Meeting Abstract

P2.78  Sunday, Jan. 5 15:30  Individual and Phylogeographic Variation in the Pipistrellus Baculum HERDINA, A.N.*; HULVA, P.; HORÁČEK, I.; BENDA, P.; MAYER, C.; HILGERS, H.; METSCHER, B.D.; University of Vienna, Austria; Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic; Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic; Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic; University of Vienna, Austria; University of Vienna, Austria; University of Vienna, Austria annanele.herdina@univie.ac.at

With the discovery of further cryptic diversity in the genus Pipistrellus, it is critical to find morphological differences and to understand the phylogeographic distribution of species, subspecies and linages. Pipistrellus pipistrellus and P. pygmaeus have been recognized as separate species since 1997, but we have only now found a reliable morphological species discriminating character. P. pipistrellus and P. pygmaeus specimens can be discriminated by measuring the projected length, height, and width of the baculum. The baculum (os penis) has long been used successfully in species discrimination. In this study individual and phylogeographic variation of the Pipistrellus baculum were quantified. Using museum specimens (Národní Muzeum, Prague) of these two species and of P. hanaki, all of which had already been identified by molecular genetic methods, we imaged the bacula with high-resolution microCT. Geometric morphometrics was used to quantify and locate variations in baculum shape. Variation in baculum shape (alone) cannot be used to separate these species, and P. hanaki cannot be separated from the other two species by baculum shape using geometric morphometrics. Most of the interspecific variation in baculum shape can be found in the proximal third (the base) of the baculum. Most individual variation can be observed in lateral view, especially in the shape of the curve. Quantitative details of morphology are becoming more important to distinguish cryptic species and subspecies and to understand their phylogeographic distributions.