Taxonomic revision of Myotis emarginatus: detailed morphometric analysis and final evaluation of the evidence (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae)

The Geoffroy’s bat, Myotis emarginatus, is the only species distributed in Palaearctic belonging to African clade of genus Myotis. It occurs extensively across several ecologic zones Europe, north-western Africa, and western central Asia, hence it was considered be a polytypic species. Only one subspecies reported from Europe North up four were recognised Asia. However, validity particular taxa as well systematic positions different populations remained ambiguous. Here we present revision intraspecific phylogenetic structure M. emarginatus based on combination available results molecular genetic analysis with thorough morphologic examination an extensive specimen set almost whole range its distribution. previously described geographic variability mitochondrial markers demonstrated grouping haplotypes into three main lineages that occur (1) Mediterranean Basin (including Maghreb Levant), (2) Oman south-eastern Iran, (3) northern Iran West Turkestan. comparison uncovered existence main, geographically exclusive morphotypes concerning body, skull tooth sizes, shapes: rather small bats short rostrum high braincase, occurring Africa; medium-sized long braincase Levant including Cyprus; large wide parts Middle East, Oman, eastern Afghanistan, (4) narrow rostrum, Crimea, Caucasus region, As synthesis both approaches, suggest recognise within rank – e. (Geoffroy, 1806) Mediterranean, Levant; desertorum (Dobson, 1875) southern Afghanistan; turcomanicus (Bobrinskoj, 1925) Transcaucasia,