Distribution range expansion of Thyroptera discifera in Bolivia and southernmost record

New record of Thyroptera discifera

Abstract

In the Neotropics, the only bats possessing suction discs on the thumbs and feet belong to the family Thyropteridae. Of the five species currently described in the genus, only Thyroptera tricolor and T. discifera occur in Bolivia. In this note, we present a new record of T. discifera for the country and document the localities in which the species has been reported. Sampling was conducted over 7 days using 4 mist nets, with a capture effort of 504 net meters × hour. Species identification was confirmed by comparing external characteristics and cranial morphometrics with records reported in the literature. On June 23, 2021, an adult male T. discifera was captured in a secondary forest in the Campo Vía community, Cristal Mayu locality, Cochabamba Department. This record is located within Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests biome. The specimen presented diagnostic characters and morphometric measurements within the known interval for the species. This record extends the known distribution of T. discifera approximately 441 km south in Bolivia and represents the southernmost record of the species. This is the first report of the species in more than two decades for the country and provides evidence of a broader distribution than previously known, helping identify areas with information gaps for future surveys.