Molossus pretiosus Miller, 1902

Molossus pretiosus Miller, 1902: 396 (type locality: La Guaíra, Distrito Federal, Venezuela).

EMENDED DIAGNOSIS. — Large-sized Molossus with dark dorsal pelage from medium brown to blackish, and an absent or narrow, usually grayish, basal band. Short dorsal hairs varying from 2.0 to 4.0 mm. Forearm length averaging 47.5 mm in males (44.6- 48.5) and 47.0 mm in females (44.9-49.0). Greatest length of skull averaging 21.4 mm in males (19.8-22.7) and 19.1 mm in females (18.9-20.9). Short and inflated rostrum and domed braincase (Fig. 2B). Infraorbital foramen opening laterally in frontal view (Fig. 2H). Noticeable crest between the basisphenoid and basioccipital pits due to the very deep basisphenoid pits (Fig. 18). Nasal process of the premaxilla not protruding over the nasal cavity (Fig. 2A). Squarish occipital complex due to the large development and inclination of the lambdoidal crests. Quadrangular rostrum in frontal view. Incisors projecting beyond the canines, an intermediate condition when compared to other species of Molossus.

VARIATION. — The dorsal fur is dark, ranging from cocoa brown to blackish. Some individuals are orange in the entire dorsal hair or just in the tips (e.g. USNM 102780, 102767, 102768). Individual variation in the upper incisors exist within samples (Nogueira et al. 2008), and although most individuals have the incisors with parallel tips (tapered), others have pincer-like incisors (e.g. ALP 6896, 6875, 6946, 6943).

DISTRIBUTION. — M. pretiosus presently has a disjunct distribution, occurring in Nicaragua, Colombia, Venezuela and Guyana (Koopman 1982; Dolan 1989; Eisenberg 1989; Lim & Engstrom 2001); in Brazil, this species was reported from Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul (Gregorin & Taddei 2000), and Jaíba, northern Minas Gerais (Nogueira et al. 2008). These specimens were examined by us and are assigned to M. pretiosus (Fig. 19).

REMARKS

Some studies have showed that there are two large species of Molossus in Brazil (Dolan 1989; Jennings et al. 2000; Gregorin & Taddei 2000; Nogueira et al. 2008). This study corroborates with these authors and M. pretiosus can be distinguished from M. rufus based on qualitative and quantitative traits (see comparisons in M. rufus account).