Diversity of Malaysian insectivorous bat assemblages revisited

Abstract

To what extent tropical forest persisted in the Malay-Thai Peninsula during the Last Glacial Maximum, or contracted southwards with subsequent post-glacial expansion, has long been debated. These competing scenarios might be expected to have left contrasting broad spatial patterns of diversity of forest-dependent taxa. To test for a postglacial northward spread of forest, we examined latitudinal clines of forest-dependent bat species at 15 forest sites across Peninsular Malaysia. From captures of 3776 insectivorous forest bats, we found that low richness characterized the north of the study area: predicted richness of 9-16 species, compared with 21-23 in the south. Predicted species richness decreased significantly with increasing latitude, but showed no relationship with either seasonality or peninsula width. Analyses of beta-diversity showed that differences between communities were not related to geographical distance, although there was evidence of greater differences in species numbers between the most distant sites. Assemblages were consistently dominated by six cave-roosting species from the families Rhinolophidae and Hipposideridae, while another 16 species were consistently rare. We suggest that these observed patterns are consistent with the hypothesized northward expansion of tropical rain forest since the Last Glacial Maximum, but emphasize that more surveys in the extreme north and south of the peninsula are required to support this assertion.

A new twist on a very old binary similarity coefficient

“…The data set consisted of 41 published species lists including 62 species. The sources were Luruthusamy et al (2011Luruthusamy et al ( , 2014, Francis (1990), Hasan et al (2012), , Kingston et al (2003), Liat et al (2010), Lim et al (2014), Mariana et al (2005Mariana et al ( , 2011, Struebig et al (2009), and Tingga et al (2012). Megachiropterans were excluded because they are usually left out of such studies for logistical reasons.…”

A checklist of the bats of Peninsular Malaysia and progress towards a DNA barcode reference library

“…Recorded at: Pulau Pinang : Unspecified [23]; Johor : Pulau Pisang and Pulau Aur [23]; Kedah : Pulau Langkawi [23], Ulu Muda Forest Reserve [57]; Pahang: Krau Wildlife Reserve [11, 40], Merapoh [40], Tasik Chini [43], Pulau Tioman [79], National Park [87], Kemasul [100]; Perak : Bukit Jerneh Cave and Tumang Lembing Cave [30], Temengor Forest Reserve [47]; Selangor : Bangi Forest Reserve [41], Bukit Kutu Wildlife Reserve [51], Ulu Gombak [52, 54], Sungai Dusun Game Reserve [88]; Negeri Sembilan : Pasoh Forest Reserve [45], Berembun Forest Reserve [101]; Perlis : Wang Kelian State Park [50]. …”

“…Recorded at: Pahang : Krau Wildlife Reserve [11], Tasik Chini [43], Kenong [100]; Kedah : Pulau Langkawi [23], Ulu Muda Forest Reserve [57]; Perak : Bukit Jerneh Cave and Tumang Lembing Cave [30], Bayor River-Rantau Panjang [49]; Negeri Sembilan : Pasoh Forest Reserve [45]; Perlis : Wang Kelian State Park [50]; Kelantan: Gunung Reng [62]; Pulau Pinang : Bukit Panchor [100]. …”

“…Recorded at: Pahang : Krau Wildlife Reserve [11, 41, 42], Pulau Tioman [23, 79], Merapoh [40], Tasik Chini [43], National Park [44], Tasik Bera Forest Reserve, Fraser Hill Forest Reserve and Lata Bujang Forest Reserve [56], Cameron Highland [60], Kuala Atok, Bukit Ibam, Kemasul, Jengka, Klau Besar, Kenong and Gunung Aais [100]; Terengganu : Pasir Raja, Dungun [15], Pulau Redang [23], Tasik Kenyir [69], Bukit Dendong [97], Gunung Tebu Forest Reserve [101]; Perak : Lenggong [23], Bukit Jerneh Cave and Tumang Lembing Cave [30], Temengor Forest Reserve [46–48], Royal Belum State Park [66], Temenggor Lake [69], Kledang Saiong Forest Reserve [100, 101]; Selangor : Batu Caves [23], Bukit Kutu Wildlife Reserve [51], Ulu Gombak [120]; Negeri Sembilan : Pasoh Forest Reserve [45], Gunung Angsi Forest Reserve [100, 101], Berembun Forest Reserve [101]; Perlis : Wang Kelian State Park, [50]; Johor : Endau-Kota Tinggi Forest Reserve [56], Gunung Panti [100]; Kedah : Ulu Muda Forest Reserve [57, 100], Bukit Hijau [100]; Kelantan : Air Panas-Gua Musang [61], Gunung Reng and Gua Musang [62], Gunung Stong State Park [67], Gunung Stong State Park [100]; Melaka : Unspecified [68]; Pulau Pinang : Bukit Panchor [100]. …”

“…Recorded at: Pahang : Gunong Benom [140] in Krau Wildlife Reserve [11, 32]; Perak : Bukit Jerneh Cave and Tumang Lembing Cave [30], Temengor Forest Reserve [46, 47], Kledang Saiong Forest Reserve [101]; Negeri Sembilan : Pasoh Forest Reserve [45], Gunung Angsi Forest Reserve [100]; Selangor : Ulu Gombak [54]; Johor : Endau-Kluang Forest Reserve and Endau-Kota Tinggi Forest Reserve [56], Gunung Panti [100]; Kedah : Ulu Muda Forest Reserve [57]. …”