The genetic diversity of D-loop sequences in eastern bent-winged bats (<i>Miniopterus fuliginosus</i>) living in Wakayama Prefecture, Japan

Abstract

The eastern bent-winged bat (Miniopterus fuliginosus) is an insectivorous bat that lives in the caves, throughout Japan [11]. The bats aggregate in cave in populations of tens to thousands of individuals. We examined the mitochondrial D-loop sequences of bats in Wakayama, Japan, and divided them into 35 haplotypes. The sequences of 3 haplotypes in Wakayama were the same as those of 10 Miniopterus fuliginosus individuals living in China. Given the substitution rate of the D-loop region, we speculated that the bats had moved between Japan and China within the last 16,000 years. We could not determine how the bats crossed the sea; however, it is possible that the bats undergo dynamic movement widely throughout East Asia.

Innervation of the wing membrane in the bent‐winged bat Miniopterus fuliginosus

“…The bent‐winged bat Miniopterus fuliginosus of the family Vespertilionidae is widely distributed in Afghanistan, India, China and Japan (Maeda, 1996). It performs seasonal migration to its roosting sites between summer and winter and travels up to 200 km (Iida et al, 2017; Xu et al, 2005). The distance of flight differs depending on its wing morphology.…”

Dispersal history of Miniopterus fuliginosus bats and their associated viruses in east Asia

“…After the genetic structure of these populations reached near equilibrium, the bats might have moved to Japan and Taiwan relatively recently. For example, previous results revealed that the bats in Japan, Korea, and China shared the same D-loop sequences [ 25 , 26 ]. Assuming that the mutation rate of the D-loop DNA sequence is approximately one base every 20,000 years [ 60 ], we inferred that the bats in Japan arrived from Korea or from China during the last 20,000 years.…”

“…M . fuliginosus bats have been observed in China, Jeju Island, Taiwan, and Japan, and shared 100% identity between their mitochondrial D-loop DNA sequences [ 25 , 26 ]. The mitochondrial D-loop is a non-coding DNA region with a high mutation rate and is used to examine genetic difference among individuals in the same species of animals [ 27 ].…”

“…The mitochondrial D-loop is a non-coding DNA region with a high mutation rate and is used to examine genetic difference among individuals in the same species of animals [ 27 ]. This species might have undergone dynamic movement throughout east Asia [ 25 ].…”