Search

Long-eared bats of the genus Plecotus are known to occur predominantly in the Palaearctic Region, and at the margins of the Afrotropical and Indomalayan regions. In 2014, four specimens of the genus Plecotus were collected in a high altitude montane temperate forest in the Hoang Lien National Park, northern Vietnam, representing the first record of Plecotus from the Indochinese subregion, and considerably extending the southern border of the genus' distribution range. Detailed morphological comparisons and phylogenetic reconstructions based on the mitochondrial control region suggest that these specimens can be assigned to P. homochrous, a mountain-dwelling bat from the Himalayas. Moreover, for the first time, we provide information on the species' echolocation call and karyological characteristics. Our results also indicate that the taxonomic status of some Plecotus species recognized by previous studies is doubtful and must be revised. Although rarely encountered, Plecotus is likely to be widely distributed at the higher elevations of the Himalayan chain in southern China and the adjoining northern areas of Vietnam, Laos, and Myanmar. Our findings strongly support the importance of the mountainous areas within the Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspot. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Joffre's pipistrelle Hypsugo joffrei is a rare and very little known vespertilionid bat previously thought to be confined to Myanmar and Vietnam in Southeast Asia. Based on recently collected material and reassessment of museum specimens, this species is being reported for the first time from India and Nepal which also significantly extends its westward geographic range beyond Myanmar. We also critically compare the type specimen of another poorly known congener from Myanmar, H. anthonyi with the present material and propose to recognize the name H. anthonyi as the junior subjective synonym of H. jojfrei. Specimens previously identified as Philetor brachypterus from South Asia were found to represent H. joffrei, as well. Consequently, the distribution range of Philetor is restricted to the Sundaic zoogeographical subregion, the Philippines, New Guinea and Bismarck Is., and the species should be omitted from the bat checklists of India and Nepal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on a series of specimens collected in Cambodia and Vietnam, this paper describes 3 new species of tube-nosed bats belonging to the Murina "suilla-group" (Vespertilionidae: Murininae). We provide detailed accounts of their external and craniodental morphology, including a suite of standard measurements, and compare the new taxa with all other members of the group currently recognized in Southeast Asia. The 1st new species was previously included in M. tubinaris (Scully, 1881) but is considered distinct due to differences in external and craniodental features. This new species is widespread in continental Southeast Asia and relatively well represented in museum collections, whereas the other new species are known only from a few specimens collected at scattered localities. The new taxa are known only from forested areas, which highlights the incompleteness of existing knowledge and strong potential for further discoveries in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The systematics status of the constituent species of the M. mystacinus morphogroup in the Himalayan region has long been marred by uncertainty. Lack of integrative studies combining morphological and genetic data from specimens recently collected in this region has hampered our understanding of cryptic variations in this complex taxonomic group. To address this issue, new material from the Himalayan region of India and Nepal was obtained and vouchered specimens in the holdings of various museums were also re-examined. As comparative material, a large series of relevant specimens from South and Southeast Asia were also included in this revision. Using a combination of multivariate analysis of craniodental characters and molecular reconstructions, we critically evaluated the systematic position of the small Myotinae in the Himalayas. We establish that M. nipalensis forms a very distinct lineage (which also includes the recently described M. annatessae) and refute previous taxonomic suggestions that it is related to M. davidii. Our study also conclusively proved the common occurrence of the poorly known genus Submyotodon in the Himalayan region (Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal and China) and evidenced species-level divergences within that genus. Submyotodon species share nyctalodont or semi-nyctalodont lower molar configuration with few other small and unrelated Myotinae from Asia suggesting that these unusual dental characters are homoplasious in this subfamily. We also noticed a very confused taxonomic situation associated with many DNA sequences of Asian Myotis deposited in public repositories and call for possibilities of better data curation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]