Natural Resources

Bat Species Presence at Amistad National Recreation Area

Historically, 14 species of bats have been collected or sighted in and around Amistad National Recreation Area and Val Verde County (Lobello 1976, see Table below). Some of those species were sighted outside the current park boundaries. Davis and Schmidly (1994) list 15 species as possibly residing in Val Verde county based on their research of historical records.A collection of Amistad NRA bats currently being held at Texas Tech University (1956-1965) and a 1999 field survey have documented seven species of bats within the boundaries of Amistad (see table below). Some specimens are also currently being held at Sul Ross State University. These were collected between 1965 and 1989. Only one Diphylla ecaudata has ever been collected or sighted in Amistad (1967). The 1999 bat surveys were conducted in May and August at two predominant bat locations (Comstock Tunnel and Railroad Drainage Tunnel). Only six species were confirmed during these surveys.

Species Table / Source

Species

Common Name

Lobello 1976
Mammals of
Texas List
TX Tech University
Collection
1999 Park Monitoring Results
           
Mormoops megalopylla Peter's Ghost-Faced Bat___
X
X
..
.
*Diphylla ecaudata Hairy-Legged Vampire Bat___
X
X
X
.
*Myotis yumanensis
Yuma Bat___
X
X
X
X
*Myotis velifer
Cave Myotis___
X
X
X
X
Pipistrellus subflavus Eastern Pipistrelle___
X
X
X
..
Pipistrellus hesperus Western Pipistrelle___
X
X
.
.
Eptesicus fuscus
Big Brown Bat___
X
X
.
.
Lasirus cinereus
Horay Bat___
X
X
.
.
Lasirus borealis
Red Bat___
X
X
.
.
*Plecotus townsendii
Townsend's Big-eared Bat___
X
X
X
X
*Antrozous pallidus
Pallid Bat___
X
X
X
X
*Tadarida brasiliensis Mexican Free-Tailed Bat___
X
X
X
X
*Nyctinomops Macrotis Big Free-Tailed Bat___
X
X
.
X
Lasionycteris noctivagans
Silver Haired Bat___
.
X
. .
Eumops perotis
Western Mastiff Bat___
X
X
.
.

 

*Indicates species found within Amistad NRA boundaries. The Texas Tech collection and the monitoring results are indicative of the species found in the park. Bibliography Davis, W.B. and D.J. Schmidly. Revised 1994. The Mammals of Texas. Texas Parks and Wildlife. 4200 Smith School Road. Austin, TX 78744. Lobello, Rick L. Thesis 1976. Vertebrates of the Lake Amistad National Recreation Area, Texas. Sul Ross State University, Alpine, TX 165 pp. The Museum Mammal Collection. "Bats From Edwards and Val Verde Counties, Texas. Texas Tech University. Collection Inventory Report: July 13, 1986.

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Photograph by Merlin Tuttle
List by Whitny Howeth & Randy Rosales
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