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We report the first record of the Lesser long-nosed Bat, Leptonycteris yerbabuenae Martinez & Villa-R., 1940 in Nicaragua based on a specimen from San Nicolas, Estelí Department, north-central Nicaragua. The new record extends the known range of this large, migratory, nectar-feeding species 100 km southeast from the closest previous record in western Honduras.

Field biology is an area of research that involves working directly with living organisms in situ through a practice known as “fieldwork.” Conducting fieldwork often requires complex logistical planning within multiregional or multinational teams, interacting with local communities at field sites, and collaborative research led by one or a few of the core team members. However, existing power imbalances stemming from geopolitical history, discrimination, and professional position, among other factors, perpetuate inequities when conducting these research endeavors. After reflecting on our own research programs, we propose four general principles to guide equitable, inclusive, ethical, and safe practices in field biology: be collaborative, be respectful, be legal, and be safe. Although many biologists already structure their field programs around these principles or similar values, executing equitable research practices can prove challenging and requires careful consideration, especially by those in positions with relatively greater privilege. Based on experiences and input from a diverse group of global collaborators, we provide suggestions for action-oriented approaches to make field biology more equitable, with particular attention to how those with greater privilege can contribute. While we acknowledge that not all suggestions will be applicable to every institution or program, we hope that they will generate discussions and provide a baseline for training in proactive, equitable fieldwork practices.

If closely related species should be more similar and therefore more likely to compete for resources, why do we see so many examples of species-rich congeneric communities in nature? To avoid competition, many species possess suites of traits associated with differential resource use – or ecomorphologies – that promote niche differentiation with co-occurring species. Yet, the axes through which niche partitioning evolves and the traits involved are still poorly understood in most systems. Island systems, in which species interactions can form strong forces of selection due to limited resources, provide valuable insights into how ecomorphological diversity contributes to coexistence. Here, we examined axes of resource use and morphological traits that facilitate niche partitioning in a community of spiny lizards (genus Sceloporus) in a sky island system, the Chiricahua Mountains of southeastern Arizona, USA. By quantifying structural, temporal and thermal niche use for over 300 co-occurring lizards from four species over three field seasons, we show that sympatric species diverge primarily in perch height and type, but also in thermal and temporal resource use. Our results further demonstrate interspecific divergence in a suite of phenotypic traits known to covary with ecology in other lizard radiations, including body size, scale size, hindlimb length, foot length and dorsal coloration. Studies of niche partitioning and ecomorphology, especially of closely related species, deepen our understanding of how diverse communities assemble and how morphological diversity accumulates across the tree of life, and our findings highlight the importance of examining multiple axes of resource use to better understand these processes.

ResumenEn este artículo describimos cronológicamente 182 años de investigación chiropterológica que atribuyen 110 especies en Nicaragua; desde la primeracolecta registrada en 1837 hasta la última publicación hecha en 2019. Estos trabajos fueron hechos en su totalidad por extranjeros hasta finalesdel siglo pasado, con una importante participación de investigadores nacionales a partir del siglo XXI. Determinamos tres épocas principales de exploración y cuyo auge ha dependido de las situaciones sociopolíticas del país. La primera seextendió de finales del siglo XIX hasta principios del siglo XX, con un segundo periodo durante las décadas de 1960 y 1970 y un tercer período que transcurre a lo largo del siglo XXI. En total recopilamos y analizamos 93 publicaciones científicas, las cuales datamos y ordenamos según su fecha de publicación. El recuento histórico reconoce a naturalistas y científicos nacionales y extranjeros que han contribuido al conocimiento de los murciélagos del país, donde se resaltan algunas de las obras más significativas para el desarrollo de la mastozoología en Nicaragua.Palabras clave: Especies, localidades, murciélagos, publicaciones. AbstractWe chronologically describe 182 years of chiropterological research, attributing 110 species in Nicaragua; from the first collection recorded in 1837 untilthe last publication made  in 2019; these works were made entirely by foreigners until the end of the last century, with an important participation of nationalresearchers from the 21st century. We determined three main periods of exploration and whose duration has depended on the socio-political situationsof the country. The first extended from the late nineteenth century to the early twentieth century, with a second period during the 1960s and 1970s; and athird period that runs throughout the 21st century. In total we collect and analyze 93 reports, which we date and order according to their publication date.The historical account recognizes national and foreign naturalists and scientists who have contributed to the knowledge of the country’s bats, highlighting some of the most significant works.Key words: Bats, localities, publications, species.

Linear features can benefit wildlife by assisting animal movement. We captured bats along barbed‐wire and live‐tree fences connecting tropical dry forest patches in Nicaragua. Bat species richness and captures were higher along live fences but we noted differences in sex ratios, richness, and species composition compared to surrounding natural forests. Abstract in Spanish is available with online only

We report on the first definite record of the False Tree Coral Snake, Rhinobothryum bovallii (Andersson, 1916), from Nicaragua based on one specimen from the Refugio Bartola, department of Río San Juan, southeastern Nicaragua. The newly found specimen narrows a 510 km distributional gap between occurrences from near the Honduran–Nicaraguan border and the nearest occurrence in Costa Rica.