An integrative approach to characterize Malagasy bats of the subfamily Vespertilioninae Gray, 1821, with the description of a new species of Hypsugo Author Goodman, Steven M. Author Rakotondramanana, Claude Fabienne Author Ramasindrazana, Beza Author Kearney, Teresa Author Monadjem, Ara Author Schoeman, M. Corrie Author Taylor, Peter J. Author Naughton, Kate Author Appleton, Belinda text Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 2015 2015-04-30 173 4 988 1018 https://academic.oup.com/zoolinnean/article-lookup/doi/10.1111/zoj.12223 journal article 10.1111/zoj.12223 0024-4082 5335115 NEOROMICIA MATROKA (THOMAS & SCHWANN, 1905) Molecular genetics Specimens assigned to N . matroka and collected across the geographical range of this species ( Goodman & Ramasindrazana, 2013 ), form a monophyletic lineage ( Fig. 2 ) and display little in the way of genetic variation. K2P distance within this lineage was 0.008 ( N = 11, Table 1 ). This species forms the sister group to sub-Saharan N . capensis and these two clades are separated by 4.5% sequence divergence. Neoromicia matroka was formerly considered a subspecies of N . capensis (e.g. Koopman, 1994 ), but based on a variety of characters outlined herein, it warrants specific recognition and placement in the genus Neoromicia . In turn, two specimens from Botswana identified as N . cf. melckorum (TM 48485 and TM 48487) (see Monadjem et al ., 2010 for a definition of N . cf. melckorum ), are sister to the matroka - capensis clade and separated by about 12% sequence divergence. CHARACTERIZATION OF MALAGASY VESPER BATS 1001 Figure 4. Principal Component Analysis plots of 11 craniodental measurements for genotyped Malagasy vesper speci- mens for A, PC1 vs. PC2, and B, PC1 vs. PC3. Information on component loadings is presented in Table 5. Morphometrics Measurements presented in Table 2 . Craniodental morphology Neoromicia malagasyensis and N . matroka show little overlap in craniodental measurements and these two species are readily distinguished from N . robertsi (see Tables 3 and 4 ). Bioacoustics Measurements presented in Table 6 . Bacular morphology As described by Bates et al . (2006) , the baculum in N . matroka is moderate in length and averages 2.26 mm ( 2.12–2.49 mm , N = 6, see Table 8 ), the distal end is flattened and deflected ventrally, the dorsal surface has a vertical projection, and there is some intraspecific variation in the development of lateral flanges ( Fig. 7A, B ). The general shape of the baculum in N . matroka is similar to N . capensis ( Fig. 7E ; Kearney et al ., 2002 ); the two taxa form sister species. The total length in N . capensis is slightly shorter, averaging 2.04 mm ( 1.59– 2.50 mm , N = 37) (T. Kearney, unpublished data). Figure 5. Echolocation calls of the holotype of Hypsugo bemainty sp. nov. (FMNH 217884), Neoromicia malagasyensis (FMNH 222724), Neoromicia matroka (FMNH 222727), Neoromicia robertsi (FMNH 222729), Pipistrellus hesperidus (FMNH 209270), and Pipistrellus raceyi (FMNH 217886). Known geographical range In Figure 1 , localities are presented of sequenced specimens of N . matroka . Additional specimens presented in Bates et al . (2006) and Goodman et al . (2012a) using other molecular results or bacula morphology include: Manambolo, Ambavafatra, 47°1′25″S , 22°8′58″E (FMNH 167660); Parc National de Mantadia, 18°49.94′S , 48°25.63′E (UADBA 43674); and Ambohipo, Antananarivo , 18°55.60′S , 47°33.80′E (UADBA 43675). On the basis of an unpublished study by Malalatiana Michèle Ratsimbazafy and Alexandre Hassanin of the Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle de Paris, there is molecular evidence of this species in the Kianjavato area, 21.3818°S , 47.8928°E , 90 m asl ( Goodman et al ., 2014 ) and females placed in OTU 3 of ‘ N . matroka ’ in Goodman et al . (2014 , Fig. 7 ) are actually P . raceyi .