Molecular phylogenetic analysis of bats in the family Vespertilionidae in Mongolia

Abstract

Bat species in Mongolia have received a relatively low conservation priority compared to avian and other mammalian species. This might partially result from their understudied ecologies, distributions, and population sizes in Mongolia. Additionally, Mongolia hosts a relatively small assembly of bat species. In this study, we investigated the genetic characteristics of 14 species of bats ( n = 61) from six genera ( Myotis, Vespertilio, Eptesicus, Hypsugo , Plecotus , and Murina ) using a 598 bp long mitochondrial DNA cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 gene. We reconstructed Maximum likelihood and Bayesian-inference trees, together with estimated molecular divergence times on nodes of interest using an HKY substitution model. Our findings clearly showed four distinct clades (I–IV). Through the partial fragment mitochondrial DNA cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 gene, 26 haplotypes ( H d = 0.94 ± 0.0001) were identified overall from 61 individuals. We estimated a divergence time of 31.71–55.84 mya (95% highest posterior density (HPD)) on the node of clade I (genus Myotis ) and the other three clades (other genera). Interestingly, in clade II, we no longer considered animals in haplotype 2 (H2) of Hypsugo alaschanicus as H. alaschanicus. Instead, this haplotype was recently described as H. stubbei. Additional molecular genetic studies are required to clarify intraspecific divergences of some vesper bats in Mongolia, particularly, M. ikonnikovi, M. davidii, H. alaschanicus, and P. ognevi .