A single specimen of little brown bat from the northern part ofthe state of Veracruz seems to be of an heretofore unrecognizedspecies. It is named and described below.
Myotis elegans new species
Holotype.—Female, adult, skin and skull, No. 88398 Museum of NaturalHistory, The University of Kansas; 12-1/2 mi. N. Tihuatlán, 300 ft. elevation,Veracruz, Mexico; obtained on September 24, 1961, by Percy L. Clifton,original No. 985.
Geographic distribution.—Known only from the type locality.
Diagnosis.—A small-footed species having a short tail and small skull.Pelage on upper parts near (16' l) Prout's Brown (capitalized color terms afterRidgway, Color Standards and Color Nomenclature, Washington, D. C., 1912),and more golden on underparts; ears pale brownish and flight-membranesonly slightly darker; thumb small (7.5 mm. including wrist); tragus slenderbut deeply notched. Longitudinal, dorsal profile of skull relatively straightbut frontal region elevated from rostrum and lambdoidal region elevated fromposterior part of parietal region; posterior margin of P4 (in occlusal view)notched.
Comparisons.—Among named kinds of Myotis, M. elegans shows most resemblanceto the species M. californicus and M. subulatus. Differences fromthe latter include shorter tail and ear, more golden color on underparts, pale(not blackish) lips, ears and flight membranes, more slender tragus, shorterskull, posterior border of P4 (in occlusal view) more deeply notched, andlongitudinal dorsal profile of skull higher in frontal and lambdoidal regions.
Differences from M. californicus include shorter tail, more golden color onunderparts, deeper notch in tragus, shorter skull, notched instead of smoothposterior border of P4 (in occlusal view), longitudinal, dorsal profile of skullless abruptly elevated in frontal region and with (instead of without) prelambdoidaldepression. From M. c. mexicanus that occurs to the north, west,and south of the type locality of M. elegans the latter further differs in darkercolor, paler ears, paler flight membranes, and lesser size, including skull.
Differences from M. nigricans of the same region include reddish insteadof black pelage, smaller hind foot, smaller skull, rostrum smaller in relationto remainder of skull, narrower interorbital region, and absence of a sagittalcrest.
Measurements.—Total length, 79; length of tail, 34; length of hind foot,7.5; length of ear from notch, 12; length of tragus, 6.5; weight, 4 grams; lengthof forearm, 33.0; greatest length of skull, 12.4; condylobasal length, 11.9;interorbital constriction, 3.2; breadth of braincase, 6.1; occipital depth, 4.5;...