On the utility of taxonomy to reflect biodiversity: the example of Lasiurini (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae)

Abstract

The taxonomic history of bats of the tribe Lasiurini (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) has undergone significant changes over time. Authors at different times have recognized various numbers of genera and subgenera within the tribe. The most recent proposed change to generic level taxonomy (that there should be three genera recognized instead of a single genus) has been debated in the literature. We reviewed papers that commented on the recent changes to lasiurine generic taxonomy, as well as those that have adopted the new taxonomy and the ones that have not. We also reviewed the relevant taxonomic literature from 1942 to the present that shows the fluid taxonomic history of these bats. The literature review shows that the recently proposed taxonomic change recognizing the three groups of lasiurine bats as distinct genera is the only taxonomy that differentiates the tribe from the genera. Examination of times to most recent common ancestor (TMRCA) of 24 vespertilionid genera shows Lasiurus, if it comprises all Lasiurini, to be an outlier. Here, we support the recognition of three genera and explain how this arrangement best reflects the evolutionary history and biodiversity of the tribe by bringing the three distinct lineages in line with other vespertilionid genera with respect to divergence times and genetic distances. Considering the Lasiurini to comprise a single genus, Lasiurus, that genus has the greatest TMRCA of all vespertilionid genera analyzed, comparable only to the genus Kerivoula of the monotypic subfamily Kerivoulinae. However, recognizing the three deeply diverged lasiurine lineages (red bats, yellow bats, and hoary bats) as genera brings their TMRCAs in line with other genera and approximates the mean TMRCA of the 24 genera analyzed. Opponents of Baird et al.’s taxonomy argued that these three lineages should be considered as subgenera to avoid changing scientific names for purpose of nomenclatural stability and ease of conducting a literature search and because the three deep lineages are all monophyletic. That argument ignores the biological reality that these lineages are morphologically distinct, and that they are genetically as distinct from one another as other genera of vespertilionid bats; there is ample precedent in the mammalian literature to use values of TMRCA as a metric to maintain consistency of higher taxonomic categories such as genus. We encourage other mammalogists to utilize taxonomy to its maximum descriptive potential, while taking into account phylogenetic relationships of the taxa of interest.

Molecular systematics of tamarins with emphasis on genusTamarinus(Primates, Callitrichidae)

“…Garbino (2015) and Garbino and Martins‐Junior (2018) proposed the use of subgenera to avoid change and maximize taxonomic stability. However, stable classifications are not the goal of phylogenetic systematics (Baird et al, 2022; Dominguez & Wheeler, 1997; Gaffney, 1979; Grant & Kluge, 2005; Isler et al, 2013; Kluge, 1989; Padial & De la Riva, 2006) and taxonomy must be constantly updated in the face of new data (Baird et al, 2022; Baker et al, 2021; Dominguez & Wheeler, 1997; Isler et al, 2013; Padial & De la Riva, 2006; Tello et al, 2014).…”

Confirming the presence of Lasiurus frantzii (Peters, 1870) (Chiroptera, Vespertilionidae) in South America: more questions than answers

“…The genus comprises small to medium-sized species with brightly coloured or banded dorsal pelage and a thickly furred dorsal uropatagium (Gardner and Handley 2008; Reid 2009 ). In recent years, Lasiurus has been separated into three distinct genera ( Baird et al 2015 , 2017 , 2021 ): Aeorestes Fitzinger, 1870, Dasypterus Peters, 1870, and Lasiurus ; however, currently Aeorestes and Dasypterus are considered to be subgenera ( Simmons and Cirranello 2023 ).…”

Distribution extension of Lasiurus arequipae Málaga, Díaz, Arias & Medina, 2020 (Chiroptera, Vespertilionidae) and contributions to its natural history

“…The genus Lasiurus includes the red, yellow, and hoary fur bats and is easily distinguished from other genera by its wide palatal emargination (approximately a third of the distance across the canines) that separates the premaxillae and upper incisors, and by its hairy uropatagium on its dorsal surface (Gardner and Handley 2008). Recently, Baird et al (2015Baird et al ( , 2017Baird et al ( , 2021 suggested the division of Lasiurus into three genera based on molecular data and external differences in fur colors: Lasiurus (red bats), Aeorestes (hoary bats), and Dasypterus (yellow bats). This taxonomic arrangement has been disputed by Ziegler et al (2016), Novaes et al (2018), and Teta (2019), citing a lack of support for this division in a monophyletic genus and stating that using subgeneric names preserves the nomenclatural stability and facilitates the searching in databases, especially when Aeorestes had never been used as a name for hoary bats.…”