“It’s a sobering number, but not very surprising,” says Nancy Simmons, curator at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City: Rhinolophidae are a complex group, and there are only a limited number of specimens of these animals.
However, relying on mitochondrial DNA could overestimate the number of hidden species. That’s because mitochondrial DNA is only inherited from the mother, so important genetic information could be missing, says Simmons. Still, she says the study could lead to new bat species being named in the region.
Bats recognize by noses and calls
The results confirm other genetic studies that suggest there are many cryptic species in Southeast Asia, says Charles Francis. The biologist at the Canadian Wildlife Service in Ottawa studies bats in the region himself. However, the estimates are based on a small number of samples.
Hughes’ team used the morphological and acoustic data for a more detailed analysis of 190 bats found in southern China and Vietnam. The researchers found that the data confirmed that many species had not been identified in these regions. “The study is a strong argument for relying on multiple pieces of evidence to distinguish between species,” says Simmons.