A new species of bat in Portugal

In an article recently published by Biodiversity Data Journal, we have presented the InBIO Barcoding Initiative Database: Portuguese Bats (Chiroptera) and unveiled the first record of Myotis alcathoe for Portugal.

The presence of this bat species was genetically confirmed through the sequencing of a tissue sample collected in 2005 in the Peneda Gerês National Park, a protected area located in north-western Portugal. This individual had been identified in the field as M. mystacinus, a cryptic species of M. alcathoe, thus demonstrating the difficulty in distinguishing these species, based on external morphological characters alone.

More information and the links to the press articles can be found here.