TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY Natural Science Research Laboratory Occasional Papers Museum of Texas Tech University Number 282 18 December 2008 Additions to the Mammalian Fauna of Big Bend Ranch State Park, Texas Clyde Jones and Mark W. Lockwood Abstract Species new to the mammalian fauna of Big Bend Ranch State Park are presented. New information for several species known from the Park that adds to the knowledge of distribution and presence within the Park also is presented. Key words: bats, Big Bend Ranch State Park, carnivores, rodents Introduction A comprehensive work on the mammals of Big Bend Ranch State Park (BBRSP), Presidio County, Texas, was provided by Yancey (1997). He included distribution maps for each species occurring in the area. The purpose of this report is to comment on some spe¬ cies new to the area, as well as to present information on species that seem more widespread in the area than was previously known. Materials and Methods The information presented herein was taken from University. The scientific names of mammals used our own records of mammals collected in BBRSP since herein are those taken from Baker et al. (2003) and the work by Yancey (1997). All specimens, some with Hoofer et al. (2006). Common names are those taken frozen tissues, are deposited in the Natural Science from Manning etal. (2008). The order of presentation Research Laboratory of the Museum of Texas Tech follows that of Schmidly (2004). Results and Discussion Lasiurus borealis (eastern red bat).—Four speci- is an area of well-developed riparian vegetation. For mens(TTU 82478-82480, TTU 108166) were obtained an additional description of the habitat, see Brant et at Terneros Creek, BBRSP (Fig. 1). Along the creek al. (2002). Other species of bats collected at this site 2 Occasional Papers, Museum of Texas Tech University F igure 1. Outline map of Big Bend Ranch State Park with localities mentioned in the text. included Mormoops megalophyla (ghost-faced bat), Myotis californicus (California myotis), M. velifer (cave myotis), Lasiurus cinereus (hoary bat), Lasion- ycteris noctivagans (silver-haired bat) (see the report by Brant et al. 2002), Parastrellus hesperus (Ameri¬ can pipistrelle), Eptesicus fuscus (big brown bat), Corynorhinus townsendii (Townsend’s big-eared bat), Antrozous pallidus (pallid bat), Tadarida brasiliensis (Brazilian free-tailed bat), and Nyctinomops macrotis (big free-tailed bat). This represents the first record of L. borealis from the Park. However, the Terneros Creek property was added to BBRSP after the survey by Yancey (1997). Nyctinomops macrotis (big free-tailed bat).— Three specimens (TTU 82468, TTU 82470, TTU 82471) were collected at Llano Tank (Fig. 1), as well as from Terneros Creek as noted previously. This ex¬ pands the known presence of this species in BBRSP from that reported by Yancey (1997), who collected one specimen in the Park, and reported a specimen from Arroyo Segundo in the collection of mammals at Sul Ross State University. Other species of bats collected at Llano Tank include Parastrellus hesperus (American pipistrelle), Eptesicus fuscus (big brown bat), Antrozous pallidus (pallid bat), Tadarida brasil¬ iensis (Brazilian free-tailed bat), and Eumops perotis (western mastiff bat). Eumops perotis (western mastiff bat).—A speci¬ men (TTU 82476) was obtained at Llano Tank (Fig. 1). Collected along with this specimen were Parastrellus hesperus (American pipistrelle), Eptesicus fuscus (big brown bat), Antrozous pallidus (pallid bat), Tadarida brasiliensis (Brazilian free-tailed bat), and Nyctino¬ mops macrotis (big free-tailed bat). Yancey (1997) did not capture this species, but reported three specimens from Arroyo Segundo in the collection of mammals at Sul Ross State University. Incidentally, a young animal of this species was obtained (TTU 108164) at nearby Fort Leaton (located four miles SE of Presidio, Presidio County, Texas). Apparently the bat entered a small room from which it could not extricate itself. The E. perotis was found on the upper part of a table leg in the center of the room. Spilogale gracilis (western spotted skunk).— Remains of the western spotted skunk (TTU 108165) were retrieved from the pila at Papalote Severo (Fig. 1). Yancey (1997) reported Mephitis mephitis (striped skunk) and Conepatus leuconotus (hog-nosed skunk) from La Cienega camp (Fig. 1). Prior to this report, these were the only mephitids known from BBRSP. Sigmodon hispidus (hispid cotton rat).—Spec¬ imens (TTU 108162, TTU 108163) were trapped at La Cienega camp (Fig. 1). The animals were found in tall weeds near an old barn and in adjacent corrals. Yancey (1997) obtained specimens at three localities in the central portion of BBRSP. Jones and Lockwood—New Mammal Records for Big Bend Ranch State Park 3 Acknowledgments We are grateful for the interest and support of the Natural Resources Program (David H. Riskind, Director) of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Reviews of an earlier draft were provided by Michael A. Bogan, Richard W. Manning, and Franklin D. Yancey, II. Thanks are due to Joel Brant, Jana Higginbotham, Steven Kasper, and Mary Ann Jones for assistance in the collection and preparation of specimens. Literature Cited Baker, R. J., L. C. Bradley, R. D. Bradley, J. W. Dragoo, M. D. Engstrom, R. S. Hoffmann, C. A. Jones, F. Reid, D. W. Rice, and C. Jones. 2003. Revised checklist of North American mammals north of Mexico, 2003. Occasional Papers, Museum of Texas Tech University 229:1-23. Brant, J. G., J. L. Higginbotham, and C. Jones. 2002. Note¬ worthy record of the silver-haired bat, Lasionyct- eris noctivagans (Chiroptera:Vespertilionidae), in Presidio County, Texas. Southwestern Naturalist 47:633-635. Hoofer, S. R., R. A. Van Den Bussche, and I. Horacek. 2006. Generic status of the American pipistrelles (Vespertilionidae) with description of a new genus. Journal of Mammalogy 87:981-992. Addresses of authors: Clyde Jones Department of Biological Sciences and Museum of Texas Tech University Lubbock, Texas 79409 cjmajones@aol. com Manning, R. W., C. Jones, and F. D. Yancey, II. 2008. An¬ notated checklist of Recent land mammals of Texas, 2008. Occasional Papers, Museum of Texas Tech University 278:1-18. Schmidly, D. J. 2004. The mammals of Texas, revised edi¬ tion. University of Texas Press, Austin, xviii+501 pp. Yancey, F. D , II. 1997. The mammals of Big Bend Ranch State Park, Texas. Special Publications, Museum of Texas Tech University 39:1-210. Mark W. Lockwood Natural Resources Program Texas Parks and Wildlife Department RO. Box 1807 Fort Davis, Texas 79734 mark. lockwood@tpwd. state, tx. us Publications of the Museum of Texas Tech University Institutional subscriptions are available through the Museum of Texas Tech University, attn: NSRL Publications Secretary, Box 43191, Lubbock, TX 79409-3191. Individuals may also purchase separate numbers of the Occasional Papers directly from the Museum of Texas Tech University. ISSN 0149-175X Museum of Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409-3191