Abstract
The bat genus Triaenops (Hipposideridae) is broadly distributed in Africa, portions of the Near East, and islands in the Indian Ocean (Madagascar, western Seychelles). Three species of Triaenops are currently recognized in Madagascar, all endemic (T. rufus, T. auritus, and T. furculus), with T. humbloti being a synonym of T. rufus. Triaenops persicus has a broad distribution in Africa and portions of the Middle East. After comparisons of “Madagascar” specimens previously referred to T. humbloti and the holotype and paratypes of T. rufus collected by Léon Humblot to a series of specimens currently referred to T. “rufus” from numerous and widespread localities in Madagascar, as well as series of T. persicus obtained in Iran and Tanzania, the Humblot material is different in external, cranial, and dental characters and measurements from the Malagasy animals. The provenance of the Humblot specimens is probably Aden (Yemen) or perhaps Somalia and the name T. rufus should not be used for the species in Madagascar; a holotype associated with the replacement name is presented herein.
©2009 by Walter de Gruyter Berlin New York