Morphology, echolocation and foraging behaviour in two sympatric sibling species of bat (Tylonycteris pachypus and Tylonycteris robustula) (Chiroptera : Vespertilionidae)

We studied the wing morphology, echolocation calls, foraging behaviour and flight speed of Tylonycteris pachypus and Tylonycteris robustula in Longzhou County, South China during the summer (June–August) of 2005. The wingspan, wing loading and aspect ratio of the two species were relatively low, and those of T. pachypus were lower compared with T. robustula. The echolocation calls of T. pachypus and T. robustula consist of a broadband frequency modulated (FM) sweep followed by a short narrowband FM sweep. The dominant frequency of calls of T. pachypus was 65.1 kHz, whereas that of T. robustula was 57.7 kHz. The call frequencies (including highest frequency of the call, lowest frequency of the call and frequency of the call that contained most energy) of T. pachypus were higher than those of T. robustula, and the pulse duration of the former was longer than that of the latter. The inter-pulse interval and bandwidth of the calls were not significantly different between the two species. Tylonycteris pachypus foraged in more complex environments than T. robustula, although the two species were both netted in edge habitats (around trees or houses), along pathways and in the tops of trees. Tylonycteris pachypus flew slower (straight level flight speed, 4.3 m s−1) than T. robustula (straight level flight speed, 4.8 m s−1). We discuss the relationship between wing morphology, echolocation calls, foraging behaviour and flight speed, and demonstrate resource partitioning between these two species in terms of morphological and behavioural factors.

Development of vocalizations in the flat-headed bats, Tylonycteris pachypus and T. robustula (Chiroptera : Vespertilionidae)

The development of vocalizations during postnatal growth in the flat-headed bats, Tylonycteris pachypus and T. robustula in South China is described. Females of both species gave birth to twins at the end of May, and the infants flew in the last ten days of June. Vocalizations served as precursors to echolocation calls and as isolation calls (i-calls) used to attract mothers. As the infants grew, the frequency of i-calls and precursor calls increased. The duration of i-calls increased little before 6-day old and then decreased. At the same time, the duration of echolocation precursor calls decreased. The directive calls that the mother or the infant emitted when searching for each other are also described. Female directive calls are lower in frequency and longer in duration than their echolocation calls, and the duration of infant directive calls is longer than those of the i-calls and precursor calls.

Variation in the abundance of ectoparasitic mites of flat-headed bats

We investigated the ectoparasitic mite loads (Macronyssus: Macronyssidae: Acarina) on 2 species of flat-headed bats, Tylonycteris pachypus and T. robustula (Mammalia: Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) in 2 counties of Guangxi Province, southern China, from 2002 to 2005. In Longzhou County both species of bat occur sympatrically, but only T. pachypus occurs in Ningming County. Individuals of the smaller species (T. pachypus) harbored significantly more mites than did those of T. robustula. In both species males harbored more mites than nonreproductive females, pregnant females had more mites than lactating and nonreproductive females, and juveniles harbored more mites than adults. Mite load on both species of bats showed significant seasonal variation, declining from spring to winter. No correlation was found between mite load and size of the host colony. We discuss our findings in relation to the ecology and biology of both hosts and parasites.

A new species of bamboo bat (Chiroptera : Vespertilionidae : Tylonycteris) from southwestern China

Bamboo bats are a group of small bats with unique skull and morphology. They roost inside hollow bamboo stems in tropical and subtropical Asia and the Ambon Islands (Moluccas). We examined 53 specimens of Tylonycteris from southern and southwestern China. Comparisons of skull and external characteristics, pelage color, shapes of thumbpads and footpads, and statistical analysis of cranial measurements revealed that specimens from Damenglong, Jinghong County, Xishuang-banna, Yunnan, are distinctly different from the other two species of Tylonycteris described so far. The Yunnan specimens are the smallest in size; have dark blackish brown pelage color; and have larger upper premolars, smaller first lower premolars, and longer C-M-3. They are sympatric with the previously described species. Here we review the genus Tylonycteri and describe a new species, Tylonycteris pygmaeus, from the Yunnan material.

铃蟾属(Bombina)的分子系统学研究

本研究采用直接测序的方法，研究了铃蟾属（两栖纲：无尾目：铃蟾科）的 分子系统发育关系及系统学问题。我们测定了我国铃蟾属5 个种共22 个样本的 线粒体DNA 部分片段的序列，包括12S rRNA， 16S rRNA， ND4-tRNALEU 以 及细胞色素b 共四个基因片段，欧洲铃蟾、花铃蟾以及B. pachypus 的相应序列 通过GenBank 获得。利用MrBayes 3.0b4 和 PAUP* 4.0b10 软件对系统发育关系 进行了重建（贝叶斯推断法，最大简约法，最大似然法和邻近法），分析结果表 明，铃蟾属可分为两大支系，一支包括利川铃蟾及中国西南部铃蟾（微蹼铃蟾、 强婚刺铃蟾、大蹼铃蟾）；另一支包括东方铃蟾，花铃蟾、欧洲铃蟾以及Bombina pachypus，从分子水平上支持了铃蟾属内不同亚属的划分。我们的结果拒绝东方 铃蟾起源于大蹼铃蟾的假设，同时表明：相对于东方铃蟾，欧洲铃蟾与花铃蟾间 的关系更近。利川铃蟾的有效地位得到支持，中国西南部3 种铃蟾 (微蹼铃蟾、 强婚刺铃蟾、大蹼铃蟾)在所有系统树中形成一个单系，利川铃蟾与之形成姐妹 群。根据我国西南部3 种铃蟾间的很小的遗传差异，以及以往的形态学研究和核 型研究的证据，我们认为将微蹼铃蟾、强婚刺铃蟾归入大蹼铃蟾可能更为合适。 分化时间估计表明，铃蟾属两个亚属的分化发生在3.08–9.16 MYA，我们推测秦 岭的抬升以及同时期青藏高原的上升是铃蟾属内产生亚属分化的主要原因。