Bk. Lim, MORPHOMETRIC DIFFERENTIATION AND SPECIES STATUS OF THE ALLOPATRIC FRUIT-EATING BATS ARTIBEUS-JAMAICENSIS AND A-PLANIROSTRIS IN VENEZUELA, Studies on neotropical fauna and environment, 32(2), 1997, pp. 65-71
Two competing taxonomic hypotheses have been proposed for the bats Art
ibeus jamaicensis and A. planirostris; one species with two intergradi
ng populations or two allopatric sibling species. Morphometric analyse
s on specimens from the legion of potential contact in Venezuela confi
rmed the two species hypothesis. The Orinoco River in combination with
the adjacent savanna and rain forest may have acted as a geographical
and ecological barrier. In Venezuela, 57 species of bats occur only o
n one side of the Orinoco River.