Collaborative Research: Higher-Level Relationships Among Microchiropteran Bats Based on Mitochondrial Gene Sequences, Morphology and Echolocation Call Structure

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Simmons DEB 9873663Almost one-fifth of living mammal species are echolocating bats of the suborder Microchiroptera. These animals play a variety of important ecological roles. Most species prey on nocturnal insects, while others are essential for plant pollination or seed dispersal. Increasing human impact on bat populations and species has serious implications for agriculture and pest management. Despite many previous studies, there is still little agreement among biologists concerning relationships among the different groups of bats. Of particular concern are relationships among higher-level bat groups (e.g., genera and families). Without such knowledge, it is difficult to interpret the wide ranges of variation in wing architecture, sonar capabilities, and ecology seen in different bat groups. A clear understanding of bat diversity, important for setting conservation priorities, also depends upon resolving the relationships of bats. In this study, the problem of bat relationships will be addressed through detailed analyses of DNA structure of mitochondrial genes, anatomy, and structure of the echolocation calls (sonar signals) of a wide variety of bat species. The objective of these studies will be to identify similarities and differences that can be used to evaluate historical relationships. Data collected in this study will be employed in a variety of computer-assisted analyses designed to produce testable hypotheses of relationships among and within families of microchiropteran bats. The relationships of microchiropteran bats to other mammalian lineages will also be investigated. This study will provide a new framework for understanding the structural design, behavior, and ecology of bats.