Unveiling the Hidden Bat Diversity of a Neotropical Montane Forest

Research in the Talamanca Range-La Amistad Reserves reveals significant hidden bat diversity, with mitochondrial DNA analysis uncovering highly divergent lineages (> 9% COI dissimilarity) in species like Myotis oxyotus and Hylonycteris underwoodi, suggesting high endemism. The study, conducted through a 15-night sampling campaign capturing 90 bats across 8 species, used phylogenetic methods to compare populations with those from other regions. Findings indicate that montane ecosystems in Central America may harbor previously unrecognized bat diversity but face severe extinction risks due to climate change, particularly in isolated systems like the Talamanca Range.

Chaverri, G., Garin, I., Alberdi, A., Jimenez, L., Castillo-Salazar, C., & Aihartza, J. (2016). Unveiling the Hidden Bat Diversity of a Neotropical Montane Forest. Plos One, 11(10), e0162712. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0162712