Scleronycteris ega Thomas 1912

82.

Ega Long-tongued Bat

Scleronycteris ega

French: Scléronyctére d'Ega / German: Ega-Langzungenfledermaus / Spanish: Scleronicterio de Ega

Taxonomy. Scleronycteris ega Thomas, 1912,

“Ega, Amazons [= Amazonas],” Brazil.

This species is monotypic.

Distribution. The few verified records come from S Venezuela (Amazonas State) and N Brazil (Amazonas and Para states). A record from Colombia was recently discarded as representing the Chestnut Long-tongued Bat (Lionycteris spurrelli).

Descriptive notes. Head-body 57-58 mm, tail 6-7 mm, ear 11-12 mm, hindfoot 9-10 mm, forearm 33-6-35-5 mm; weight 8 g. The Ega Long-tongued Bat is a small glossophagine, with dark brown dorsal pelage and bicolored hairs (pale brown bases and dark brown tips). Venter is dark chocolate-brown, paler than dorsum, and each hair is bicolored (yellow-brown bases and reddish brown tips). Ears and noseleaf are small, and lancet of noseleaf is short and broad. Tail is small and enclosed in uropatagium. Rostrum is narrow, elongated, but shorter than braincase. Dental formulais12/0,C1/1,P 2/3, M 5/5 (x2) = 30. I " are small and peg-like and separated by gaps from pointed I>. C' are also separated from P? by gaps. There are no lower incisors. Upper premolars are pointed, and P* are slightly curved posteriorly. Upper molars have low crowns, and cusps show little development. Lower molars have developed protocones, metacones, parastyles, and metastyles.

Habitat. Forest fragments and savanna-like habitats (Alter do Chao, Para State, centraleastern Brazil), Venezuelan Amazonian forest, and a yard near riparian area next to a forest in Venezuela (all based on very few specimens).

Food and Feeding. Because of its elongated skull and reduced teeth, the Ega Longtongued Bat is probably nectarivorous and also feeds on pollen and occasionally insects and fruits as other glossophagines.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. No information.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Data Deficient on The IUCN Red List. The Ega long-tongued Bat is rarely collected and is known from less than ten specimens deposited in museums.

Bibliography. Bernard & Fenton (2002), Carter & Dolan (1978), Griffiths & Gardner (2008a), Handley (1976), Ochoa et al. (1993), Solari et al. (2013).