DNA molecular analyses were used in a forensic investigation involving illegal wildlife poaching in central Brazil. The Brazilian environmental agency (IBAMA) sent us two samples of confiscated meat from illegal poaching for species and individual identification. Comparative analysis of cytochrome b sequences (1,070 bp) provided incontestable evidence that the meat samples were from the lowland tapir, Tapirus terrestris. The analysis of nine microsatellites indicated that the two seized meat samples shared the same genotypes, implying that meat from only one individual was present. The lowland tapir is the last representative of megamammals in South America and is a vulnerable species, locally extinct in several regions. The present paper reports a successful genetic investigation of an illegal hunting crime, in which DNA-based molecular analyses of seized ground meat samples were the only tool able to identify the species and individual, proving to be highly useful for wildlife crime investigations.

The brown bat Eptesicus fuscus (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) is a widely distributed species with up to 11 subspecies ranging from North America, some Caribbean islands, and Central and northern South America.  Within the species, Eptesicus fuscus miradorensis occurs from North America to South America being the only subspecies that occurs in the continental area of the Neotropical region and might be considered a full species.  Also, it has been suggested that E. f. miradorensis shows a clinal morphologic variation from the northernmost populations of Central America toward South America.  We evaluated the systematic position of E. f. miradorensis using genetic samples from Central and South America.  In addition, we assessed the morphometric variations of E. f. miradorensis using 14 external and cranial measurements of specimens distributed along America.  To evaluate the clinal variation and interspecific changes through its distribution, we assigned three groups considering the localities of origin i) North (México), ii) Center (Guatemala-Panamá), and iii) South (Colombia-Venezuela) using multivariate analyzes.  We also compiled the localities of the revised specimens and these from databases to determine the environmental factors that potentially constrain the distribution of the taxon.  We suggest that E. f. miradorensis should be elevated to the species level based on genetic comparisons.  Additionally, we did not find sexual dimorphism or size variation associated with its distribution.  The species is distributed from México to South America (Colombia, Venezuela, and Ecuador) in elevations that average over 1,000 m, showing a strong association with high mountain ecosystems.  This taxon increases to 12 the number of species of bats of the subgenus Eptesicus in South America.

Eptesicus diminutus Osgood, 1915 is the smallest species of the subgenus Eptesicus found in South America. It has a discontinuous distribution, with northern populations in Colombia and Venezuela, and southern populations in Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay. We reviewed specimens assigned to the northern populations of E. diminutus and compared them to these from the southern populations. Based on morphologic, morphometric, and molecular analyses, we support the recognition of the northern populations of E. diminutus as a new species. This new species is distributed in the Llanos of the Orinoco region in Colombia and Venezuela (and likely in Guyana). Eptesicus sp. nov. is morphologically similar to E. diminutus and E. furinalis, from which it can be distinguished by its intermediate size. This taxon increases to 11 the number of species of bats of the subgenus Eptesicus in South America.