Additions to the Mammalian fauna of Big Bend Ranch State Park, Texas

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

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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

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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

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