Range extension and species confirmation of Rhyneptesicus nasutus (Sind Serotine Bat) (Mammalia:Chiroptera) from Bajaur Agency, FATA, Pakistan

Abstract

The lack of morphological differentiation among chiropteran species and cryptic speciation impedes species identi cation. So, DNA-based approaches boost species identi cation and are increasing biological diversity. Rhyneptesicus nasutus (Sind Serotine Bat) is a rarely distributed and poorly studied species in Pakistan. This study explores the range extension of Sind bat within the territorial limits of Pakistan from Sind and Baluchistan to Federally Administered Areas (FATA) of Pakistan. No molecular record exists for the species in Pakistan. In the present study, we for the rst time present the data to con rm the species identi cation by genetic marker (cytochrome b) along with morphometric analysis of Rhyneptesicus nasutus from Pakistan. The neighbor-joining tree based on Kimura-2 parameters was created to infer the phylogenetic analyses. We sequenced the cytochrome b gene segment and conducted a phylogenetic analysis with previously published data from other countries. Sequences from Pakistan made a clade with Iranian Rhyneptesicus nasutus species suggesting a common ancestry. Various morphometric parameters (mean values) were measured like Head and Body length (44.3mm), Tail length (43.4mm), Hindfoot length (8.3mm), Forearm length (35.7mm), and Ear length 36mm while 5th