Bat species richness in the region of the Central Valleys of Oaxaca, Mexico

M García–Luis,M Briones–Salas,M C Lavariega

doi:10.32800/amz.2019.17.0001

Abstract

We present a revised checklist of bat species occurring in the semi–urbanized region of the Central Valleys of Oaxaca, Mexico. The checklist is based on surveys using mist nets, recordings of echolocation calls, data from literature, and museum databases. Results show that the Central Valleys of Oaxaca have a species richness of 33 bat species belonging to 22 genera and five families. Species like the Mustached bat Pteronotus parnellii, the Western Red bat Lasiurus blossevillii and the Free–tailed bat Promops centralis were recorded after 32, 30 and 19 years respectively according to the records of the literature. We also recorded four species classified in some risk category according to either the Mexican government’s red list (NOM–059) or the IUCN red list. The recordings of the echolocation calls are the first from the region of Central Valleys of Oaxaca. Bat diversity in the Central Valleys of Oaxaca was underestimated and emphasizes the need for further research

Highlights

Bats are the world’s second largest group of mammals (Wilson and Reeder, 2005)
In Mexico, the largest bat species richness occurs in the State of Oaxaca, where 96 species are known (Briones–Salas et al, 2015)
The aim of this work was to determine bat species richness in this region through mist netting and echolocation calls recorded during surveys

Summary

Introduction

Bats are the world’s second largest group of mammals (Wilson and Reeder, 2005). Their high ecological diversity, their high abundance, and the multiple approaches that can be used for their monitoring make bats an ideal group and an indicator of a habitat’s quality and biodiversity (Fenton et al, 1992; Medellín et al, 2000; Gehrt and Chelsvig, 2004; Stahlschmidt and Brül, 2012). In the State of Oaxaca, most studies on bat diversity come from regions with low urbanization such as the Isthmus of Tehuantepec (López et al., 2009; Lira–Torres et al, 2011; Kraker–Castañeda et al, 2013; Briones–Salas et al, 2013), northwestern valleys (Rojas–Martínez and Valiente–Banuet, 1996; Briones–Salas, 2000), northern mountains (Calderón–Patrón et al, 2013), central western mountains (Lavariega et al, 2012), and the Pacific coast plains (Buenrostro–Silva et al, 2012; García–Grajales et al, 2013). The study was conducted in the natural protected Benito Juarez National Park, to the north of the Central Valleys of Oaxaca, and only 19 bat species were listed (Bonilla et al, 1988); studies of bat diversity in this region are virtually nonexistent

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