Integrative taxonomy and biogeography of Asian yellow house bats (Vespertilionidae:Scotophilus) in the Indomalayan Region

• DOI: 10.1111/jzs.12448
• Publication Date: 2021-01-13T17:38:46Z
• Authors: Vuong Tan Tu; Tamás Görföl; Gábor Csorba; Satoru Arai; Fuka Kikuchi; Dai Fukui; Daisuke Koyabu; Neil M. Furey; Saw Bawm; Kyaw San Lin; Phillip Alviola; Chu Thi Hang; Nguyen Truong Son; Tran Anh Tuan; Alexandre Hassanin
• Keywords: 0303 health sciences; comparative phylogeography; multiple datasets; sympatric species; bats; bat; Biodiversity; 15. Life on land; [SDV.BID.SPT]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Biodiversity/Systematics, Phylogenetics and taxonomy; 03 medical and health sciences; Chiroptera; [SDV.BA.ZV]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Animal biology/Vertebrate Zoology; Mammalia; Animalia; Chordata; integrative taxonomy; Scotophilus

Yellow house bats (Scotophilus) have been known for centuries as a widespread genus of vesper in the Indomalayan Region. Despite this, their taxonomic status and phylogeographical patterns remain unclear due to differing criteria employed by early taxonomists inconsistencies between morphological molecular assessments. To address these issues, we undertook comparative phylogeographic analysis Asian Scotophilus spp. using integrated genetic analyses samples collected across region. These demonstrate that yellow Asia can be classified into just two species, namely smaller S. kuhlii (e.g., FA ≤ 53.1 mm, GLS 20.18 mm) larger heathii ≥ 53.4 20.85 mm), which occur sympatry different parts Although sympatric species share similar eco-ethological preferences, they differ considerably geographic distributions intraspecific variation mtDNA sequences traits. disparities were likely misinterpreted indicating potential cryptic diversity previous studies, whereas suggest are related interspecific differences sex-biased gene flow phenotypic plasticity adapt varying environments. Our study highlights importance multiple datasets resolve uncertainties reconstruct demographic histories species.