A back-to-back discovery of new Murina species is reported from Thailand by the end of 2013. Guillen’s Tube-nosed bat, M. guilleni, is the twentieth new species of the genus described in the past eight years. This small orange-brown bat is named after Antonio Guillen-Servent, who first collected the species. Murina guilleni is very similar to M. cyclotis and M. fionae externally but can be distinguished by its general smaller size, bacula shape, and differentiation in DNA barcodes. The authors also suggest M. peninsularis as a valid full species, which was formerly recognized as a subspecies of M. cyclotis from South Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Borneo, and Sumatra. This exciting finding is published by five SEABCRU committee and their collaborators from several Southeast Asia countries. The research highlights the significance of SEABCRU’s taxonomic network in facilitating our understanding of the cryptic diversity of Southeast Asia bats.
Original citation: Soisook, P., S. Karapan, C. Satassok, V. Dinh Thong, F. A. A. Khan, I. Maryanto, G. Csorba, N. Furey, B. Aul, and P. J. J. Bates. 2013. A review of the Murina cyclotis complex (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) with descriptions of a new species and subspecies. Acta Chiropterologica, 15(2): 271-292.
Note from Tigga: There was some great coverage of the M. balaensis discovery in Thailand – here and in the Bangkok Post last week. Excellent stuff!
