Four new tube-nosed bat species of the genus Murina (Chiroptera, Vespertilionidae) from Xizang Autonomous Region, China, based on morphological and molecular data

The genus Murina Gray, 1842, recently had four new species discovered in China over the last four years, suggesting its diversity may have been previously underestimated. Herein, we describe four new species — Murina beibengensis sp. nov., Murina medogensis sp. nov., Murina milinensis sp. nov., and Murina yadongensis sp. nov. — based on morphological and genetic evidence from specimens collected during bat diversity surveys conducted in the Xizang Autonomous Region of China over the past three years.

Each of these four new species forms an independent lineage on a phylogenetic tree reconstructed using the mitochondrial COI and Cyt b genes, and each is genetically distinct from its congeners. Morphologically, the new species can be distinguished from the 43 recognized congeners by features including forearm length, hair color, and skull morphology. We elevated M. huttoni rubella from a subspecies of M. huttoni to a species based on morphological and genetic evidence.

The new species discussed herein increase the number of species in the genus Murina to four worldwide and from 23 to 28 in China. This study not only enriches our understanding of bat species diversity but also underscores the importance of conducting bat surveys in the specialized highland habitats of the Himalayas.