A New Species of Histiotus Gervais, 1856 (Chiroptera, Vespertilionidae), from the Pacific Coast of Northern Peru

The Pacific coastal desert of Peru harbors a unique bat fauna, including narrowly endemic taxa adapted to arid environments. This region was also the setting where several pre-Incan civilizations flourished. Moche culture (100–850 CE) one those, with rich and diverse material that included strikingly realistic ceramic representations regional flora fauna. In particular, Mochica pottery vessel is in form that, based on external characteristics (large pinnae tragus, connected by high band membrane across forehead, lack noseleaf), clearly represents an individual vespertilionid genus Histiotus. morphological observed this vessel, addition area influence culture, suggests depicts species previously unknown science we describe here as new basis two specimens obtained 2012 Peruvian department Piura. Our species, Histiotus mochica, can be distinguished from other congeners having unicolored dorsal fur, medial lobes greater than 9.5 mm wide, well-developed (>4.3 high) transverse skin connecting pinnae. Cytochrome b sequence data indicate sister H. humboldti Andes Colombia northern Ecuador. medium-sized clusters laephotis, velatus, small montanus our multivariate analyses. With description diversity increases 11 species. We provide key characters all known