This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon.
Integrative Taxonomy Reveals a Candidate Lineage Within the Rhinolophus macrotis Group
by
,
Jinhua Cong
1,2,†,
Jiajun Zhang
1,2,†,
Haoran Yu
1,2,
Jinhong Lei
1,2,
Guiyin Miao
1,2,
Heran Yang
1,2,
Qiuchen Li
1,2,
Zhejia Zhang
1,2,
Gábor Csorba
3,
Keping Sun
4,* and
Tong Liu
1,2,* 1
Jilin Provincial International Cooperation Key Laboratory for Biological Control of Agricultural Pests, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, China
2
Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource and Ecological Security, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, China
3
Department of Zoology, Hungarian Natural History Museum, 1088 Budapest, Hungary
4
Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of Education Ministry, Institute of Grassland Science, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
†
These authors contributed equally to this work.
Biology 2026, 15(11), 846; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology15110846 (registering DOI)
Submission received: 31 March 2026
/
Revised: 1 May 2026
/
Accepted: 26 May 2026
/
Published: 28 May 2026
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Biological Research of Chiroptera)
Simple Summary
Accurate species delimitation in recently diverged, phenotypically conservative taxa remains a challenge. The Rhinolophus macrotis group is highly contentious among horseshoe bats. During field surveys in Southwest China, we discovered an unidentified Rhinolophus sp., which can be distinguished from its closely related congeners by its divergent echolocation frequency. Furthermore, mitochondrial phylogenies deeply nested Rhinolophus sp. within R. osgoodi with a recent divergence, whereas nuclear data placed it closer to two other species, R. episcopus and R. siamensis. Given that only three specimens of Rhinolophus sp. were available, we provisionally designate it as a candidate lineage within the R. macrotis group, warranting future genomic validation. This study highlights the indispensable utility of integrative taxonomy in uncovering hidden chiropteran diversity.
Abstract
Accurate species delimitation is fundamental yet challenging, particularly in recently diverged, phenotypically conservative taxa such as bats. The “Rhinolophus macrotis group” represents one of the most taxonomically contentious groups among horseshoe bats. During field surveys in Southwest China, we discovered an unidentified Rhinolophus sp. occurring sympatrically with R. osgoodi and R. episcopus, sharing broad morphological affinities with recognized species of the “R. macrotis group.” To explore its taxonomic status, we employed an integrative approach combining morphological, acoustic, and multi-locus genetic (mitogenomic and nuclear) data. Phenotypically, Rhinolophus sp. closely resembles R. osgoodi but can be distinguished by its divergent echolocation resting frequency. Genetically, while mitochondrial data deeply nested Rhinolophus sp. within R. osgoodi with a shallow divergence time, phylogenies based on two nuclear introns positioned it closer to two other species, R. episcopus and R. siamensis. Species delimitation based on these genetic markers revealed a pattern of mitochondrial subdivision contrasted by overly conservative nuclear signals. Such mito-nuclear discordance suggests a complex evolutionary history that complicates taxonomic assignments. Given that only three specimens of Rhinolophus sp. were available, which precludes a robust assessment of intraspecific variation, we provisionally designate it as a candidate lineage within the “R. macrotis group,” warranting future validation with additional comprehensive evidence. This study highlights the indispensable utility of integrative taxonomy in uncovering hidden diversity and provides insights into chiropteran evolutionary history.
Keywords:
integrative taxonomy; phenotype; mitogenome; multi-locus; bat
