_Specimens._--_Boaco_: Santa Rosa, 17 km N, 15 km E Boaco, 300 m,
2. _Carazo_: 3 km N, 4 km W Diriamba, 600 m, 2. _Chinandega_: 6 km
N, 1 km E Cosigueina, 10 m, 3; Hda. Bellavista, 720 m, Volcan
Casita, 1. _Matagalpa_: 1 km NE Esquipulas, 420 m, 1.
This small vespertilionid occurs throughout much of Central America,
but the available material still is insufficient to permit an accurate
assessment of geographic variation in that region. All but one of our
specimens were trapped in mist nets. Those captured near Diriamba were
taken in a net stretched across a trail bordered by high cut-banks,
whereas those from other localities were netted over small streams. The
one bat from Bellavista was shot as it foraged in the evening along
trees bordering the hacienda yard.
Two females taken on 5 March each had swollen uteri and may have been
in an early stage of pregnancy. Others taken on 13 July, 9 August, and
15 August were reproductively inactive. Males had testes that measured
2.5 (March), 3 (July), and 2 (August) mm.
We have compared our material with representative specimens from Mexico
of _R. parvula_ and _R. tumida_, as defined by Goodwin (1958); we are
not wholly convinced that these are valid species (rather than variable
geographic races of the same species). Certainly there is need for
additional investigation of the problem. Our Nicaraguan specimens most
closely resemble _R. t. tumida_ (see Goodwin, _op. cit._:3), to which
they are tentatively referred.
Selected measurements of two females from Boaco and a male from
Matagalpa, followed by the average (and extremes) of three males and
three females from western Nicaragua (Carazo and Chinandega), are,
respectively: length of forearm, 30.4, 28.5, 28.3, 28.2 (27.5-29.0) mm;
greatest length of skull, 12.8, 12.7, 12.8, 12.1 (11.8-12.5) mm;
zygomatic breadth, 8.1, 8.4, 8.6, 8.1 (7.8-8.6) mm; mastoid breadth,
7.1, 7.2, 7.2, 6.8 (6.6-7.1) mm; breadth of braincase, 6.0, 5.7, 6.0,
5.6 (5.3-6.1) mm; postorbital constriction, 3.3, 3.0, 3.3, 3.0
(2.9-3.2) mm; length of maxillary toothrow, 4.7, 4.7, 4.5, 4.3
(4.2-4.6) mm; weight, 4.4, 4.3, 3.8, 3.5 (3.1-3.9) gms.