Bat species richness in the region of the Central Valleys of Oaxaca, Mexico

We present a revised checklist of bat species occurring in the semi-urbanized region of the Central Valleys of Oaxaca, Mexico. The checklist is based on surveys using mist nets, echolocation calls recordings, literature and museum databases. Results show that the Central Valleys of Oaxaca have a species richness of 33 bat species belonging to 22 genera and five families. Species like the Mustached bat Pteronotus parnellii, the Western Red bat Lasiurus blossevillii and the Free-tailed bat Promops centralis were recorded after 32, 30 and 19 years respectively according to the records of the literature; also we recorded four species classified in some risk category by either the Mexican government's (NOM-059) or the IUCN's red list. The echolocation calls recordings are the first made for the region of Central Valleys of Oaxaca. Bat diversity in the Central Valleys of Oaxaca was underestimated and underlines the need of further research.