The Patagonian bonneted bat (Eumops patagonicus), also called the Patagonian dwarf bonneted bat, is a species of free-tailed bat found in Argentina, Bolivia and Paraguay.
It was described as a new species in 1924 by British zoologist Oldfield Thomas. Thomas had obtained the holotype from Argentinean-Italian scientist Roberto Dabbene, who worked in Buenos Aires at the time.[1] Its species name "patagonicus" means "belonging to Patagonia."[2] The Patagonian bonneted bat was widely considered a subspecies of the dwarf bonneted bat (Eumops bonariensis) from approximately 1932[3] until the 1990s.[4] Based on Gregorin et al.s 2016 classification, the Patagonian bonneted bat is a member of the bonariensis species group of the genus Eumops.Other members include the dwarf bonneted bat, E. delticus, and E. nanus.[5]
It is a small member of its genus, with a forearm length of 44mm. Its head and body is 54mm; its tail is 31mm long; its ears are 14.5mm long.[1]
Its range includes several countries in southern South America, including Argentina, Bolivia, and Paraguay.
It is currently evaluated as least concern by the IUCN - its lowest conservation priority. It meets the criteria for this assessment because it has a large range, its population size is likely large, and it is not thought to be in rapid population decline.