Eptesicus sagittula

Aust. J. Zool. 26(3): 535, figs 2, 7, 11. (1 September 1978).

Common name. Large Forest Bat.

Current name. Vespadelus darlingtoni (G. Allen, 1933), as junior synonym following Jackson & Groves (2015).

Paratypes. (2, by original designation). M.8819, body in alc., skull and baculum extracted; M.8820, body in alc., baculum extracted; both males, [Lord Howe Island]. Register entry for both states “Saunders” but whether this refers to the collector or presenter is not indicated. Collection date not given but possibly 1887, see below.

Comments. The type series included 14 paratypes. The holotype and eight paratypes are in the ANWC and other paratypes are in MV and SAM. Both AM specimens were registered in 1966 from the “old collection” but previous registration numbers were not given and they might not have been registered. The collector and collection date are not recorded in the M Register. One possibility is that “Saunders” refers to E. H. Saunders, a professional collector who collected birds for the AM on Lord Howe c. October to December 1887 (Hindwood, 1940: 16), which appears to be the only visit he made to the Island (Ian McAllan, pers. comm. 2014).