Micronycteris yatesi (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae) in Brazil: Evidences from Integrative Taxonomy

Micronycteris yatesi was described in 2013 and has previously been considered endemic to Bolivia. Through the analysis of morphological data and mitochondrial cytochrome-b sequences (cytb) from two pale-bellied Micronycteris specimens from the Cerrado (Mato Grosso, Brazil), we report the first record of M. yatesi in this country. Our comparative analyses included related species: M. minuta, M. sanborni, M. tresamici, and M. simmonsae. The sequences from the Brazilian specimens form a statistically well-supported clade in our maximum-likelihood phylogenetic analysis, alongside sequences from the holotype and paratypes of M. yatesi from Bolivia. The identification of these specimens as M. yatesi is further supported by morphological characteristics, with the Brazilian specimens clustering closely with Bolivian M. yatesi in multivariate morphometric analysis. Within M. yatesi, the cytb phylogeny suggests a closer relationship between the Brazilian specimens and the easternmost samples from Bolivia, reflecting a pattern of similarity consistent with their geographical proximity. We emphasize the urgent need to enhance our understanding of this species, particularly in the critically endangered Cerrado region of Brazil.