Identification of the Mexican nectarivorous Glossophaga bats (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae) and comments on their distribution

Pellón J.J.; Tschapka M.; Medellín R.A. · Contributions to Zoology (2026) · DOI: 10.1163/18759866-bja10100

Resumen

Glossophaga É. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1818 species are common nectarivorous bats in many Neotropical ecosystems, and some taxa are recognized as important pollinators. However, identification in the field, and even in the laboratory, is often challenging. Several species still require further study because distinguishing sympatric species is notoriously difficult, which has led to frequent misidentification. This is especially problematic in the central–southern Mexican Pacific, where four externally similar species co-occur and regional richness is highest for the genus. We examined live (N = 1,134) and museum (N = 751) specimens from this region to improve differentiation in the genus’s most complex sympatry. We found broad consistency with existing dichotomous keys, and multivariate analyses show that reliable identification can be achieved using a combination of external and dental traits. Field identification has probably been hindered by the scarcity of clear graphic references for these characters. Therefore, we provide a detailed, illustrated guide for distinguishing the sympatric Mexican Glossophaga species, including characters visible in live bats and additional traits evaluated in museum material. We also reassessed distributions in Mexico using voucher-supported occurrences. Compared with recent range maps, inferred distributions differ for Glossophaga commissarisi Gardner, 1962 and Glossophaga leachii (Gray, 1844), and reveal geographically isolated populations occupying distinct habitat types and biogeographic provinces, warranting further examination. This is the first morphological assessment of Mexican Glossophaga since seminal studies conducted decades ago, and we expect it will notably clarify species identification within the genus. Because we targeted the genus’s most complex sympatry, the guide could aid identification across much of Central America. © Juan J. Pellón et al., 2026. Published with license by Koninklijke Brill BV. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the CC BY 4.0 license.