Southeast Asia is a critical area for biodiversity conservation; levels of species richness and endemism are among the highest in the world, but rapid land-use changes endanger much of the region’s fauna. Bats are a critical component of this diversity, comprising nearly a third of Southeast Asia’s mammal species and providing vital ecological and economic services. However, nearly half the species are of conservation concern and as many as 40% of bat species are predicted to be extinct by the end of this century if current deforestation rates persist. Conservation efforts are urgently needed, and the taxonomic continuity of Southeast Asia and the prevalence of major threats throughout suggest that a region-wide initiative could be an effective approach. The Southeast Asian Bat Conservation Research Unit (SEABCRU) was established in 2007 to provide an organizational framework to both accelerate the advancement of bat research, and to coordinate conservation efforts. The SEABCRU is an informal collaboration among institutes, NGOs and individuals and provides a web-based forum for the growing number of researchers and outreach workers to interact and coordinate activities. It was launched at the 1st International Southeast Asian Bat Conference in Thailand (May 2007), during which a forum was held to derive conservation research priorities using a consensus approach. Four priorities were identified by participants: flying fox conservation and monitoring, taxonomy, conservation of cave-dependent bats, and conservation of forest-dependent bats. Here I provide an overview of the rationales behind these priorities and list the specific recommendations for the actions identified.

Research priorities for bat conservation in Southeast Asia: a consensus approach

Previous understanding of the relationships among genera of bats in the family Molossidae was based largely on phenetic analyses of morphological data. Relationships among the genera of this family have not been tested with molecular data and, thus, the objective of this study was to construct a phylogeny of representative members of free-tailed bats using DNA sequence data from 1 mitochondrial locus (Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide dehydrogenase subunit 1 [ND1]) and 3 nuclear loci (dentin matrix protein 1 exon 6 [DMP1], beta fibrinogen intron 7 [bFIB], and recombination activating gene 2 [RAG2]) for members of the subfamily Molossinae and outgroups from the families Vespertilionidae and Natalidae. Data for each gene were analyzed separately using maximum-likelihood and Bayesian methods and also analyzed in a single combined analysis of a total of 3,216 base pairs. Divergence times were estimated from the combined data set using BEAST analysis. Few intergeneric relationships were significantly supported by mitochondrial data; however, monophyly of most genera was supported. Nuclear results supported a Chaerephon–Mops clade; a New World clade consisting of Eumops, Molossus, Promops, Molossops (including Neoplatymops), Cynomops, and Nyctinomops; and a basal divergence for Cheiromeles. Divergence analysis suggested a Paleocene origin for the family and a split between molossids in the Old World and New World around 29 million years ago. Generally, relationships recovered in our analyses reflected biogeographic proximity of species and did not support the hypotheses of relationship proposed by morphological data.

https://bioone.org/journals/Journal-of-Mammalogy/volume-93/issue-1/11-MAMM-A-103.1/First-molecular-phylogenetic-insights-into-the-evolution-of-free-tailed/10.1644/11-MAMM-A-103.1.pdf

First molecular phylogenetic insights into the evolution of free-tailed bats in the subfamily Molossinae (Molossidae, Chiroptera)

Bats play crucial roles in ecosystems, are increasingly used as bio-indicators and are an important component of tropical diversity. Ecological studies and conservation-oriented monitoring of bats in the tropics benefit from published libraries of echolocation calls, which are not readily available for many tropical ecosystems. Here, we present the echolocation calls of 15 species from the Valparai plateau in the Anamalai Hills, southern Western Ghats of India: three rhinolophids (Rhinolophus beddomei, R. rouxii (indorouxii), R. lepidus), one hipposiderid (Hipposideros pomona), nine vespertilionids (Barbastella leucomelas darjelingensis, Hesperoptenus tickelli, Miniopterus fuliginosus, M. pusillus, Myotis horsfieldii, M. montivagus, Pipistrellus ceylonicus, Scotophilus heathii, S. kuhlii), one pteropodid (Rousettus leschenaultii) and one megadermatid (Megaderma spasma). Discriminant function analyses using leave-one-out cross validation classified bats producing calls with a strong constant frequency (CF) component with 100% success and bats producing frequency modulated (FM) calls with 90% success. For five species, we report their echolocation calls for the first time, and we present call frequencies for some species that differ from those published from other parts of the species' ranges. This exemplifies the need for more local call libraries from tropical regions to be collected and published in order to record endemic species and accurately identify species whose calls vary biogeographically.

Acoustic Identification of Bats in the Southern Western Ghats, India

Borneo has a significant role to play in the conservation of bat diversity in Southeast Asia, yet there is little taxonomic and distribution information available for the Indonesian states that represent over two thirds of the island. We report the results of a four week harp-trap and mistnet survey of four limestone karst formations on the Sangkulirang peninsula in East Kalimantan during August 2004. We recorded 36 taxa, including two (a Pipistrellus and Rhinolophus) that may represent new species, and three (Hipposideros bicolor, Myotis horsfieldii and M. montivagus) that are new records for Kalimantan. Several species, including the karst dependent and patchily distributed Hipposideros larvatus, Rhinolophus creaghi and R. pusillus, were highly abundant at the formations. In Borneo, many of the species were previously known from only a few, or scattered, localities including four Red-Listed species (R. creaghi, M. montivagus, Murina rozendaali and Kerivoula minuta). We review the Bornean distri...

Bats of the Sangkulirang limestone karst formations, East Kalimantan — a priority region for Bornean bat conservation

Following extensive field work in Thailand (2006–2008), this paper reviews the taxonomic status of the three species of the Hipposideros bicolor group. Based on morphometric characters and acoustic data, the two phonic types, H. bicolor (131 kHz) and H. bicolor (142 kHz) are treated as distinct species. Hipposideros bicolor (131 kHz) is designated as H. bicolor; H. bicolor (142 kHz) is provisionally designated as H. atrox. The morphometric characters, acoustic data, and geographical distribution of H. pomona are also reviewed. The diagnostic characters of these frequently confused taxa are discussed, with a detailed study of the external, cranio-dental, and bacular morphology, and acoustic features. New data on the conservation status, distribution and ecology of these three species are included.

https://bioone.org/journals/Acta-Chiropterologica/volume-12/issue-2/150811010X537990/A-Taxonomic-Review-of-the-Hipposideros-bicolor-Species-Complex-and/10.3161/150811010X537990.pdf

A taxonomic review of the Hipposideros bicolor species complex and H. pomona (Chiroptera: Hipposideridae) in Thailand

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Bane or Blessing? Reviewing Cultural Values of Bats across the Asia-Pacific Region

Recent studies have shown the importance of Myanmar for the conservation of bat diversity. In March–April, 2003, twenty-five localities in Kachin and Shan States and Mandalay and Sagaing Divisions in Upper Myanmar were surveyed using mist nets and harp traps. Of the twenty-three bat species collected, thirteen were recorded from two localities in Kachin State, one of which has already been described as a new species, Kerivoula kachinensis, and a further two (a Rhinolophus and a Kerivoula) are putative new species. Murina tubinararis, Murina cyclotis and Rhinolophus shameli were recorded for the first time in Myanmar for over 65 years, while our records of Rhinolophus stheno and Rhinolophus malayanus are the most northern localities for these species in Myanmar. Species are discussed individually with external, cranial and dental measurements summarised. We also present descriptive statistics for echolocation calls recorded from five taxa. This represents the first bat survey of northern Myanmar forests for nearly 70 years. Kachin is already known to support high biodiversity and these recent records confirm the importance of its forests for the conservation of Myanmar's mammal fauna.

Moe Moe Aung

Papers

Bane or Blessing? Reviewing Cultural Values of Bats across the Asia-Pacific Region

Results of a recent bat survey in Upper Myanmar including new records from the Kachin forests