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Bats choose their habitats based on microclimate, structure, environment, human disturbance and availability. Selection of suitable roosts by bats can have fitness benefits by providing shelter and a place to rear young. To clarify the mechanism of habitat selection by Stoliczka’s trident bat (Aselliscus stoliczkanus), roost selection, ecology and diet of this species were studied from December 2013 to September 2017 in mainland China. Ninety-six potential roosts were investigated. Of these, 73 roosts were occupied by bats, and 20 of these roosts were used by A. stoliczkanus. Eighteen variables related to habitat characteristics were measured, and A. stoliczkanus habitat preferences were evaluated using independent-samples t-tests and Chi-square tests. The major environmental factors affecting selection of roosts were determined by principal component analysis (PCA). Roosts used by A. stoliczkanus were significantly smaller in size than those used by other bat species, with more and narrower entrances. Hibernation roosts of A. stoliczkanus had relatively longer roost length, as well as lower entrances. Breeding roosts of A. stoliczkanus were close to the nearest water source and had more entrances, with more area covered by water. Disturbance levels were significantly higher in non-breeding roosts than that in breeding roosts, and disturbance levels were lower in hibernation roosts than non-hibernation roosts. Entrances of breeding roosts were more commonly located on sunny slopes, while entrances of hibernation roosts were more commonly located on shady slopes. Our results are the first to describe roost characteristics and habitat selection of A. stoliczkanus, and increase our understanding of the ecology and habitat of this species. The diet of A. stoliczkanus mainly includes five orders of insects, namely, Lepidoptera, Coleoptera, Hemiptera, Odonata, and Diptera, and showed clear seasonal variation from summer to autumn.

The taxonomic status of the subspecies of Aselliscus stoliczkanus (Mammalia: Chiroptera: Hipposideridae) in China has yet to reach a consensus. To explore the variation and differentiation among populations of A. stoliczkanus from different regions of China, we conducted a series of bat surveys from 2012 to 2015. We performed multivariate morphological analyses using 16 external and 18 skull measurements and compared the sequence divergences of 2 mitochondrial genes (cytochrome b [ Cytb ] and cytochrome oxidase I [COI]). There were significant differences in external and skull measurements, particularly in the upper and lower canines, in the specimens from Guangxi compared with those from southwestern Yunnan and Guizhou. Sequence variation of the Cytb and COI genes was 11.0–13.2% and 12.4–14.0%, respectively, which represents differentiation at the species level. The samples from Guangxi were clustered with A. dongbacana from Vietnam in the phylogenetic trees based on COI sequences, and their sequence divergence was less than 3.2%. Based on the morphological and molecular results, we inferred that the samples from Guangxi were A. dongbacana , which represents a new record in China. Skull measurements of A. stoliczkanus from southwestern Yunnan exhibited significant morphological differences compared with those from Anlong County of Guizhou, and the sequence divergences of the Cytb and COI genes were 5.7–6.3% and 6.4–6.7%, respectively. Therefore, A. stoliczkanus from southwestern Yunnan and Anlong County of Guizhou might represent different subspecies. Finally, the phylogenetic analyses and minimal Cytb divergences of 0.2–0.9% indicated that specimens from southwestern and central Yunnan should be considered the same subspecies. Samples from Anlong County of Guizhou, Sichuan, and South Yunnan, with low Cytb divergences of 0.1–0.7%, represent another subspecies. A greater COI gene divergence was found between Libo and Anlong County of Guizhou; thus, the samples from Libo might represent yet another subspecies.

In China, the status of Hipposideros armiger subspecies remains controversial. To elucidate the H. armiger taxonomy, we conducted a series of surveys of bats in different areas of China between 2011 and 2014. Bats were characterized by 16 external measurements, 25 skull measurements and the sequence analysis of two mitochondrial genes (cytochrome-b and D-loop). Our research indicated that the external and cranial measurements were similar in the samples from the six geographic regions. No obvious differences were detected in H. armiger morphology. Additionally, no significant cytochrome-b sequence divergence existed between the samples within a region (0–0.9%) and among the six regions (0–1.8%). The results obtained for the D-loop were similar, with 0–3.4% divergence within a region and 0–4.5% among the six regions. Moreover, no significant geographic differentiation was observed in the phylogenetic trees. Based on these morphological and molecular results, H. armiger is represented in China by only one subspecies, H. a. armiger.

The taxonomic status of subspecies of Hipposideros pomona (Mammalia: Chiroptera: Hipposideridae) in China is controversial and uncertain. To explore the differences and subspecies differentiation in H. pomona from different regions of China, we conducted a series of bat surveys from 2011 to 2014. We performed multivariate morphometric analyses using 16 external and 21 skull measurements based on 100 samples and compared DNA sequence divergence. The results revealed distinct differences in both the external and skull measurements of H. pomona. The Cytb and COΙ sequence divergences of H. pomona from 3 regions ranged from 6.0% to 8.5% and 5.2% to 8.0%, respectively, which reached the levels required for subspecies classification. In contrast, the RAG1 gene was not considered to be a good molecular marker for identifying subspecies because the sequence divergence was 0–0.7% within a region and 0–0.8% among regions. Both the morphological and molecular results of this study supported the conclusion that H. pom...