Updated records and distribution of Vampyrum spectrum and Chrotopterus auritus (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae) in Panama: conservation implications

Vampyrum and Chrotopterus in Panama

Abstract

Vampyrum spectrum and Chrotopterus auritus are two Neotropical carnivorous bats considered rare across much of their range, with limited data available for Panama. The objective of this study was to update and analyze historical and recent records of both species in the country. To verify voucher specimens, we reviewed bat records housed in the Vertebrate Museum of the University of Panama (MUVP) and the Smithsonian Institution (USNM). The new record was obtained from an individual captured in mist nets placed within a pasture near Lake Bayano, a humid tropical biogeographic transition zone. The bat was photographed and released immediately, preventing the collection of morphometric data. For Vampyrum spectrum, 21 individuals were documented, of which 17 correspond to specimens deposited in scientific collections. In the case of Chrotopterus auritus, 22 individuals were recorded, with 19 preserved specimens. Most records for both species were concentrated between the 1950s and 1990s. Revealing prolonged temporal gaps and scarce reports after 2010. The study also provides the most recent known record of Vampyrum spectrum in Panama, corresponding to an adult male accidentally captured in 2020 near Lake Bayano, in the province of Panama.