Evaluation of the potential highest altitudinal record of Micronycteris hirsuta

Abstract

Micronycteris hirsuta is a species widely distributed in Central and South America at altitudes no higher than 1,500 m, and it is associated with conserved forests.  We found a dead individual in Bogotá city at 2,600 m.  Considering that previous records for this species come from lower altitudes and that this species is mostly found in undisturbed ecosystems, we question the presence of M. hirsuta in the city.  To assess the possibility that this species inhabits areas close to the city, we developed an Ecological Niche Model (ENM), reviewed its distribution in Colombia, and the reported bat species from the city of Bogotá.  We report the highest altitudinal record of M. hirsuta at 2,600 m.  The specimen found exhibits all the diagnostic characters recognized for this species. However, we did not find evidence that supports the likelihood that M. hirsuta
inhabits areas near Bogotá.  According to our results and the species’ ecological attributes, we do not support that M. hirsuta inhabits areas near Bogotá and other high-altitude ecosystems.  We discuss other hypotheses that could explain this record’s presence, including a possible migration or an accidental transport from lowlands.  We highlight the importance of evaluating unusual distributional records of species using ENMs and discuss these below the light of species’ ecological attributes.