Molecular and morphological revision of small Myotinae from the Himalayas shed new light on the poorly known genus Submyotodon (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae)

Abstract

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.

DNA Barcoding and Morphological Analyses Reveal a Cryptic Species of Miniopterus from India and Sri Lanka

“…We downloaded all the available COI sequences for Miniopterus species known to occur in Asia (listed in Supplementary Appendix S1). Their species assignments follow recent publications (e.g., Francis et al, 2010;Kruskop et al, 2012;Li et al, 2015;Ruedi et al, 2021), which generated and utilized many of these sequences, allowing direct comparisons. Notice that one sequence from Panay, Philippines (MK410364 - Arai et al, 2019) that was accessioned as M. schreibersii is referred here provisionally as M. cf.…”

“…Indeed, one sequence from India labeled as 'M. pusillus' (MG821204 -C. Srinivasulu, B. Srinivasulu, T. A. Shah, and G. Devender, unpublished data) appears to belong to a distinct species, with a sequence divergence of 10.0% from properly identified M. pusil lus from northern India (Ruedi et al, 2021). Three other samples from Laos and Malaysia were identified as M. medius by Francis et al (2010) but appeared in distinct clades, with 9.1% sequence divergence between these groups.…”

Occurrence of bats in protected areas of Nepal: An update on species richness and distribution records

“…Thapa (2011) (1999) from LNP is currently identified as Su. caliginosus (Ruedi et al 2021) is added to the list of bats in PAs. Sherpa (1994) and Suwal and Verheugt (1995) do not include confirmed locality records of species occurrences from the PAs.…”

First record of Disk-footed bat Eudiscopus denticulus (Osgood, 1932) (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) from India with notes on its ecology and genetics

“…Despite the relatively small geographic area of the state of Meghalaya, this discovery of a new genus in the country both confi rm that this region is exceptionally rich in Chiropteran diversity, and certainly is still underexplored (Ruedi et al, 2012). With the present addition of E. denticulus from Meghalaya, the reported bat diversity of the state has increased to 66 species and that of India to 130 species (Saikia, 2018;Saikia et al, 2018;Chakravarty et al, 2020;Ruedi et al, 2021).…”