A Checklist of Bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera) from Lao PDR

Abstract

This paper provides the first comprehensive review and detailed documentation of available information on the distribution and occurrence of bats in Lao PDR. Information was gathered from literature records, survey data, and museum collections. Detailed locality information, by province (with co-ordinates where available) and maps, along with details on specimens or published
\nreferences are provided for each species. Based on these records, the bat checklist for Lao PDR comprises 90 species of seven families: Pteropodidae (nine species), Emballonuridae (three species), Megadermatidae (two species), Rhinolophidae (16 species), Hipposideridae (11 species), Vespertilionidae (47 species) and Molossidae (two species). Many of these records have not been previously published and several corrections are provided to previously published records, based on revised identifications as well as new taxonomic information. Nevertheless, many gaps remain in the information available on the bats of Lao PDR. No records were available from two provinces, and many species known from adjacent countries have not yet been documented in Lao PDR; thus, it is anticipated that the species list will increase with further field research.