A revision of pipistrelle-like bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) in East Africa with the description of new genera and species

Abstract

Vespertilionidae (class Mammalia) constitutes the largest family of bats, with ~500 described species. Nonetheless, the systematic relationships within this family are poorly known, especially among the pipistrelle-like bats of the tribes Vespertilionini and Pipistrellini. Perhaps as a result of their drab pelage and lack of obvious morphological characters, the genus and species limits of pipistrelle-like bats remain poorly resolved, particularly in Africa, where more than one-fifth of all vesper bat species occur. Further exacerbating the problem is the accelerating description of new species within these groups. In this study, we attempt to resolve the systematic relationships among the pipistrelle-like bats of sub-Saharan Africa and Madagascar and provide a more stable framework for future systematic efforts. Our systematic inferences are based on extensive genetic and morphological sampling of > 400 individuals covering all named genera and the majority of described African pipistrelle-like bat species, focusing on previously unstudied samples of East African bats. Our study corroborates previous work by identifying three African genera in Pipistrellini (Pipistrellus, Scotoecus and Vansonia), none of which is endemic to Africa. However, the situation is more complex in Vespertilionini. With broad taxonomic sampling, we confirm that the genus Neoromicia is paraphyletic, a situation that we resolve by assigning the species of Neoromicia to four genera. Neoromicia is here restricted to Neoromicia zuluensis and allied taxa. Some erstwhile Neoromicia species are transferred into an expanded Laephotis, which now includes both long-eared and short-eared forms. We also erect two new genera, one comprising a group of mostly forest-associated species (many of which have white wings) and the other for the genetically and morphologically unique banana bat. All four of these genera, as recognized here, are genetically distinct, have distinctive bacular morphologies and can be grouped by cranial morphometrics. We also demonstrate that the genus Nycticeinops, until now considered monospecific, includes both Afropipistrellus and the recently named Parahypsugo, thus representing the fifth African genus in Vespertilionini. A sixth genus, Hypsugo, is mostly extra-limital to sub-Saharan Africa. Finally, we describe three new species of pipistrelle-like bats from Kenya and Uganda, uncovered during the course of systematic bat surveys in the region. Such surveys are greatly needed across tropical Africa to uncover further bat diversity.

Overview of Bat and Wildlife Coronavirus Surveillance in Africa: A Framework for Global Investigations

“…However, recent changes of note are among the Hipposideridae, Rhinolophidae, Miniopteridae, and Vespertilionidae families, with additions of new genera ( Afronycteris , Pseudoromicia, Vansonia (elevated to genus)) and the reassignment of species to existing and new genera [ 68 , 69 , 70 , 71 ]. Some of these include Hipposideros species reassignments to the genus Macronycteris and the resolution of some Neoromicia species with reassignments to Laephotis, Afronycteris, and Pseudoromicia genera [ 68 , 69 ]. Currently recognized species may be accessed at (accessed 18 November 2020) [ 72 ], and new species need to be correctly correlated to geographical distributions.…”

“…The MERS-related coronaviruses genomes currently sharing the highest similarity to human and camel MERS-CoV were detected in Africa from Neoromicia capensis (South Africa) and Pipistrellus hesperidus (Uganda) [ 32 , 58 , 59 ]. Both Neoromicia and Pipistrellus are small insectivorous bats belonging to the Vespertilionidae family, with several species reassignments occurring in 2020 [ 68 ]. Due to taxonomic rearrangements, the genera Laephotis, Afronycteris, and Pseudoromicia , necessitate inclusion into future MERS-related coronavirus surveillance due to possible intra-host sharing of coronaviruses.…”

“…Depending on the species, both N. capensis (reassigned as Laephotis capensis) and P. hesperidus have widespread distributions in various parts of Africa [ 67 , 68 ]. N. capensis ( L. capensis ) is an abundant and adaptable species distributed from sub-Saharan Africa to South Africa.…”

Lagos Bat Virus, an Under-Reported Rabies-Related Lyssavirus

“…Therefore, brain material is the most reliable sample for virus detection, and positive detection is associated with clinical signs. Bats are considered the primary hosts for lyssaviruses [ 5 , 6 ], with 13 extant families and an estimated 58 genera and 339 species reported in Africa [ 23 , 35 ], representing more than 20% of global bat diversity. Very few studies on lyssavirus surveillance for nucleic acid detection in Africa ( Table S1 ) have been published.…”

Review of Bats of Southern and Central Africa, second edition

“…However, with global efforts towards digitising museum collections, it is almost certain that subsequent editions will contain crania and mandible photographs of higher resolution. Lastly, rapidly advancing taxonomic research means that this edition was slightly outdated by the time of publication (see the taxonomic revision of pipistrelle-like bats by Monadjem et al 2020).…”