Faisal Ali Anwarali Khan

A review of the Murina cyclotis complex (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) with descriptions of a new species and subspecies

Until recently, the taxon Murina cyclotis was considered to be a widespread species, albeit one that exhibited considerable individual, sexual and geographical variation. Subsequently however, it was recognised that this taxon was in fact a complex of species. As such, in 2012, two larger forms were recognised as separate and distinct species, namely: M. peninsularis in the Sunda region and M. fionae in Laos and Vietnam. In the current paper, a new cryptic species of the cyclotis-complex is described from peninsular Thailand based on a combination of external, craniodental and genetic differences. In addition, the population previously referred to M. cyclotis from the Nicobar Islands is described as a new subspecies of this new species. Despite this work and the research of others, the taxonomy of M. cyclotis still requires further study. The description of M. peninsularis is emended and the extensive variation in its morphological characters is addressed. The diagnostic characters of each taxon, as well as the additional data on ecology, zoogeography, distribution, echolocation and genetics, where available, are summarised and discussed.

Taxonomic Implications of Geographical Variation in Rhinolophus Affinis (Chiroptera: Rhinolophidae) in Mainland Southeast Asia

BackgroundRhinolophus affinis sensu lato is distributed throughout Southeast Asia. The taxonomic status of forms attributed to the species is unclear due to the limited sample size with incomplete datasets and the taxa have high variation in morphology and echolocation call frequency. The aim of the study was to evaluate the distribution and taxonomic status of the subspecific forms of R. affinis in mainland Southeast Asia using large sample size with multiple datasets, including morphological, acoustic, and genetic data, both to elucidate taxonomic relationships and to test for congruence between these datasets.ResultsThree morphological forms were confirmed within the region; two concur with previously recognized taxa, namely R. affinis macrurus and R. affinis superans, and are strongly supported by morphological and genetic data. The third form is morphologically distinct, but its taxonomic status remains unclear. It is probable that this third form represents a distinct taxonomic entity; however, more data are required to confirm this. R. a. macrurus is known from the north of peninsular Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos, and Vietnam (Indochinese subregion); R. a. superans is found throughout the Thai-Malay Peninsula (Sundaic subregion); whilst the third form is presently known from east central Myanmar (Shan state) and lower northern Vietnam (Nghe An Province).ConclusionsOur results suggest that at least three morphological forms occur in mainland Southeast Asia including one form which appears to be new to science. Echolocation call data for R. affinis are not a robust taxonomic tool as it shows a significant degree of variation which is not explained or supported by genetic and morphological findings. This study highlights significant levels of morphological variation in mainland Southeast Asia and provides an essential basis for further studies aiming to understand the population genetics, phylogeography, and taxonomy of the species.

Assessing Bat Roosts Using the LiDAR System at Wind Cave Nature Reserve in Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo

Conventionally, bat roost counts and roost size estimation are potentially a disruptive, repetitive method and are time consuming. Introduction of the Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) scanning system, an optical remote sensing technology, for scientific purposes have open many research possibilities especially on cave wildlife surveys. Scanned images at high resolution provide new effective biological tools for assessing bat roosts inside caves on walls or ceiling in total darkness. LiDAR system was applied to census bats that roost in Wind Cave Nature Reserve, Sarawak, Malaysia, based on laser return intensity values from the images. Bats that roost in large clusters, specifically Penthetor lucasi were determined through automated counting using connected components labelling, a graph theory algorithm mostly used in image analysis applications. Roost surface area of bats species was calculated based on point clouds extracted and using simple trigonometry. Wind Cave was successfully modelled into three dimensional (3D) cave images with bats roosting inside the cave. The roost sites of bats in the cave were represented in coloured point clouds that represent the species. Through LiDAR images, bats in Wind Cave consisted of about 979 individuals of P. lucasi and 1,907 individuals of insectivorous bats from nine species representing four families. There is a positive correlation between group size and roost area. For every additional bat, roost area is expected to increase by an average of 1.75 m2. Our result suggested that terrestrial LiDAR technology is capable of assessing bat roosts in their natural habitat to determine their roost size and number of individuals that roost in the cave. Terrestrial LiDAR application is most complementary when integrated with field surveys to produce more reliable outcomes which open up possibilities of effective conservation action plans.

Small mammals from Miri, northeastern region of Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo: note on new locality records

Small mammal surveys were conducted at Niah National Park, Lambir Hills National Park and Gunung Mulu National Park, Miri Division, in the northeastern region of Sarawak, using ground-level and canopy mist-nets, harp traps, and cage traps. The main objective of these surveys was to assess small mammal diversity in the northeastern region of Sarawak. Gunung Mulu National Park recorded the highest diversity of small mammals with 29 species, followed by Niah National Park with 19 species, and Lambir Hills National Park, 17 species. These surveys revealed nine new locality records for Miri, including eight bat species ( Dyacopterus spadiceus, Megaerops wetmorei, Nycteris tragata, Hipposideros cineraceus, Hesperoptenus blanfordi, Kerivoula pellucida, Murina suilla and Myotis muricola ) and a squirrel ( Sundasciurus brookei ). Megaerops wetmorei is also reported for the first time in Sarawak.

Checklist of bat flies (Diptera: Nycteribiidae and Streblidae) and their associated bat hosts in Malaysia

The number of publications on bat flies of Malaysia suggests that this group of parasitic dipterans is understudied. From April 2011 to September 2013, we surveyed 10 localities from seven states in Malaysia with the main objective to compile a checklist of bat flies. As a result, a total of 15 species of bat flies were recorded from 24 species of hosts. Our surveys indicated that there is a correlation between the number of bat species and the number of bat flies species recorded due to the host specific nature of bat flies.

A molecular phylogeny of bedbugs elucidates the evolution of host associations and sex-reversal of reproductive trait diversification

All 100+ bedbug species (Cimicidae) are obligate blood-sucking parasites and well-known for their habit of traumatic insemination but the evolutionary trajectory of these characters is unknown. Our new, fossil-dated, molecular phylogeny estimates that ancestral Cimicidae evolved ca. 115MYA as hematophagous specialists on an unidentified host, 50MY before bats, switching to bats and birds thereafter. Humans were independently colonized three times and our phylogeny rejects the idea that the divergence of the two current urban pests (Cimex lectularius and C. hemipterus) 47MYA was associated with the divergence of Homo sapiens and H. erectus (1.6MYA). The female’s functional reproductive tract is unusually diverse and heterotopic, despite the unusual and strong morphological stasis of the male genitalia. This sex-reversal in genital co-variation is incompatible with current models of genital evolution. The evolutionary trait diversification in cimicids allowed us to uncover fascinating biology and link it to human pre-history and current activity.

Bats Assemblage and Lunar Phase Effect on Bat Activity at Mixed Dipterocarp Forest, Gunung Gading National Park, Sarawak, Borneo

Bat surveys at Gunung Gading National Park (GGNP) were conducted for 29 non-consecutive nights, which consisted of five separate sampling sessions from November 2011 until November 2015. A total of 378 individuals representing 36 species from six families were captured, from an accumulated effort of 435 trapping nights. This corresponds to approximately 39% (n=36) of the total species recorded in Borneo. The most commonly captured species in GGNP for insectivorous bats was Rhinolophus affinis (20.1%), whereas for frugivorous bats Penthetor lucasi (14.3%) dominated the capture. Species accumulation curve reached asymptote on the 24th sampling night suggesting that sampling saturation has been achieved for the trapping sites studied here. The species diversity (H’= 2.75) showed relatively high diversity of bat species in the park compared to other actively surveyed sites in western Sarawak including Bako National Park (Bako NP), Kubah National Park (Kubah NP) and Mount Penrisen (Mt Penrisen). This was further supported through rarefaction analysis showing that GGNP has largest value of estimated species compared to other actively surveyed sites in western Sarawak. Lunar phase and bat capture rate correlation analysis showed that there is no statistically significant relationship between lunar phase and the bat capture rate at GGNP. This suggests that bat activity reported here were not affected by moonlight. The results from these surveys provided the most comprehensive list of bats for GGNP. Our study highlights the importance of GGNP as an important habitat for bat conservation including the rare bat species found in Borneo, Phoniscus atrox.

A New Species in the Hipposideros bicolor Group (Chiroptera: Hipposideridae) from Peninsular Malaysia

With 70 named species and multiple morphologically cryptic lineages, the genus Hipposideros is a diverse and taxonomically contentious group of insectivorous bats in the Old World tropics. Half of the named species and most of the cryptic diversity in Hipposideros are concentrated in the bicolor species group. Here we resolve the taxonomic status of Hipposideros bicolor (Temminck, 1834), the species groups namesake. Two morphologically cryptic but acoustically and genetically distinct lineages of H. bicolor co-occur in peninsular Malaysia and Thailand. Pending taxonomic revision, these lineages were named according to the average frequency of maximum energy of echolocation calls of populations in central peninsular Malaysia, H. bicolor-131 and H. bicolor-142. To determine the taxonomic status of the two lineages we measured cranial characters from all available type specimens in the H. bicolor species group, and collected morphometric, acoustic and mitochondrial DNA sequence data for H. bicolor-131, H. bicolor-142, and closely related lineages, from multiple localities on the Malay peninsula and Borneo. Consistent with prior studies, acoustic and genetic analyses strongly support species status for H. bicolor-131 and H. bicolor-142. We find subtle but significant differences in cranial characters, including a longer skull and longer upper and lower tooth rows in H. bicolor-131 relative to H. bicolor-142. Most importantly, inclusion of cranial measurements for type specimens in the H. bicolor species group indicates that H. bicolor-131 should retain the species name, while H. bicolor-142 is distinct from all previously named species. We therefore provide a complete description for this new species of bat from Southeast Asia, Hipposideros kunzi sp. nov.

Geographical Variation of Rhinolophus affinis (Chiroptera: Rhinolophidae) in the Sundaic Subregion of Southeast Asia, including the Malay Peninsula, Borneo and Sumatra

Rhinolophus affinis sensu lato is a widespread bat species in South and Southeast Asia which shows considerable geographical variation in its morphology, echolocation call frequencies and genetics. The taxonomic status of the taxon in the Sundaic subregion remains uncertain however as the limited studies to date have been largely based on morphology. The aim of the present study was to determine the taxonomic status of subspecific forms recognized in the subregion and to evaluate phylogeographic distinctiveness between those occurring in Borneo and the Malay Peninsula using genetic, morphological and acoustic datasets. Two forms were confirmed: R. a. nesites from Borneo and R. a. superans from the peninsula. The previous recognition of a population from southernmost Sumatra as R. a. superans was not supported, however, as this form is likely R. a. affinis. Genetic divergence between these three forms is rather deep and is estimated to have occurred during the arid climatic period of the Pleistocene when suitable habitats were reduced to isolated pockets. Our results support the phylogeographic distinctiveness hypothesis as R. affinis sensu lato shows discrete affinities between Borneo and the Malay Peninsula. Discovery of new forms of R. affinis is likely with greater sampling effort throughout the region. Our study also demonstrates the importance of employing multiple datasets in taxonomic evaluations, as the use of morphological and/or acoustic datasets alone could lead to erroneous conclusions.