Distribution and systematic relationships of long-eared <i>Myotis</i> in western Canada

Abstract

Cranial, dental, and external characters of three long-eared bats (Myotis evotis (H. Allen), M. keenii keenii (Merriam), and M. k. septentrionalis (Trouessart)) are analyzed to elucidate their relationship, and an up-to-date summary of their distribution in western Canada is given. Although univariate comparisons showed varying degrees of overlap between any two of the three forms, discriminant function analysis demonstrates the existence of three phenetically distinct forms in western Canada. Further analyses using a ratio diagram and Gower's general similarity coefficient suggest that the eastern long-eared bat represents a distinct species, Myotis septentrionalis (Trouessart).