Cytogenetics and DNA barcoding of the Round-eared bats, Tonatia (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae): a new karyotype for Tonatia bidens

Jaqueline R Tavares,Joaquim M Da Silva,Tatiane P De Sousa,Paulo C Venere,Karina De C Faria

doi:10.1590/s1984-46702015000500006

Abstract

There are two species of Neotropical Round-eared bats, Tonatia bidens Spix, 1823 and Tonatia saurophila Koopman & Williams, 1951, which present highly similar morphological characteristics that can lead to errors of identification. Specimens originally identified as T. bidens have recently been reclassified as T. saurophila, and the only karyotype documented previously for these species was 2n = 16, FN = 20. In the present study, specimens of Tonatia collected in the municipality of Barra do Garcas, in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso, were analyzed morphologically, using conventional cytogenetic techniques (C-banding, Ag-NOR, and CMA3), and through sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene. In the specimens morphologically identified as T. bidens, the diploid number (2n) was 26, and the fundamental number (FN), 38, while in T. saurophila, 2n = 16 and FN = 20, which is the karyotype also described previously for T. bidens. The dendograms obtained with sequences of the COI marker resulted in the formation of two distinct groups between T. bidens and T. saurophila, consistent with the two species, with a high sequence divergence value (14.22%). Distinct clades were also observed between T. bidens and the other phyllostomines analyzed in this study, with T. bidens also close to Phyllostomus hastatus (14.18% of sequence divergence).

Highlights

The Phyllostomidae is endemic to the New World and one of the most morphologically diverse chiropteran family, with 203 known species arranged in 60 genera (SOLARI & MARTINEZ-ARIAS 2014)
The molecular evidence suggests that some subfamilies, such as the Phyllostominae, are paraphyletic, a classification supported by the chromosomal data (BAKER et al 2003, PIECZARKA et al 2013, RIBAS et al 2015)
The cytological data available on Tonatia refer to the karyotype of T. bidens as having a diploid number (2n) of 16 and a fundamental number (FN) of 20 (BAKER 1970, BAKER & HSU 1970, PATTON & BAKER 1978, BAKER & BICKHAM 1980, SANTOS et al 2002)

Summary

Introduction

The Phyllostomidae is endemic to the New World and one of the most morphologically diverse chiropteran family, with 203 known species arranged in 60 genera (SOLARI & MARTINEZ-ARIAS 2014). WILLIAMS et al (1995) recognized specimens originally identified as T. bidens to be T. saurophila These authors emphasized the light-colored stripe on the top of the head of T. bidens as the most useful diagnostic feature for the differentiation of the two species. The cytological data available on Tonatia refer to the karyotype of T. bidens as having a diploid number (2n) of 16 and a fundamental number (FN) of 20 (BAKER 1970, BAKER & HSU 1970, PATTON & BAKER 1978, BAKER & BICKHAM 1980, SANTOS et al 2002) Most these specimens were recognized as T. saurophila following the review of WILLIAMS et al (1995)

Methods

Results

Conclusion