Systematic revision of Southern African species in the genera Eptesicus, Neoromicia, Hypsugo and Pipistrellus (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae).

Patterns of variation in GTG-banded chromosomes, bacula morphology and cranio-dental characters among ten vespertilionid species from southern Africa were studied to clarify generic and specific relationships among the taxa previously assigned to the genera Eptesicus and Pipistrellus. GTG-banded chromosomes provided characters to support the elevation of Neoromicia to generic rank. Hence, Eptesicus hottentotus is the only true Eptesicus of the six southern African species (capensis, ct. melckorum, rendal/i, somalicus and zuluensis) formerly classified as Eptesicus. GTG-banded chromosomes also provided characters to support the transfer of P. (Hypsugo) africanus to the genus Neoromicia . Bacula morphology, although useful for specific identification of males and the distinction of the genus Eptesicus (which has a small, triangular bacula), was less suitable for phylogeny estimation in genera with a medium to large and elongated bacula (Hypsugo, Neoromicia, Pipistrellus ). Geometric and traditional morphometric techniques identified slightly different intra-specific patterns of cranio-dental sexual dimorphism and tooth wear class variation . The single geometric morphometric intra-population test of N. capen sis found no significant sexual dimorphism and tooth wear class variation . Traditional morphometric analyses, however, identified significant sexual dimorphism in a single population of six populations of N. capensis tested , and significant tooth wear class variation in one of two populations of E. hottentotus tested to merit separate treatments in subsequent intra and inter-specific analysis. Geometric morphometric analysis identified clinal centroid size variation negatively and significantly correlated with latitude and longitude in three of six species tested : E. hottentotus, N. capensis, and P. hesperidus. Only N. capensis showed a highly significant correlation between skull centroid size and different biomes and ecoregions. Neoromicia capensis was also the only species tested to show a significant clinal variation in skull shape; dorsal skull shape was negatively correlated with longitude and different biomes and ecoregions, while ventral skull shape was negatively correlated with longitude, latitude and different biomes and ecoregions. Traditional morphometric methods, however, identified the following patterns of significant intraspecific clinal variation : in N. capensis negatively correlated with latitude and longitude; in N. zuluensis positively correlated with longitude and negatively correlated with latitude; in H. anchietae, P. hesperidus and P. rusticus negatively correlated with latitude. Both geometric and traditional morphometric techniques used to assess cranio-dental variation indicated inter-specific variation was dominated by overall size, which was allometrically constrained and hence there was considerable inter-specific homology. The measurements used in traditional morphometric analysis, however, allowed better separation between the species than the landmarks captured in the geometric morphometric analysis.