PARSIMONY ANALYSIS AND THE PHYLOGENY OF THE PLECOTINE BATS (CHIROPTERA, VESPERTILIONIDAE)

Phylogenetic relationships among the taxa of plecotine bats (Plecotus, Idionycteris, Barbastella, Euderma, and Corynorhinus) were examined using 32 characters of the skin and skull. Character states for the hypothetical ancestor were inferred by evaluation of outgroup taxa including 12 species of Myotis, two species of Pipistrellus, and Lasionycteris noctivagans. Cladistic analysis performed using PAUP yielded one most-parsimonious tree. The cladogram indicates that each of the taxa is to be regarded as a genus, which supports the contention that Idionycteris is a distinct genus and argues against the subgeneric designation of Corynorhinus. We thus elevate Corynorhinus to full generic status and limit Plecotus to species of the Palearctic.