Diversity, conservation, and endemism of the bats (Chiroptera) of Mexico

17 Diversity, conservation, and endemism of the bats (Chiroptera) of Mexico Ameyalli Marín-Ventura1, Liliana Rosas-Durán1, Cárol Sierra-Durán1,2 , Joaquín Arroyo-Cabrales3, Rodrigo A. Medellín1 1 Laboratorio de Ecología y Conservación de Vertebrados Terrestres, Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Coyoacán, Mexico City C.P 04510, Mexico 2 BiBio Research Group, Natural Sciences Museum of Granollers, Av/Francesc Macià 51, Granollers 08402, Spain 3 Laboratorio de Arqueozoología, Subdirección de Laboratorios y Apoyo Académico, Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia, Mexico City, Mexico Corresponding author: Rodrigo A. Medellín ([email protected]) Copyright: © Ameyalli Marín-Ventura et al. This is an open access article distributed under terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (Attribution 4.0 International – CC BY 4.0). Research Article Abstract An updated checklist of the bats of Mexico is presented, comprising eight families, 71 genera, and 146 species. Since the last checklist published by Ramírez-Pulido et al. (2014), two new species have been described: Vampyressa villai and Corynorhinus leonpaniaguae, and two more, Phyllops falcatus and Phyllostomus hastatus, were recorded for the first time in the country. Additionally, 22 taxonomic changes have occurred since the previous list. Of the 146 bat species recorded, 20 are endemic to Mexico, highlighting the country’s megadiversity, reflection of its unique biogeographic and ecological characteristics. This remarkable distinction also brings significant responsibility, as Mexico holds the highest number of endemic bat species worldwide. Consequently, protecting these endemic species and those at risk of extinction must be a top priority in the country’s decision-making processes and conservation policies. Key words: Hibernation, Latin America, migration, richness, species list, taxonomic update Introduction Because of its complex geography, which includes extensive mountain ranges such as the Sierra Madre Oriental, the Sierra Madre Occidental, and the Trans-Mexican Neovolcanic Belt, as well as tropical jungles, deserts, and coastal ecosystems, and also because its longitudinal extent from 14 to 32 degrees north, encompassing the complete limits between the Nearctic and the Neotropical regions around the tropic of Cancer, Mexico is one of the most biodiverse countries in the world (Morrone 2019). The contrasting topography and climatic conditions of Mexico have fostered this remarkable biological richness, with bat diversity standing out among mammalian groups (Medellín et al. 2008). Bats (Chiroptera) represent the second-largest group of mammals in terms of species richness in Mexico and worldwide (Simmons and Cirranello 2024). With over 140 species recorded in the country, bats play essential roles in ecosystems by participating in key processes such as plant pollination, insect population control, and seed dispersal (Medellín et al. 2017). Due to their sensitivity to environmental changes, bats also serve as excellent indicators of the conservation status of Academic editor: Nilton Cáceres Received: 28 June 2025 Accepted: 23 September 2025 Published: 21 November 2025 ZooBank: https://zoobank. org/40989999-D23D-4C21-BADD5D3968B9A768 Citation: Marín-Ventura А, RosasDurán L, Sierra-Durán C, ArroyoCabrales J, Medellín RA (2025) Diversity, conservation, and endemism of the bats (Chiroptera) of Mexico. ZooKeys 1261: 17–38. https://doi. org/10.3897/zookeys.1261.163471 ZooKeys 1261: 17–38 (2025) DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1261.163471 18 ZooKeys 1261: 17–38 (2025), DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1261.163471 Ameyalli Marín-Ventura et al.: Bats of Mexico ecosystems, ranging from temperate forests to urban and tropical environments (Medellín et al. 2000; Basile et al. 2020; Ramos-H et al. 2020; Cajaiba et al. 2021; Dambly et al. 2021; Gutiérrez-Granados and Rodríguez-Zúñiga 2024). Very little has been done on two ecology strategies of Mexican bats: migration and hibernation. Migration is defined as a cyclical, seasonal, predictable, and synchronized movement between two regions, usually separated by long distances, and enabling species to complete distinct stages of their life cycle and optimize adaptation to seasonally available resources (Burke et al. 2019). Hibernation is a controlled reduction of body temperature and physiological functions that can last days, weeks, or months and requires prior fat accumulation (Altringham 2011; Geiser 2021). Understanding these strategies and which species of Mexican bats employ them is essential for guiding conservation efforts. Despite their importance, information regarding the ecology and distribution of many bat species remains limited. Most research efforts focus on recovery programs or are targeted toward specific species. That is the case of Leptonycteris yerbabuenae Martínez & Villa-R, 1940, a species that was considered Threatened in Mexico and Endangered in the U.S. This attracted much attention and lots of research prompted its recovery by 2013 (Medellín and Torres-Knoop 2015; Medellín et al. 2018; Medellín 2019; Laverty et al. 2025). Other species or aspects of the biology of bats have also produced focal work on particular topics such as molecular genetics, evolution, ecology, or conservation. The study of these mammals is an evolving field, and in recent years, the list of species in Mexico and the rest of the world has increased significantly due to new taxonomic and biogeographic research. Mexico has witnessed a recent strong impulse studying the taxonomy and distribution of bats. As a result, new species and previously unrecorded species have been recently discovered in the country (e.g. Aranda-Coello et al. 2025; López-Cuamatzi et al. 2024). Given this dynamism, maintaining an updated list of bats in Mexico is crucial for assessing their conservation status, understanding their diversity patterns, and designing effective protection strategies and policies (Simmons and Cirranello 2024). In this context, it is essential to gather and analyze the most recent knowledge about the bat species present in Mexican territory, considering their levels of endemism and their national and international conservation status. This update will not only strengthen scientific research but will also provide key information for decision-making regarding conservation and the management of the ecosystems in which these organisms play vital roles. Methodology This list compiles all species currently recognized in the literature by most authors as resident in Mexico. Through a comprehensive analysis, we identified species whose taxonomy or distribution has changed and incorporated recently described species with a distribution in the country. We also assessed their conservation status at both national and international levels, as well as their geographic distribution, to identify endemic species and areas with greater species richness within Mexican territory. To compile this list, we conducted a critical assessment to include each species that have been recently recognized or newly reported in the country. Our work was based on the national lists by Medellín et al. (2008) and Ramírez-Pu- 19 ZooKeys 1261: 17–38 (2025), DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1261.163471 Ameyalli Marín-Ventura et al.: Bats of Mexico lido et al. (2014), as well as the international lists by Wilson and Mittermeier (2019) and Simmons and Cirranello (2024). Additionally, we incorporated taxonomic revisions published after the listing by Ramírez-Pulido et al. (2014) such as Rivas-Camo et al. (2020), Garbino et al. (2024), and López-Cuamatzi et al. (2024). It is necessary to mention that we are not following the ASM Mammal Diversity Database because there is a lag between the new taxonomic proposals and their appearance in such a database (Mammal Diversity Database 2025). The geographic distribution of species was determined by reviewing the distribution maps provided by Wilson and Mittermeier (2019), Simmons and Cirranello (2024), databases from Comisión Nacional para el Conocimiento y Uso de la Biodiversidad (CONABIO), Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), and International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), as well as previous studies on the presence of bats in different regions of Mexico such as the bats of Tabasco (García-Morales, 2021; Pérez-Netzahual et al. 2023), Campeche (Mejenes-López et al. 2024), Veracruz (Cerón-Hernández et al. 2022), and Durango (Torres-Morales et al. 2010), among others. Based on their distribution, we identified species endemic to Mexico. The conservation status of each species included in the list was determined using the classification from the most recent version of the Mexican federal list of endangered species (NOM-059-SEMARNAT-2025) and the IUCN Red List. For species evaluated in the Mexican federal list, we used the categories “Threatened”, “Special Protection”, and “Endangered”. Meanwhile, for species assessed in the IUCN Red List, we considered the categories “Near Threatened”, “Vulnerable”, “Endangered”, and “Critically Endangered” to identify those requiring urgent conservation attention. Results A total of 146 bat species are recognized in Mexico, classified into 71 genera and eight families (Table 1). This places the country among the top ten worldwide in bat diversity. As a result, the list of bat species of Mexico has expanded compared to the last update by Ramírez-Pulido et al. (2014), which recorded 139 species. This increase is largely attributed to significant advances in molecular research over the past decade, which have enabled a more comprehensive understanding of bat diversity. These developments have facilitated the taxonomic revision and reclassification of several species, as well as the description of newly recognized taxa, such as Vampyressa villai Garbino, Hernández-Canchola, León-Paniagua & Tavares, 2024 and Corynorhinus leonpaniaguae López-Cuamatzi, Ortega, Ospina-Garcés, Zúñiga & MacSwiney G., 2024. Both descriptions were supported by integrative studies combining detailed morphological analyses, including cranial and dental traits, with genetic evidence based on mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences (Garbino et al. 2024; López-Cuamatzi et al. 2024). Additionally, the presence of Phyllops falcatus (Gray, 1839) a species not previously recognized as part of Mexico’s bat fauna, has been documented. This Caribbean-endemic bat was recently recorded on Cozumel Island, where resident populations have been confirmed (Rivas-Camo et al. 2020), thus significantly extending the known geographic range of the genus. Its recent discovery in the country suggests possible previously undocumented dispersal routes or shifts in distribution patterns, indicating that additional populations in Mexico may yet be found. 20 ZooKeys 1261: 17–38 (2025), DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1261.163471 Ameyalli Marín-Ventura et al.: Bats of Mexico Table 1. Full list of the bat species of Mexico. Family/Subfamily Genus Species Emballonuridae Balantiopteryx Balantiopteryx io Thomas, 1904 Balantiopteryx plicata Peters, 1867 Centronycteris Centronycteris centralis Thomas, 1912 Diclidurus Diclidurus albus Wied-Neuwied, 1820 Peropteryx Peropteryx kappleri Peters, 1867 Peropteryx macrotis (J. A. Wagner, 1820) Rhynchonycteris Rhynchonycteris naso (Wied-Neuwied, 1820) Saccopteryx Saccopteryx bilineata (Temminck, 1838) Saccopteryx leptura (Schreber, 1774) Noctilionidae Noctilio Noctilio albiventris Desmarest, 1818 Noctilio leporinus (Linnaeus, 1758) Thyropteridae Thyroptera Thyroptera tricolor Spix, 1823 Mormoopidae Mormoops Mormoops megalophylla (Peters, 1864) Pteronotus Pteronotus fulvus (Thomas, 18) Pteronotus gymnonotus (J. A. Wagner, 1843) Pteronotus mesoamericanus (Smith, 1972) Pteronotus mexicanus (Miller, 1902) Pteronotus psilotis (Dobson, 1878) Phyllostomidae Macrotinae Macrotus Macrotus californicus Baird, 1858 Macrotus waterhousii Gray, 1843 Micronycterinae Lampronycteris Lampronycteris brachyotis (Dobson, 1879) Micronycteris Micronycteris microtis Miller, 1898 Micronycteris schmidtorum Sanborn, 1935 Trinycteris Trinycteris nicefori (Sanborn, 1949) Desmodontinae Desmodus Desmodus rotundus (É. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1810) Diaemus Diaemus youngi (Jentink, 1893) Diphylla Diphylla ecaudata Spix, 1823 Lonchorhininae Lonchorhina Lonchorhina aurita Tomes, 1863 Phyllostominae Chrotopterus Chrotopterus auritus (Peters, 1856) Gardnerycteris Gardnerycteris keenani (Handley, 1960) Lophostoma Lophostoma nicaraguae (Goodwin, 1942) Lophostoma evotis (W. B. Davis & Carter, 1978) Macrophyllum Macrophyllum macrophyllum (Schinz, 1821) Mimon Mimon cozumelae Goldman 1914 Phylloderma Phylloderma stenops (Peters, 1865) Phyllops Phyllops falcatus (Gray, 1839) Phyllostomus Phyllostomus discolor (Wagner, 1843) Phyllostomus hastatus (Pallas, 1767) Tonatia Tonatia bakeri Williams, Willig & Reid, 1995 Trachops Trachops coffini Goldman, 1925 Vampyrum Vampyrum spectrum (Linnaeus, 1758) Glossophaginae Anoura Anoura peruana lasiopyga (Peters, 1868) Choeroniscus Choeroniscus godmani (Thomas, 1903) Choeronycteris Choeronycteris mexicana Tschudi, 1844 Glossophaga Glossophaga commissarisi Gardner, 1962 Glossophaga leachii (Gray, 1844) Glossophaga morenoi Martínez & Villa-R., 1938 Glossophaga mutica Merriam, 1898 Hylonycteris Hylonycteris underwoodi Thomas, 1903 Leptonycteris Leptonycteris nivalis (Saussure, 1860) Leptonycteris yerbabuenae Martínez & Villa-R, 1940 Lichonycteris Lichonycteris obscura Thomas, 1895 Musonycteris Musonycteris harrisoni Schaldach & McLaughlin, 1960 21 ZooKeys 1261: 17–38 (2025), DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1261.163471 Ameyalli Marín-Ventura et al.: Bats of Mexico Family/Subfamily Genus Species Carollinae Carollia Carollia perspicillata (Linnaeus, 1758) Carollia sowelli Baker, Solari & Hoffmann, 2002 Carollia subrufa (Hahn, 1905) Glyphonycterinae Glyphonycteris Glyphonycteris sylvestris Thomas, 1896 Stenodermatinae Artibeus Artibeus hirsutus K. Andersen, 1906 Artibeus intermedius J.A. Allen, 1897 Artibeus jamaicensis Leach, 1821 Artibeus lituratus (Olfers, 1818) Centurio Centurio senex Gray, 1842 Chiroderma Chiroderma salvini Dobson, 1878 Chiroderma scopaeum Handley, 1966 Chiroderma villosum Peters, 1860 Dermanura Dermanura azteca (K. Andersen, 1906) Dermanura phaeotis Miller, 1902 Dermanura tolteca (Saussure, 1860) Dermanura watsoni (Thomas, 1901) Enchisthenes Enchisthenes hartii (Thomas, 1892) Platyrrhinus Platyrrhinus helleri (Peters, 1866) Sturnira Sturnira hondurensis Goodwin, 1940 Sturnira parvidens Goldman, 1917 Uroderma Uroderma convexum Lyon, 1902 Uroderma davisi Baker & McDaniel, 1972 Uroderma magnirostrum Davis, 1968 Vampyressa Vampyressa thyone Thomas, 1909 Vampyressa villai Garbino, Hernández-Canchola, León-Paniagua & Tavares, 2024 Vampyrodes Vampyrodes major Allen, 1908 Natalidae Natalus Natalus mexicanus Miller, 1902 Natalus lanatus Tejedor, 2005 Molossidae Cynomops Cynomops mexicanus (Jones & Genoways, 1967) Eumops Eumops auripendulus (Shaw, 1800) Eumops ferox (GundlachinPeters, 1861) Eumops hansae Sanborn, 1932 Eumops nanus (Miller, 1900) Eumops perotis (Schinz, 1821) Eumops underwoodi Goodwin, 1940 Molossus Molossus alvarezi Gonzalez-Ruiz, Ramirez-Pulido & Arroyo-Cabrales, 2011 Molossus aztecus Saussure, 1860 Molossus coibensis J. A. Allen, 1904 Molossus molossus (Pallas, 1766) Molossus nigricans Miller, 1902 Molossus sinaloae J. A. Allen, 1906 Nyctinomops Nyctinomops aurispinosus (Peale, 1849) Nyctinomops femorosaccus (Merriam, 1889) Nyctinomops laticaudatus (É. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1805) Nyctinomops macrotis (Gray, 1839) Promops Promops centralis Thomas, 1915 Tadarida Tadarida brasiliensis (I. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1824) 22 ZooKeys 1261: 17–38 (2025), DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1261.163471 Ameyalli Marín-Ventura et al.: Bats of Mexico Family/Subfamily Genus Species Vespertilionidae Antrozous Antrozous pallidus (Le Conte, 1856) Baeodon Baeodon alleni (Thomas, 1892) Baeodon gracilis (Miller, 1897) Bauerus Bauerus dubiaquercus (Van Gelder, 1959) Corynorhinus Corynorhinus leonpaniaguae López-Cuamatzi, Ortega, Ospina-Garcés, Zúñiga & MacSwiney G., 2024 Corynorhinus mexicanus G. M. Allen, 1916 Corynorhinus townsendii (Cooper, 1837) Neoeptesicus Neoeptesicus brasiliensis (Desmarest, 1819) Neoeptesicus furinalis (d’Orbigny & Gervais, 1847) Eptesicus Eptesicus fuscus (Palisot de Beauvois, 1796) Euderma Euderma maculatum (J. A. Allen, 1891) Idionycteris Idionycteris phyllotis (G. M. Allen, 1916) Lasionycteris Lasionycteris noctivagans (Le Conte, 1831) Lasiurus Lasiurus borealis (Müller, 1776) Lasiurus cinereus (Palisot de Beauvois, 1796) Lasiurus ega (Gervais, 1856) Lasiurus frantzii (Peters, 1870) Lasiurus intermedius H. Allen, 1862 Lasiurus xantinus (Thomas, 1897) Myotis Myotis albescens (È. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1806) Myotis auriculus Baker & Stains, 1955 Myotis californicus (Audubon & Bachman, 1842) Myotis carteri (LaVal, 1973) Myotis elegans Hall, 1962 Myotis evotis (H. Allen, 1864) Myotis extremus Miller & Allen, 1928 Myotis findleyi Bogan, 1978 Myotis fortidens Miller & Allen, 1928 Myotis ciliolabrum (Merriam, 1886) Myotis occultus Hollister, 1909 Myotis pilosatibialis LaVal, 1973 Myotis planiceps R.H. Baker, 1955 Myotis thysanodes Miller, 1897 Myotis velifer (J. A. Allen, 1890) Myotis vivesi Menegaux, 1901 Myotis volans (H. Allen, 1866) Myotis yumanensis (H. Allen, 1866) Nycticeius Nycticeius humeralis (Rafinesque, 1818) Parastrellus Parastrellus hesperus (H. Allen, 1864) Perimyotis Perimyotis subflavus (F. Cuvier, 1832) Rhogeessa Rhogeessa aenea Goodwin, 1958 Rhogeessa bickhami Baird, Marchan-Rivadeneira, Perez & Baker, 2012 Rhogeessa genowaysi Baker, 1984 Rhogeessa miraLaVal, 1973 Rhogeessa parvula H. Allen, 1866 Rhogeessa tumida H. Allen, 1866 23 ZooKeys 1261: 17–38 (2025), DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1261.163471 Ameyalli Marín-Ventura et al.: Bats of Mexico Likewise, Phyllostomus hastatus (Pallas, 1767) was recently reported in Mexico (Aranda-Coello et al. 2025). This record extends the species’ northern distribution by approximately 120 km from the nearest previously documented occurrence in Guatemala and represents the second species of the genus recorded in our country. On the other hand, the presence of Natalus lanatus Tejedor, 2005 is recognized as the second species of the genus Natalus in Mexico, supported by previous studies (Rodríguez-Herrera et al. 2011; Ramírez-Pulido et al. 2014; Tejedor 2019), which reinforces the need to continue evaluating cryptic diversity in the country. Species with changes in nomenclature and taxonomy Taxonomic analyses of the chiropteran fauna have identified 23 bat species in Mexico that have undergone taxonomic restructuring and nomenclatural changes, spanning four families: Mormoopidae, Phyllostomidae, Molossidae, and Vespertilionidae (Table 2). Notably, several genera previously thought to contain a limited or poorly defined number of species have been shown to encompass greater diversity, including taxa endemic to Mexico. These revisions include the redefinition of geographic ranges for species once considered widespread and the formal description of new species, supported by morphological, genetic, and ecological evidence. In all cases, the Mexican taxa maintain close affinities with the original species complexes but exhibit sufficient divergence to justify their recognition as distinct species. Moreover, several taxa previously classified as subspecies have been reclassified as independent species, thereby redefining their taxonomic rank and improving the resolution of bat biodiversity assessments in Mexico. Among the most notable nomenclatural changes is Anoura peruana lasiopyga (Peters, 1868; formerly A. geoffroyi), whose recognition as a distinct species is supported by morphometric analyses, ecological niche modeling, and DNA barcoding (Molinari et al. 2023). Similarly, phylogenetic and morphological analyses by Fonseca et al. (2024) revealed that the genus Trachops comprises at least three distinct species, with Trachops coffini Goldman, 1925 (previously T. cirrhosus) being the only one occurring in Mexico. In addition, Artibeus intermedius J.A. Allen, 1897, a species not previously included in earlier checklists, is recognized here based on morphological and molecular evidence provided by Marchán-Rivadeneira et al. (2012) and Larsen et al. (2013), respectively. These studies highlighted ecological differences between A. intermedius and closely related species as a key factor contributing to the speciation process. The family Vespertilionidae has undergone significant taxonomic revisions. The genus Baeodon was initially separated from Rhogeessa in the 1970s and 1980s, though it was later considered a subgenus. However, Roehrs et al. (2011), through nuclear DNA analyses, confirmed that Baeodon is a distinct genus comprising two species, Baeodon alleni (Thomas, 1892) and Baeodon gracilis (Miller, 1897), both of which are endemic to Mexico. In addition, a new genus, Neoeptesicus, was recently established to accommodate Neoeptesicus brasiliensis (Desmarest, 1819) and Neoeptesicus furinalis (d’Orbigny & Gervais, 1847), species previously included in the genus Eptesicus (Cláudio et al. 2023). 24 ZooKeys 1261: 17–38 (2025), DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1261.163471 Ameyalli Marín-Ventura et al.: Bats of Mexico Table 2. Taxonomic changes in bats of Mexico from 2014 to 2024. Updates for a total of 22 species were recorded distributed across four families. Family Current nomenclature Previous nomenclature Bibliographic reference Mormoopidae Pteronotus fulvus Pteronotus davyi Pavan and Marroig 2016 Pteronotus mesoamericanus Pteronotus parnellii Pavan and Marroig 2016 Pteronotus mexicanus Pteronotus parnellii mexicanus Pavan and Marroig 2016 Pteronotus psilotis Pteronotus personatus Pavan and Marroig 2016 Phyllostomidae Anoura peruana lasiopyga Anoura geoffroyi Molinari et al. 2023 Artibeus intermedius Artibeus lituratus intermedius Larsen et al. 2013 Chiroderma scopaeum Chiroderma salvini scopaeum Garbino et al. 2020 Glossophaga mutica Glossophaga soricina mutica Calahorra-Oliart et al. 2021 Gardnerycteris keenani Mimon crenulatum Hurtado and D’Elía 2018 Lophostoma nicaraguae Lophostoma brasiliense Esquivel et al. 2022 Tonatia bakeri Tonatia saurophila Basantes et al. 2020 Trachops coffni Trachops cirrhosus Fonseca et al. 2024 Uroderma convexum Uroderma bilobatum convexum Mantilla-Meluk 2014 Uroderma davisi Uroderma bilobatum Mantilla-Meluk 2014 Molossidae Molossus nigricans Molossus rufus Loureiro et al. 2020 Vespertilionidae Baeodon alleni Rhogeessa alleni Roehrs et al. 2011 Baeodon gracilis Rhogeessa gracilis Roehrs et al. 2011 Lasiurus frantzii Lasiurus blossevillii Baird et al. 2015 Myotis carteri Myotis nigricans carteri Novaes et al. 2022 Myotis extremus Myotis nigricans extremus Novaes et al. 2024 Myotis pilosatibialis Myotis keaysi Carrion-Bonilla and Cook 2020 Neoeptesicus brasiliensis Eptesicus brasiliensis Cláudio et al. 2023 Neoeptesicus furinalis Eptesicus furinalis Cláudio et al. 2023 Bat richness patterns in Mexico The bat fauna of Mexico faithfully reflects the country’s megadiversity, as well as its biogeographic and ecological patterns and processes. Bat species richness follows a distinct latitudinal gradient (Fig. 1). Southern regions, particularly in the states of Chiapas, Oaxaca, Veracruz, and the Yucatán Peninsula, show the highest species richness, with up to 89 species recorded in the Selva Lacandona region of Chiapas, Mexico precisely what would be expected from deep Neotropical affinities. In contrast, northern areas and the central highlands display lower diversity, with significantly fewer species, as would correspondingly be expected for the Nearctic region. As is well known, Mexico is the only country that contains the entirety of the limits between any two major Biogeographical regions, so the northern half of Mexico is part of the Nearctic region, and the southern half is part of the Neotropical region. As with other taxonomic groups such as reptiles, amphibians, and plants, the highest bat diversity occurs in the Neotropical region of southern Mexico. This pattern reflects the greater ecological complexity of tropical environments, with diversity decreasing progressively toward the north as conditions become increasingly arid and temperate. 25 ZooKeys 1261: 17–38 (2025), DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1261.163471 Ameyalli Marín-Ventura et al.: Bats of Mexico Endemism of bats in Mexico Twenty bat species endemic to Mexico were identified, spanning 12 genera and four families (Table 3). The family Vespertilionidae is particularly notable for its high diversity, accounting for over 60% of the endemic species recorded. These results underscore Mexico’s exceptional richness and uniqueness in bat biodiversity, establishing the country as both a continental leader in endemic bat species and a critical center of chiropteran endemism. On the other hand, 45% of the Mexican endemic bat species fall under some risk category, either in NOM-059-SEMARNAT-2025 or the IUCN Red List. Among these, five species are in a critical condition, as they are listed as threatened under both regulatory frameworks: Musonycteris harrisoni Schaldach & McLaughlin, 1960, Myotis planiceps R.H. Baker, 1955, Myotis vivesi Menegaux, 1901, Rhogeessa genowaysi R.J. Baker, 1984, and Rhogeessa mira LaVal, 1973. In particular, those classified as Endangered (EN) by the IUCN face a high risk of extinction in the short term. Most Mexican endemic species are located in the tropical dry forests of the western and southern regions of the country, within the Mexican TransiFigure 1. Gradient of bat species richness in Mexico. Species diversity is higher in the southern part of the country, where tropical habitats predominate, and decreases toward the north in more arid areas. In this representation, red indicates a greater number of species, while green represents lower species richness. 12.750 12.750 17.750 17.750 22.750 22.750 27.750 27.750 32.750 32.750 -114.400 -114.400 -109.400 -109.400 -104.400 -104.400 -99.400 -99.400 -94.400 -94.400 -89.400 -89.400 Bat species richnessBat species richness Number of species 0 89 Pacific oceanPacific ocean Tropic of Cancer Gulf of MexicoGulf of Mexico 32 ZooKeys 1261: 17–38 (2025), DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1261.163471 Ameyalli Marín-Ventura et al.: Bats of Mexico Conclusions It is clear that Mexico has been a hub of bat studies for decades. Today the country contains 146 bat species, but taxonomy is only catching up and we expect many more species to be discovered in the next decade or so. The geographical features of Mexico, including its very complex topography with many mountain ranges crisscrossing the country from north to south and from east to west, as well as its latitudinal stretch containing the Tropic of Cancer, Mexico has more endemic species of bats and other mammals, than any other country in the world. As far as we know, no other country in the world surpasses the 20 endemic species of bats in Mexico. This is both a great distinction, and also an enormous responsibility; the conservation of those 20 species is the sole obligation of Mexico. Many of these endemic species inhabit the tropical dry forest of the west, others along the Trans-Mexican volcanic belt, and others in the Gulf of California and its islands. Additional endemic species can be found in the northeastern Sierra Madre Oriental. Evidently, much more research is still needed for the taxonomy of Mexican bats to be finally understood in its entirety. Some taxonomic gaps that warrant urgent attention are the genera Myotis, Eptesicus, Neoeptesicus, Rhogeessa, Eumops, and even groups like Micronycteris, Perimyotis, and Molossus. Geographically, additional taxonomic work on bats is urgently needed in the rainforests of Chiapas and Oaxaca, and also in the montane forests of the Trans-Mexican volcanic belt. In terms of extinction risk, focusing on those categories that indeed represent risk of extinction, that is A and P in the Mexican legislation and Vu, En, and Cr according to IUCN (see Table 3), only five species: L. nivalis (A, En), M. harrisoni (P, Vu), M. planiceps (P, En), M. vivesi (P, Vu), R. genowaysi (A, En) have somewhat coincidental classification rankings. This is surprising and concerning, given that 38 species are listed in the Mexican legislation, although 17 of those are under Special Protection (Pr), a category that does not necessarily represent extinction risk (SEMARNAT 2025), and of the 14 species listed under the IUCN categories of NT, Vu, En, and Cr, only 9 are included in the three categories that IUCN considers to be true risk of extinction (Vu, En, Cr). But this limited coincidence raises concerns about the equivalence or objectivity shared between these two systems. Our analysis serves as a basis to continue promoting converging, more robust classification in the two systems. For one, homologation among the three systems used here, IUCN, the Mexican legislation, and the expert elicitation (Adams et al. 2024) would be desirable, and an analysis of which species in need of conservation efforts require attention is urgent. Bat species lists at the country level are an important source of information that can help the decision-making process and conservation policy. For example, to set biodiversity monitoring practices and conservation priorities within the country, to conduct assessments of ecological importance and ecosystem services, to guide legislation and environmental impact assessment, and these lists also are the first step for neighboring countries to identify and plan collaborative conservation programs aimed at protecting shared species, or even individuals when those species migrate from one country to another. These lists also should be revisited every few years to keep them accurate and up to date. 33 ZooKeys 1261: 17–38 (2025), DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1261.163471 Ameyalli Marín-Ventura et al.: Bats of Mexico Acknowledgements We express our sincere gratitude to Claudia Moreno for her valuable technical support and Juan J. Pellón for his comments. We are grateful to the National Geographic Society for funding this research and likewise to the Secretaría de Ciencia, Humanidades, Tecnología e Innovación (SECIHTI) for its support through the Ayudantes de Investigadores Nacionales Nivel III. Finally, we extend our appreciation to all the authors cited here, whose work continues to enhance our understanding of the diversity and taxonomy of Mexican bat species. Additional information Conflict of interest The authors have declared that no competing interests exist. Ethical statement No ethical statement was reported. Use of AI No use of AI was reported. Funding Funding was received from the National Geographic Society, Rolex Awards fro enterprise, Secretary of Science and Technology, Mexican Federal Government, and the Whitley Fund for Nature. Author contributions Marin and Rosas wrote and analyzed the information. Sierra created the figure and contributed to editing and writing. Arroyo contributed to editing and writing. 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