Distribuição e conservação de Lonchophylla bokermanni Sazima, Vizotto & Taddei 1978 (CHIROPTERA: Phyllostomidae)

Abstract

Lonchophylla bokermanni Sazima, Vizotto & Taddei, 1978 is a medium sized nectar-feeding bat endemic to forested areas in southeastern Brazil.In the Brazilian Threatened Species List it is assigned as Vulnerable to extinction because it has a restricted distribution, small and isolated populations, and its habitat is being lost at a very fast rate. The species was recorded in few localities, however, and little is known about its biology. Because not enough information is available to assess the species distribution, which may be widespread or restricted, L. bokermanni is listed as Data Deficient by the IUCN.One of the largest knowledge gaps for Lonchophyllabokermanni is the pattern of its geographic distribution. As currently defined the species has a disjunct distribution, with one form occurring in a restricted area in the interior of the distribution around its type locality, and another on a more widespread area on the coastal portion of its distribution. There is a possibility that the coastal form represents a distinct undescribed species, as it has differences in cranial measures and shorter forearms than the form found in the type locality, in the interior portion of the distribution.The aim of this study is to create minimum quantitative data necessary to assess the conservation status of L. bokermanni using the IUCN criteria. Having in mind all the taxonomic uncertainty, all analisys were made using three datasets: i) all records represent a single species, ii) records from interior form only, assuming it represents L. bokermanni, and iii) records from coastal form only, assuming it represents a new species, yet undescribed. Priority areas for the search of new populations of L. bokermanni were identified using geographic distribution models. These areas present suitable climatic and altitudinal conditions, forest cover, few bat surveys and they are outside of known range of occurrence. We also report the results of the search for new population in 3 priority areas, south to the known range of occurrence of the species. The occupancy and detectability were modeled at the local and regional scale, using environmental and methodological covariates to explain the the observed patterns. The uncertainty about the known distribution was assessed and the minimum sampling effort to be sure of the absence of L. bokermanni in anarea was estimated. To assess L. bokermanni s conservation status we calculated de Extent of Occurrence (sensu IUCN) and discussed the present knowledge about the species and the possible outcomes of taxonomic changes to its conservation status.