The Bats (Chiroptera) of Utila Island, Honduras: species checklist and recommendations to conserve a cave roost

This report catalogues the bats of Utila Island (Honduras) by providing a preliminary checklist of 13 species. We conclusively identified eight primary and five secondary records for bat species on Utila, including three new records that increase the total known species in the Bay Island department to 15. Phyllostomidae was the most represented on Utila, with four genera and six recorded species, followed by Vespertilionidae, two genera and two species, and Emballonuridae, one genus and two species. The families Molossidae, Natalidae, and Noctilionidae each had one species represented. We highlight the ecological importance of bats for the island ecosystem, ongoing threats to their communities and describe a long-term cave roosting site. We aim to raise regional awareness and suggest appropriate conservation action for bats and their habitats on Utila.