138. Little Yellow-shouldered Bat Sturnira lilium French: Sturnire fleurde-lys / German: Kleinste Gelbschulterfledermaus / Spanish: Sturniro pequeno Taxonomy. Phyllostoma lilium E. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1810, “ Paraguay.” Restricted by A. Cabrera in 1958 to Asuncion, Paraguay. Description of S. lilium was based on the “chauve-souris quatrieme ou chauvesouris brun-rougeatre” of F. d’Azara in 1801. By 2010, this taxonomic definition represented a species complex that is now recognized to have no less than five species. It also was confused with S. luisi. Molecular and morphological analyses have solved many of these problems, with some geographical areas needing definitive delimitation among species Distribution. E & S Brazil, E Bolivia, Paraguay, NE Argentina, and Uruguay. Descriptive notes. Head—body 50-74 mm (tailless), ear 11-18 mm, hindfoot 9-15 mm, forearm 39-46 mm; weight 14-26 g. The Little Yellow-shouldered Batis small and easily confused with the Northern Yellow-shouldered Bat (S. parvidens) or Luis’s Yellowshouldered Bat (S. luisi). Dorsal fur is short (4-6 mm between shoulders) and has three color morphs. In the reddish to orange-brown morph, hairs are pale yellowish for almost their entire lengths, with reddish tips; ventrally these individuals are pale orange. In the gray-brown morph, one-half the lengths of dorsal hairs is pale, ash, or dirty white, with dark gray brown tips; ventrally, these look uniform pale gray. In the pale morph, dorsal hairs are generally light ash, with shades of light gray-brown or an orange tinge; venteris light gray. Shoulders patches are deep yellow, orange, or dark red (most obvious in adult males), but they can be faint in some populations. Muzzle is blunt, forehead is rounded, and ears and noseleaf are short. Wing membranes are dark brown to almost blackish but can be paler. Forearm is thinly haired on dorsal surface. Dorsal surfaces of femur, tibia, and feet are densely covered with short hairs, as is free margin of tail membrane. Skull has globular braincase, with broad rostrum and well-developed sagittal crest. I' are unicuspidate, procumbent, and at least twice the height of I’, and I, and I, are tricuspidate and subequal in height. Lingual cusps (metaconid and entoconid) of M, and M, are well defined and separated by a deep notch. Chromosomal complement has 2n = 30 and FN = 56, with subtelocentric Xchromosome (as “S. Lilium ” from south-eastern Brazil). Habitat. Brazilian Shield ecoregions of Atlantic Forest, Cerrado, Caatinga, and Chaco and also montane and pre-montane forests near the Andean region from lowlands up to elevations of ¢. 1500 m. Little Yellow-shouldered Bats have been found roosting in caves, buildings, dense foliage, and hollow trees. Food and Feeding. The Little Yellow-shouldered Bat is predominantly frugivorous, eating fruits of Piper spp. (Piperaceae) and Solanum spp. (Solanaceae), but it might include species of Melastomataceae, Ulmaceae, and Rubiaceae and other small fruits. Its diet might also include pollen and nectar but only occasionally. Breeding. In south-eastern Brazil, young Little Yellow-shouldered Bats were recorded in May-June, September, and November; pregnant females and subadults were observed in all months, suggesting breeding activity throughout the year. In northeastern Argentina and eastern Paraguay, reproductive activity has been recorded in October-December, with most births by late November; lactating females were found in April. These observations suggest aseasonal polyestry with postpartum estrus. Activity patterns. Little Yellow-shouldered Bats are nocturnal. Most captures are from mist nets in lower strata (ground level). They are uncommon around urban areas. Movements, Home range and Social organization. The Little Yellow-shouldered Bat seems to be locally common at some specific areas and habitats (lowlands), with no significant differences in seasonal abundance throughout the year. There is some evidence of seasonal elevational migration in mountains of Argentina and Brazil. Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. Given current distribution and ecologicalflexibility of the Little Yellow-shouldered Bat,its conservation status appears stable. Bibliography. d/Azara (1801), Baker (1979), Barquez et al. (1999), Cabrera (1958), Gannon et al. (1989), Gardner (2008g), Giannini (1999), Godoy et al. (2014), Hernandez-Canchola & Ledn-Paniagua (2017), Sénchez-Hernandez & Romero-Almaraz (2003), Varella-Garcia et al. (1989), Velazco & Patterson (2013, 2014, 2017).

Published as part of Don E. Wilson & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2019, Phyllostomidae, pp. 444-583 in Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 9 Bats, Barcelona :Lynx Edicions on page 549, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6458594