Hidden diversity in bent‐winged bats ( C hiroptera: M iniopteridae) of the W estern P alaearctic and adjacent regions: implications for taxonomy

The taxonomic status of bent‐winged bats ( M iniopterus ) in the W estern P alaearctic and adjacent regions is unclear, particularly in some areas of the eastern M editerranean, M iddle E ast and A rabia. To address this, we analysed an extensive collection of museum materials from all principal parts of this distribution range, i.e. N orth A frica, E urope and southwest A sia, using morphological (skull) and genetic approaches (mitochondrial DNA ). Linear and geometric morphometric analysis of cranial and dental characteristics, together with molecular phylogeny, suggested that M iniopterus populations comprise four separate species: (1) M . schreibersii sensu strictissimo (s.str.) – occurring in E urope, coastal A natolia, L evant, C yprus, western T ranscaucasia, and N orth A frica; (2) M . pallidus – occurring in inland A natolia, J ordan, eastern T ranscaucasia, T urkmenistan, I ran and southern A fghanistan ( K andahar); (3) a M iniopterus sp. – recorded from N angarhar province in eastern A fghanistan, which we tentatively assign to M . cf. fuliginosus ; and (4) a M iniopterus sp. with A fro‐tropic affinities confirmed from south‐western A rabia and E thiopia, which we tentatively name M . cf. arenarius . The latter two species are well differentiated by skull morphology, while M . pallidus possesses very similar skull morphology to M . schreibersii . The results also suggest the existence of a possible new taxon (subspecies) within M . schreibersii s.str. inhabiting the A tlas M ountains of M orocco. © 2012 The Linnean Society of London