A new species of Kerivoula (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) from Southeast Asia

Morphology, genetics and echolocation calls of the genus Kerivoula (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae: Kerivoulinae) in Thailand

“…However, as the genetic analy sis shows there are potentially two cryptic species within the taxon, without additional study, especially in the type locality of depressa (and possibly crypta, although geo graphically this seems unlikely), it will be very difficult to prove which one is referable to the taxon depressa and which is possibly referable to an undescribed species. The specimens referred to K. titania on the basis of their slightly larger, flatskulls are comparable to the description of K. titania by Bates et al (2007).…”

“…The taxon crypta, which has a relatively flat tened braincase was described from western peninsular India, and the taxon malpasi, which differs only in pelage colour, is geographically isolated in Sri Lanka (Bates and Harrison 1997). Bates et al (2007) suggest that the correct name for the bats with smaller, flatheaded skulls (BH < 5.1 mm) may be K. depressa. However, as the genetic analy sis shows there are potentially two cryptic species within the taxon, without additional study, especially in the type locality of depressa (and possibly crypta, although geo graphically this seems unlikely), it will be very difficult to prove which one is referable to the taxon depressa and which is possibly referable to an undescribed species.…”

“…Simmons (2005), following Corbet and Hill (1992) and Sinha (1999), did not recognise any subspecies of K. hardwickii. Bates et al (2007) suggested that the smaller, flat headed taxon (BH < 5.1 mm) may prove to be K. depressa, whereas that with the slightly larger, domedskull taxon (BH > 5.1 mm) may be referable to the true K. hardwickii. They did not include information on the possible distri butional ranges of these two taxa.…”

Research priorities for bat conservation in Southeast Asia: a consensus approach

“…Not only have new species been discovered in areas not previously or recently studied (Bates et al 2004(Bates et al , 2007bMatveev and Csorba 2007), but they have also been found in relatively well-known localities as a consequence of greater research intensity (e.g., Francis et al 2007a). Detailed reviews of museum collections have identiWed further additions (e.g., Helgen et al 2007;Bates et al 2007a), and the increasing use of molecular techniques is proving invaluable in elucidating hitherto hidden species diversity within cryptic species complexes (e.g., Kingston et al 2001;Francis et al 2007a, b) and clarifying relationships among them (Campbell et al 2004;Thabah et al 2006).…”

“…Bats are a critical component of Southeast Asia's threatened fauna; they constitute approximately 30% of the region's mammal species, and can comprise as many as half of all mammal species in the tropical rainforest ecoregions (Kingston et al 2006a). Moreover, the region is pivotal for international bat conservation as it supports nearly 30% of world's bat fauna; 320 species are listed by Simmons (2005) and a further ten described since (Kerivoula kachinensis (Bates et al 2004); K. krauensis (Francis et al 2007a); K. titania (Bates et al 2007a); Murina harrisoni (Csorba and Bates 2005); M. tiensa ; Rhinolophus chiewkweeae (Yoshiyuki and Lim 2005); Hipposideros khaokhaouayensis (Guillén-Servent and Francis 2006); H. boeadii (Bates et al 2007b); Dyacopterus rickarti (Helgen et al 2007); and Styloctenium mindorensis (Esselstyn 2007). Species diversity is distributed across ten families, and 67 genera (Fig.…”