A New Subspecies of the Black Myotis (bat) from Eastern Mexico

In the early 1960s, mammalogist E. Raymond Hall documents the discovery of a new subspecies within the black myotis species, adding a small but significant piece to the puzzle of mammalian biodiversity in eastern Mexico. The work centers on Myotis nigricans dalquesti, a bat population distinguished by subtle variations in size and cranial morphology that set it apart from its relatives. Through careful measurement and comparison with related subspecies, Hall establishes the diagnostic characteristics that justify formal taxonomic recognition. This is not a book for casual browsing but a window into the meticulous world of species discovery. The paper captures a moment when new specimens collected from the field could still reveal unrecognized populations, and when the careful work of comparing skulls and bones could expand the boundaries of what scientists understood about bat diversity. The text acknowledges the collectors, institutions, and colleagues whose efforts made the discovery possible, reflecting the collaborative nature of mid-century mammalogy. For anyone curious about how biologists carve order from the chaos of natural variation, this remains a compact and revealing case study.