Diclidurus isabella Thomas 1920

41. Isabelline Ghost Bat

Diclidurus isabella

French: Diclidure isabelle I German: Isabellfarbene Gespenstfledermaus / Spanish: Dicliduro isabelino

Other common names: Isabelle's Ghost Bat, Pale-brown Ghost Bat

Taxonomy. Depanycteris isabella Thomas, 1920,

“ Manacapuru, Rio Solimoes,” Amazonas, Brazil.

Diclidurus isabella is in the subgenus Depanycteris. In the original combination, the specific epithet isabella has to be regarded as a noun in apposition. It is not a Latin or Latinized word, but it qualifies as the transliterated English word Isabella, and “is to be treated as indeclinable” under article 31.2.3 of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature. As a result, the current combination must read D. isabella. Monotypic.

Distribution. From S Venezuela (Amazonas State) and Guyana to NW Brazil (Amazonas State).

Descriptive notes. Head-body c.68 mm, tail 15-24 mm, ear 15-17 mm, hindfoot 12- 14 mm, forearm c.54 mm; weight c.13-15 g. Anterior ofdorsum of Isabelline Ghost Bat is white, lighdy frosted with pale brown, and posterior is pale brown, with white base. Venter is white and frosted with gray-brown. Flight membranes are semi-transparent pale brown. Ear rises barely above crown and is rounded. Uropatagium of males has prominent glandular interfemoral sacs near tips of tails.

Habitat. Multi-strata evergreen forests, wedands habitats, and towns from sea level to elevations of c.200 m.

Food and Feeding. Isabelline Ghost Bats prey on insects and are attracted to concentrations of insects around white lights including those in towns.

Breeding. Thirteen female Isabelline Ghost Bats collected in April in Brazil were not reproductively active.

Activity patterns. Isabelline Ghost Bats are crepuscular and fly high in open spaces above rivers, streams, lagoons, and forest canopies.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. Isabelline Ghost Bats have a large distribution and presumably stable overall population. Deforestation is a localized threat in some parts of its distribution. Understanding of distribution and ecology of the Isabelline Ghost Bat is deficient compared with most other species of emballonurids. Conservation actions should include scientific studies of distribution, roosting behavior, reproduction, diet, and foraging behavior. Acoustic monitoring has become a useful tool to understand echolocating bats that otherwise show cryptic behaviors and should also be useful in advancing understanding of the Isabelline Ghost Bat.

Bibliography. Eisenberg (1989), Emmons & eer (1997), Hood & Gardner (2008), Lim, B.K. et al. (1999).