Systematic Implications of Chromosome Gtg-Band and Bacula Morphology for Southern African<i>Eptesicus</i>and<i>Pipistrellus</i>and Several Other Species of Vespertilioninae (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae)

Abstract

Phylogenetic analyses of bacular and chromosomal GTG-band characters verify the suggestion that Eptesicus hottentotus (A. Smith, 1833) is the only true Eptesicus Rafinesque, 1820 of the six southern African species (capensis, cf. melckorum, rendalli, somalicus and zuluensis) formerly classified as Eptesicus. GTG-banded chromosomes studied in rendalli, zuluensis and capensis confirm the affiliation of all of them to the genus Neoromicia; these species were previously placed in the Pipistrellus Kaup, 1829, subgenus Neoromicia based on bacular morphology. For karyological reasons, the elevation of the subgenus Neoromicia to generic rank is established by the presence of three Robertsonian fusion chromosomes (7/11, 8/9, 10/12) as distinguishing characters. The move of Hypsugo nanus and cf. melckorum to the genus Neoromicia is indicated by chromosomal analysis and bacular morphology, respectively. The close phylogenetic relationship between Pipistrellus cf. kuhlii and P. rusticus is shown by a shared Robertsonian fusion element (11/12).