A new genus of bats from Sumatra

VOL._XVIII, PP.

229-230 DECEMBER

_9,

1905

PROCEEDINGS

OF THE

BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON

A NEW ^{GENUS OF BATS FROM} SUMATRA.

BY GERRIT

S.

MILLER,

^JR.

Bypermission^oftheSecretaryoftheSmithsonianInstitution.

On _September

9,

1903, Dr. W.

L.

Abbott found two small

bats roosting in the

abandoned

nest of

a broad

bill in

heavy

forest

on

the

banks

of the

Kateman

River, eastern

Sumatra.

These _specimens

_represent

a new

_species

_belonging

to

a

hitherto

unknown _genus

allied to Kerivoula

but

_strikinglydistinct.

Phoniscus

gen. nov. (Vesperlilionidse).

Type. Phoniscusatrox_sp. nov.

Characters. LikeKerivoula butwith upper caninestronglycompressed, the shaftwith deeplongitudinalgroove

on

outerside

and

withconspicuous posteriorcuttingedge, the length of the tooth^soincreased thatthe point extends_noticeably

beyond

exposedportion of lowercanine

when

jaws^are closed,

and

inlifeenters a distinctpocket^inthelower_lip; lowerincisors withcrowns_{relativelylonger}thaninKerivoula, that of the inner toothwith four welldevelopedcusps^{; skull}withbraincasesoelevated anteriorly that the highest portion ^isatmiddleinsteadofin occipital region.

Remarks.

The

_{peculiar shape}

and

greatly increased ^size of the upper canine, togetherwiththevery unusualfour-cuspedstructure of the inner mandibular _incisor, sufficiently distinguish ^this genus from Kerivoula.

Butthe modifications are not confined to these _{teeth, as} the premolars, both above

and

below, have

become more

_pointed

and

_trenchant,while the whole anterior portion of the rostrum is strengthened. Contrary^to

what

_{might be expected,} the mandible

and

lower canines remain

un

changed.

4& PKOC.BiouSoc.WASH.,VOL. XVIII,1905. (229)

230

Miller

A New Genus

_of

Bats from ^Sumatra.

Phoniscus

atrox_sp. nov.

Type from^thevicinityof

Kateman

River, easternSumatra. No._123,141, United States National Museum.. 9 adult _{(in alcohol).} September 9, 1903. Dr.\V. L.Abbott. Originalnumber,^2781.

Characters. In size

and

_{general appearance}not unlike KerivoulaJiard- wicJdi,but formlessslender,

and

taildistinctlyshorterthanhead

and body

;

metacarpal^offifthfinger slightlybut_distinctlyshorterthanthatof fourth;

dorsal surface of_{leg, foot,}forearm,

thumb,

^secondfinger,

and

lastjointof thirdfinger closelysprinkledwithfine hairs; furofneck_{noticeablylonger} thanthatof back,eachhairwithfour sharply definedringsofcolor_; skull

more

robustthanthat of Kerivoula kardwickii,the braincase

much

_deeper

relatively to^itswidth.

Color.

Fur

of upperparts with four color rings. Beginning ^{at base} these are₍₁₎prouts-brown,(2)light, yellowish broccoli-brown,(3)prouts-

brown

darkerthanthefirst,

and

₍₄₎ametallicgoldenorange.

The

_gene

ral effect ^is a conspicuous, changing mixture^{of the}orange

and

thedark brown,^theformerinexcess except

when

the hairs are disarranged. Under- partsbetweenbroccoli-brown

and

hair-brown, the ^hairs

becoming much

darker

on

_proximal half,

and

in certain lights

showing

faintlygoldentips, especially across chin

and

throat.

Membranes and

ears blackish, the tragus whitish in strong^contrast.

Measurements. External measurements, those of the second specimen (adult female,No. 123,142) inparenthesis^:

Head and

_body, 43 ₍₄₆₎

; tail,

38_(37); tibia, 14 (15); foot, 7.4 (7.6); forearm, 34 (35);

thumb,

⁷ (6.4);

second finger,33(31); third _finger, 73 (71); fourth _finger, 53 (52); fifth finger, 49 _(49); ear from _meatus, 13 _(13.6); ear from crown, ¹⁰ (9.6);

widthof_{ear, 11 (11.6).}