New insights into the distribution of Myotis riparius Handley, 1960 (Mammalia, Chiroptera) in northern Central America: first records for Guatemala, Belize, and El Salvador

Abstract

We provide new records of Myotis riparius Handley, 1960, expanding its known range in northern Central America. These include the first confirmed records for Guatemala, Belize, and El Salvador, as well as new localities in Honduras and Nicaragua. An individual was collected in Bocas del Polochic Wildlife Refuge, Izabal, Guatemala. Acoustic vouchers confirm its presence in the Maya Mountains of Belize and Ahuachapán and Sonsonate, El Salvador. This finding highlights the importance of combining capture and acoustic sampling, and reanalyzing archived recordings as new vocal signatures are validated.