We describe a new species of long-eared bat, genus Plecotus, from the island of Sardinia (Italy). The new species is clearly distinguishable from other European Plecotus species by its mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene (4.1–9.6% sequence divergence) as well as by a unique combination of morphological characters such as brownish colour of dorsal pelage, a relatively large thumb and thumb claw, an almost cylindrical form of the penis and the characteristic shape of the baculum. The most important morphological diagnostic character is a relatively long (≥ 18 mm) and wide (≥ 6 mm) tragus. The new species is currently known from three localities on Sardinia. In addition to the new species we discovered a lineage of P. auritus, which is substantially differentiated from continental P. auritus at subspecific level (1.2–2.7% of sequence divergence of the 16S rRNA gene). The existence of these two endemic bat taxa on Sardinia highlights the island's importance in the conservation of the European bat community.
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1 December 2002
A New Species of Long-Eared Bat (Chiroptera, Vespertilionidae) from Sardinia (Italy)
Mauro Mucedda,
Andreas Kiefer,
Ermanno Pidinchedda,
Michael Veith
Acta Chiropterologica
Vol. 4 • No. 2
December 2002
Vol. 4 • No. 2
December 2002
16S rRNA
conservation
DNA sequence analysis
long-eared bat
morphology
Plecotus auritus
Plecotus austriacus