First Records of Seemingly Rare Bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera) in Cambodia, with a Revised Checklist of Species for the Country

Abstract

Knowledge of the Cambodian bat fauna has grown in recent years, although much remains to be learnt. Based on field surveys undertaken throughout the country in 2014–2020 and using morphological (external, cranial and dental characters), genetic and acoustic data, we document the first records of six bat species nationally (Rhinolophus marshalli, R. siamensis, Hipposideros halophyllus, H. lekaguli, Cassistrellus yokdonensis and Eptesicus pachyomus) and the second in-country record for an additional species (Saccolaimus saccolaimus). All of these taxa were encountered in Cambodia's understudied border regions where literature for neighbouring territories suggests future field research will likely reveal other bat species presently unknown in the country. We also comment on the distribution and conservation status of the newly documented taxa, provide a revised checklist of the 80 bat species now confirmed in Cambodia and briefly consider the prospects for future discoveries and bat conservation in the country.