Wing morphology and echolocation of Myotis atacamensis (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae), with comments on its conservation, habitat use and distribution

Abstract

Myotis atacamensis occurs in southwestern Peru, and northern and central Chile. This species is considered Endangered (EN) by IUCN because of the strong dependence on desert and semi-arid habitat, which has become severely fragmented generating a lack of connectivity between populations. In this study, we describe the great ecological plasticiy for M. atacamensis through the description of its peculiar wing ecomorphology and the characterization of their variable calls. My results contribute to place M. atacamensis as one of the most abundant and common species in southwestern Peru, occupying environments from deserts with little vegetation to wetlands and dense riparian vegetation. This species is strategically adapted to those habitats due to its high maneuverability and broadband frequency modulated short calls. I discuss about its conservation status, diversity of habitat uses and distribution.