A new house bat species (Scotophilus, Vespertilionidae) from East Africa: resurrection of\nScotophilus altilis Allen, 1914?

0454433 - ÚBO 2016 CZ eng A - Abstract
Vallo, Peter - Reeder, D. M. - Benda, P.
A new house bat species (Scotophilus, Vespertilionidae) from East Africa: resurrection of
Scotophilus altilis Allen, 1914?
Zoologické dny Brno 2015: sborník abstraktů z konference 12.-13. února 2015. Brno: Ústav biologie obratlovců AV ČR, 2015 - (Bryja, J.; Řehák, Z.; Zukal, J.). s. 251. ISBN 978-80-87189-18-4.
[Zoologické dny. 12.02.2015-13.02.2015, Brno]
Institutional support: RVO:68081766
Keywords : house bat species * East Africa
Subject RIV: EG - Zoology

House bats, genus Scotophilus Leach, 1821, are vespertilionid bats inhabiting tropical and subtropical regions of Africa and Asia, with an unclear phylogenetic structure and confusing taxonomy. Five house bat specimens recently captured in Ethiopia and South Sudan could not be identified based on lack of external resemblance to common taxa of the genus. They are comparably small, with forearm length around 46 mm, and coloured grayish brown dorsally and pale drab ventrally. Phylogenetic analysis using mitochondrial sequences of cytochrome b gene showed these specimens in sister position to sympatric S. leucogaster. Based on its phylogenetic position and given the profound genetic difference to congeneric species exceeding 10%, this small-sized East African form should be regarded as a separate species. Comparison of external body dimensions and pelage colouration corroborated the original description of S. altilis Allen, 1914, a neglected taxon known from Blue Nile region in Sudan. Currently, S. altilis is considered a synonym of either S. leucogaster or S. viridis, both broadly distributed African house bat species. Taxonomic pertinence to S. altilis is yet to be confirmed through comparison with type material. Nevertheless, this East African form should be regarded as a new, largely unknown Scotophilus species.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0255110