Redrawing the range of <i>Cyclopes dorsalis</i> (Gray, 1865): new southernmost records from Ecuador’s coastal dry forests

Abstract Cyclopes dorsalis (Gray, 1865), the westernmost silky anteater, is poorly documented in the southern portion of its range. We compiled 284 verified occurrence records, including 14 new records from five provinces in Ecuador. Four localities in El Oro represent the southernmost confirmed sites to date. These include coastal and seasonally dry forests, highlighting potential range continuity in under-sampled regions. Our data refine the known distribution of C. dorsalis , support the need to revise IUCN range maps, and identify key areas for conservation. We recommend expanded field sampling and molecular analyses to investigate population structure and potential cryptic diversity.