Dusky ant bird (Cercomacra tyrannina rufiventris)
31. Riverside Wren (Thryothorus semibadius)
32. Elegant trogon (Trogon elegans)
33. Black throated trogon (Trogon rufus)
34. Black kingbird (Tyrannus dominicensis?)
35. White-winged dove (Zenaida asiatica panamensis)
36. Roadside hawk (Buteo magninosis)
37. Green kingfisher (Chloroceryle americana)
38. Common Black hawk (Buteogallus anthracinus anthracinus)
39. Crested (Polyborus plancus audubonii)
40. Ringed kingfisher (Ceryle torquata torquata)
41. Tropical parula (Parula pitiayumi)
42. Great curassow (Crax rubra)

Other Animals (otra animales) (usually found by Christian)
1. Central American wooly opossum (Caluromys Serbian)
2. Vine snake (serpiente de vid)
3. Scorpion (escorpión)
4. Tarantula (tarántula)
5. Mantled howler monkeys & babies (mono Congo) (Alouatta palliata)
6. Olive Ridley's sea turtle (tortugas) (Lepidochelys olivacea)
7. Hoffman's two-toed sloth (kukala) (Choloepus hoffmanni)
8. Mountain lion? (scat & track) (lión de montaña) (Puma councilor)
9. Gray four-eyed opossum (Philander opossum)
10. Crabs (freshwater and ocean) (cangrejo)
11. Frogs (rana)... Many kinds
12. Spider monkeys (mono de araña) (Ateles geoffroyi geoffroyi maybe also Ateles geoffroyi ornatus)
13. Spider eyes sparkle in the grass (araña)
14. Giant toad (zapos grandes)
15. Fireflies (kieva plata)
16. Kinkajou (kinkaju) (Potos flavus)
17. Variegated squirrel (ardilla)(Sciurus rariegatoides dorsalis)
18. Eastern cottontail rabbit (consejo) (Sylvilagus floridanus)

Jan 13 Last Thoughts

As I am about to head out on the last leg of my adventure, some last thoughts.
Carol is so very lucky with all the great people helping her on this project. The Lopez family is so caring and helpful... And they don't have to be. The tears and hugs from them as I left are precious! Her project helpers Christian, José and Marlon are wonderful people and contribute greatly to Carol getting this project work done. It's great how much they have gotten done so far! Two more weeks for Carol, then José and Marlon will continue with the Anabat data collection part.
This trip has been great for me. Even though I feel tired from keeping the bat schedule, the numerous bug bites and just plain travel, I feel rejuvenated and ready for the next adventure... What ever that may be.

I'll post final species list when I get home... And more photos!

Jan 12 Managua to Houston

Plane loaded about 12:30pm and took off very full at 1:30pm. Flight went back over the Yucatan peninsula. Got to watch "Real Steel" and read my book. Long three and a half hours. It took about an hour to get through customs and get my bag. I started the day feeling is was too warm for boots and long pants. Had to pull out my long sleeve shirt, sweater and windbreaker while waiting for the hotel shuttle and I was cold. I hope David brings me a warm jacket at the airport tomorrow!

Jan 12 Managua Hills

Got a good nights sleep, but woke up a little lost. There was quite the chorus of white-winged doves. Somehow I was at my parent's house in Roswell NM....Nope, Managua. I'd gotten very used to the morning chorus at Escamaquita: rooster, howler monkeys, magpie-jays, parrots, the dogs and of course the Estella crescendo. So the doves threw me off. Rolled over and got a little more sleep before the big hop to Houston.
Got up about 8am... A warm shower to settle down all the new bug bites I got during dinner on the patio (I guess). I won't miss the mosquitoes and gnats! Went down to the patio for breakfast: ham and vegi omelet, pinto gallo, toast, mango jelly, coffee and juice.
Mayor picked me us at the hotel exactly at 10am. It's across town to the north to the airport, so had another experience of zigging and zagging through the narrow streets, then on to the "2-lane" roads. They don't have lines designating lanes and the drivers use them as anywhere from one to three lanes depending on the size and kind of vehicle. Lots of honking to communicate who's passing who. Made it to the airport; checked one bag taking some items home for Carol; through security and did a little trinket shopping with the last of my $Cordobas. Also picked up a bag of Zambos for David and Aaron to try.

January 11

Carol, José and Marlon went to visit with a land owner to get permission to work on their land. Bill, Dan and I hung around the house. I got all my stuff packed. Victor got sad, but made me a special echasketch. Virginia made a lunch about 2pm of pork, gallo pinto (rice and beans), salad, Papua and watermelon. Mayor from Paso Pacifico arrived about 3:30 for me, but had to go south to Ostinal to drop off some project stuff for the turtle project. I decided to go with, and had teary goodbyes from the Lopez family and wonderful big hugs from Carol and Bill.
On the way to Ostinal, I saw a crested caracara (twice: out and back), smooth-billed ani, black hawk, road-side hawk, and bat falcon along the road. Along with lots of howler monkeys. At Ostinal, I got to stand on the beach and see Costa Rica. They showed me the community boat that they use to protect the turtles... La Torita (sea turtle). I think ot was the leader of the project, tried out my limited Spanish, then switched to English and told me about the project. On the beach I saw brown pelicans and frigate birds. As we were leaving Ostinal, Mayor drove by a Paso Paifico mural on the side of a school. I think he went that way just to show me. Very nice. It had turtles, monkeys, sloth, birds and an anteater. It was behind a red chain-link fence, so no picture.
After several stops, we got back to Escamaquito about 5:45 pm and headed for Managua. When we got to the edge of San Juan del Sur, Mayor got a text message... There was some rapid-fire comment to our other passenger, something to do with having to got back to Rancho Terre (almost back to the house) to pick up a document for Paso Pacifico. At 7:00pm we're back on the road to Managua. Arrived at Managua Hills Hotel at 9:25. The person who runs the hotel speaks English, so easier to get food, beer and WIFI password!