Four new tube-nosed bat species of the genus Murina (Chiroptera, Vespertilionidae) from Xizang Autonomous Region, China, based on morphological and molecular data

The genus Murina Gray, 1842, recently had four new species discovered in China over the last four years, suggesting its diversity may have been previously underestimated. Herein, we describe four new species—Murina beibengensis sp. nov., Murina medogensis sp. nov., Murina milinensis sp. nov., and Mu...

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Main Authors: Tao Luo, Ming-Le Mao, Chang-Ting Lan, Zi-Fa Zhao, Zhong-Lian Wang, Jing Yu, Jia-Jia Wang, Chen-Rui Yan, Ning Xiao, Jiang Zhou
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Pensoft Publishers 2025-06-01
Series:Zoosystematics and Evolution
Online Access:https://zse.pensoft.net/article/144375/download/pdf/
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author Tao Luo
Ming-Le Mao
Chang-Ting Lan
Zi-Fa Zhao
Zhong-Lian Wang
Jing Yu
Jia-Jia Wang
Chen-Rui Yan
Ning Xiao
Jiang Zhou
author_facet Tao Luo
Ming-Le Mao
Chang-Ting Lan
Zi-Fa Zhao
Zhong-Lian Wang
Jing Yu
Jia-Jia Wang
Chen-Rui Yan
Ning Xiao
Jiang Zhou
author_sort Tao Luo
collection DOAJ
description The genus Murina Gray, 1842, recently had four new species discovered in China over the last four years, suggesting its diversity may have been previously underestimated. Herein, we describe four new species—Murina beibengensis sp. nov., Murina medogensis sp. nov., Murina milinensis sp. nov., and Murina yadongensis sp. nov.—based on morphological and genetic evidence from specimens collected during bat diversity surveys conducted in the Xizang Autonomous Region of China over the past three years. Each of these four new species forms an independent lineage on a phylogenetic tree reconstructed using the mitochondrial COI and Cyt b genes, and each is genetically distinct from its congeners. Morphologically, the new species can be distinguished from the 43 recognized congeners by features including forearm length, hair color, and skull morphology. We elevated M. huttoni rubella from a subspecies of M. huttoni to a species based on morphological and genetic evidence. The new species discussed herein increase the number of species in the genus Murina to four worldwide and from 23 to 28 in China. This study not only enriches our understanding of bat species diversity but also underscores the importance of conducting bat surveys in the specialized highland habitats of the Himalayas.
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institution Kabale University
issn 1860-0743
language English
publishDate 2025-06-01
publisher Pensoft Publishers
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series Zoosystematics and Evolution
spelling doaj-art-1bf79f8eefea49e0aa8d0c12ab7365322025-08-20T03:26:35ZengPensoft PublishersZoosystematics and Evolution1860-07432025-06-0110131023105510.3897/zse.101.144375144375Four new tube-nosed bat species of the genus Murina (Chiroptera, Vespertilionidae) from Xizang Autonomous Region, China, based on morphological and molecular dataTao Luo0Ming-Le Mao1Chang-Ting Lan2Zi-Fa Zhao3Zhong-Lian Wang4Jing Yu5Jia-Jia Wang6Chen-Rui Yan7Ning Xiao8Jiang Zhou9Southwest United Graduate SchoolGuizhou Normal UniversityGuizhou Normal UniversityGuizhou Normal UniversityGuizhou Normal UniversityGuizhou Normal UniversityGuizhou Normal UniversityGuizhou Normal UniversityGuiyang Healthcare Vocational UniversityGuizhou Normal UniversityThe genus Murina Gray, 1842, recently had four new species discovered in China over the last four years, suggesting its diversity may have been previously underestimated. Herein, we describe four new species—Murina beibengensis sp. nov., Murina medogensis sp. nov., Murina milinensis sp. nov., and Murina yadongensis sp. nov.—based on morphological and genetic evidence from specimens collected during bat diversity surveys conducted in the Xizang Autonomous Region of China over the past three years. Each of these four new species forms an independent lineage on a phylogenetic tree reconstructed using the mitochondrial COI and Cyt b genes, and each is genetically distinct from its congeners. Morphologically, the new species can be distinguished from the 43 recognized congeners by features including forearm length, hair color, and skull morphology. We elevated M. huttoni rubella from a subspecies of M. huttoni to a species based on morphological and genetic evidence. The new species discussed herein increase the number of species in the genus Murina to four worldwide and from 23 to 28 in China. This study not only enriches our understanding of bat species diversity but also underscores the importance of conducting bat surveys in the specialized highland habitats of the Himalayas.https://zse.pensoft.net/article/144375/download/pdf/
spellingShingle Tao Luo
Ming-Le Mao
Chang-Ting Lan
Zi-Fa Zhao
Zhong-Lian Wang
Jing Yu
Jia-Jia Wang
Chen-Rui Yan
Ning Xiao
Jiang Zhou
Four new tube-nosed bat species of the genus Murina (Chiroptera, Vespertilionidae) from Xizang Autonomous Region, China, based on morphological and molecular data
Zoosystematics and Evolution
title Four new tube-nosed bat species of the genus Murina (Chiroptera, Vespertilionidae) from Xizang Autonomous Region, China, based on morphological and molecular data
title_full Four new tube-nosed bat species of the genus Murina (Chiroptera, Vespertilionidae) from Xizang Autonomous Region, China, based on morphological and molecular data
title_fullStr Four new tube-nosed bat species of the genus Murina (Chiroptera, Vespertilionidae) from Xizang Autonomous Region, China, based on morphological and molecular data
title_full_unstemmed Four new tube-nosed bat species of the genus Murina (Chiroptera, Vespertilionidae) from Xizang Autonomous Region, China, based on morphological and molecular data
title_short Four new tube-nosed bat species of the genus Murina (Chiroptera, Vespertilionidae) from Xizang Autonomous Region, China, based on morphological and molecular data
title_sort four new tube nosed bat species of the genus murina chiroptera vespertilionidae from xizang autonomous region china based on morphological and molecular data
url https://zse.pensoft.net/article/144375/download/pdf/
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