The American Society of Mammalogists is seeking assistance with design and production of a digital newsletter. The quarterly newsletter will share information about mammal research and conservation, student awards and funding opportunities, ASM activities, and more.

Fellow Mammalogists, The 2026 Annual Meeting is being held Norfolk, VA. We will continue our tradition of a live auction, with the proceeds going to support young mammalogists through grants and awards. We need donations!

Dear ASM Members, The American Society of Mammalogists relies on your participation to guide its future. If you have not yet done so, please take a moment to vote in the election for our next round of leadership.

ASM relies on your participation to guide its future. Please take a moment to vote in the election for our next round of leadership. Input on candidates for each of the positions can be viewed below and can also be viewed on the ballot. asm.wildapricot.org/Sys/Poll/72672

Introduction: Advances in small carnivore ecology doi.org/10.1093/jmam... This Collection showcases some of the novel and critical research currently being carried out on small carnivores

Introduction: advances in small carnivore ecology

Central to most terrestrial food webs, small carnivores (Carnivora <21.5 kg adult weight; Carbone et al. 1999; Do Linh San et al. 2022) are nonetheless

doi.org

Contrasting spatial and temporal activity patterns of bats at maternity roosts and swarming sites doi.org/10.1093/jmam...

Tracing the genetics of pigment loss in maternity colonies of Townsend's Big-Eared bats, Corynorhinus townsendii doi.org/10.1093/jmam... The anomaly was not linked to inbreeding or low genetic diversity, but patterns suggest some heritability in the trait.

Animal smorgasbord: the highly diverse diet of the Wooly False Vampire Bat (Chrotopterus auritus) in southeastern Mexico doi.org/10.1093/jmam... We found at least 115 taxa and seasonal variations on a diet mainly composed of large rodents.

Does predation risk constrain behavior in prey species? A test with five tropical forest mammals. doi.org/10.1093/jmam... Findings support hypothesis that predators constrain prey species activity and behavior.

Resource availability influences group size but not territory size of North American Beaver (Castor canadensis), a territorial social species doi.org/10.1093/jmam... We found that resource availability positively influenced group size, but had no detectable effect on territory size.

Predicting niche spaces of expanding Evening Bat (Nycticeius humeralis) populations following white-nose syndrome establishment doi.org/10.1093/jmam... Researchers in Indiana found support for compensatory community dynamic in white-nose syndrome impacted Midwest bat communities

ASM is pleased to announce the 2025 awardees for the Black and Indigenous Scholars Award. This award is made possible solely from the generosity of private donor-created funds. No membership dues or conference registration fees are used. Our sincere gratitude to the gifts of many.

The American Society of Mammalogists is pleased to announce that its committee is accepting applications for the 2026 ASM Student Science Policy Award! Applications are due January 23rd, 2026. www.mammalogy.org/index.php/co...

A Letter to a Young Data Analyst: Learning Before Leaning on AI doi.org/10.1093/jmam... @Dyckologist

Space use and environmental drivers of raccoon activity in an urban park: evidence for avoidance of road crossings. doi.org/10.1093/jmam... Using GPS and accelerometry data, we show raccoons in an urban park avoid crossing roads and that activity patterns are temperature driven

A craniomandibular appraisal of size and shape variation in the genus Holochilus (Cricetidae, Sigmodontinae) by means of geometric morphometrics doi.org/10.1093/jmam...

Museomics and new topotypes resolve the taxonomy and nomenclature of a widespread Patagonian Ctenomys (Rodentia, Ctenomyidae) doi.org/10.1093/jmam...

The genetic implications of translocations on Fisher (Pekania pennanti) populations in Montana and Idaho doi.org/10.1093/jmam... Genetic structure in the U.S. Northern Rocky Mountain fishers is influenced by translocation history.

Phenotype response for the invasive Petaurus notatus in Tasmania. doi.org/10.1093/jmam... Petaurus notatus, introduced to Tasmania in the 1830s, has been linked to bird predation. Using geometric morphometrics, we found Tasmanian gliders have larger skulls with features linked to carnivory.

First comprehensive approach to the systematics of Myotis barquezi using morphology, molecules, and acoustics doi.org/10.1093/jmam... Specimens of Myotis were collected in Corrientes province, and their characteristics are coincident with those described for M. barquezi.

Bats underneath: Assessing neotropical bat use of highway underpasses using photo-trapping doi.org/10.1093/jmam... We found cluttered space gleaners to be the ones using the structures, mostly from family Phillostomidae.

Biodiversity conservation depends on the expansion of taxonomy and systematics research doi.org/10.1093/jmam... Here, we propose to use a 4-step framework with which to approach conservation strategy for mammalian biodiversity.

Physiological health benchmarks in free-ranging Fosa (Cryptoprocta ferox): establishing reference intervals to assess the impact of anthropogenic disturbance on an endemic apex predator. doi.org/10.1093/jmam... Our study establishes key health benchmarks for the Fosa, Madagascar's top predator.

How many mammal species are there now? Updates and trends in taxonomic, nomenclatural, and geographic knowledge. doi.org/10.1093/jmam... @ConnorBurgin1 @n8_upham The Mammal Diversity Database 2.0, listing 6,759 mammal species and 50,230 species-level synonyms

Hi Mammalogists! Reminder that the Black and Indigenous Scholars Award is open/accepting applications! Eligibility information/application link on our website: mammalsociety.org/committees/i... Deadline is Oct 15. Please share, we look forward to reviewing all applications. IDEA Committee

Climate change drives habitat specialization and local extirpation, causing niche reduction in an endemic chipmunk @JenniferKFrey doi.org/10.1093/jmam... The Organ Mountains Colorado Chipmunk has been extirpated from > 60% of historical sites due to niche reduction, rather than habitat loss

Sleeping giants: temporal, seasonal, and spatial variations in the 24-hour activity budget of Hippopotamus amphibius doi.org/10.1093/jmam... This 24-hour observational study reveals significant variation in hippo behaviour by time of day, season, location, and age

Newly collected specimens of eastern Rhagomys (Rodentia, Sigmodontinae) reveal high morphological variation doi.org/10.1093/jmam... We improve understanding of morphological distinction between eastern Rhagomys species and securely assign the recently collected specimens to R. rufescens.

Semi-automated identification of individual Big Brown Bats via collagen-elastin patterns in the wing membrane doi.org/10.1093/jmam... We tested if pattern-recognition software could help automate identification of big brown bats based on the collagen-elastin bundle patterns

Introduction to the Thomasomys (Rodentia: Cricetidae) turbinal adaptations: Insights into elevation and environmental challenges doi.org/10.1093/jmam... This study explores how the turbinal bones of Thomasomys species adapt to diverse environmental conditions in the