Cryptic diversity in Chinese rhinolophids and hipposiderids (Chiroptera: Rhinolophidae and Hipposideridae)

We investigated cryptic diversity among Chinese rhinolophids and hipposiderids using complete sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene. The intraspecific genetic variation among 32 species sampled from a wide geographical region showed that high sequence divergence of over 5% exists within Hipposideros pomona, Coelops frithi and Aselliscus stoliczkanus, suggesting the possible existence of cryptic diversity. On the other hand, two species with clear morphological differences (a cryptic species in the Rhinolophus macrotis group, R. macrotis s.l. and an unidentified species, R. sp1.) were found to be genetically very similar (0.79-1.06%). Our molecular phylogenies are consistent with the traditional phenetic classification, i.e., species within the same genus were clustered together in Rhinolophidae and Hipposideridae, which are monophyletic sister lineages.