title: Cryptic diversity in Hipposideros commersoni sensu stricto (Chiroptera: Hipposideridae) in the western portion of Madagascar.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The Commerson's leaf-nosed bat, Hipposideros commersoni sensu stricto, is endemic to Madagascar and is relatively common in the western portion of the island, where it is found in areas, including forested zones, from sea level to 1325 m. A previous study on morphological patterns of geographic variation within the species highlighted the presence of two distinct morphotypes; larger individuals in the north portion of the island and smaller individuals in the south. The main aim of this study was to use a combination of craniodental morphology and molecular data (mitochondrial and nuclear) to test previous hypotheses based on morphology and clarify the evolutionary history of the species group.
  
  
  METHODS
  We sequenced mitochondrial and nuclear genes from Hipposideros commersoni obtained from the western portion of Madagascar, and compared them with other African species as outgroups. We analyzed the sequence data using Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian phylogenetic inference. Divergence dates were estimated using Bayesian molecular clock approach. Variation in craniodental variables was also assessed from sequenced individuals.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The molecular analyses suggest that H. commersoni is not monophyletic, with strong support for the presence of several independently evolving lineages. Two individuals amongst those sequenced from Isalo (south central) and Itampolo (southwest) form a separate clade (Clade A), distinct from other H. commersoni, and sister to continental African H. vittatus and H. gigas. Within the H. commersoni clade, the molecular data support two geographically distributed clades; one from the south (Clade B) and the other from the north (Clade C), which diverged approximately 3.38 million years ago. Morphometric data were consistent with the molecular analyses, suggesting a north-south break within H. commersoni. However, at some localities, animals from both clades occurred in sympatry and these individuals could not be differentiated based on external and craniodental measurements.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Using a combination of molecular and morphological characters, this study presents evidence of cryptic diversity in H. commersoni on Madagascar. Further fine-scale phylogeographic studies are needed to fully resolve the systematics of H. commersoni. This study highlights the utility of the combined approach in employing both morphological and molecular data to provide insights into the evolutionary history of Malagasy population currently assigned to H. commersoni.
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, Pietermaritzburg Campus, Rabie Saunders Building, University of Kwa-Zulu Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 3209, South Africa. andrinajoro@moov.mg.|Association Vahatra, BP 3972, Antananarivo, 101, Madagascar. andrinajoro@moov.mg.|Department of Genetics, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg Campus, Rabie Saunders Building, Rm 36, Pietermaritzburg, 3209, South Africa. andrinajoro@moov.mg.
authors.forename: Andrinajoro R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Rakotoarivelo
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, Pietermaritzburg Campus, Rabie Saunders Building, University of Kwa-Zulu Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 3209, South Africa.
authors.forename: Sandi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Willows-Munro
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, Biological Sciences Building, South Ring Road, Westville Campus, University of Kwa-Zulu Natal, Westville, 3630, South Africa.
authors.forename: M Corrie
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Schoeman
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, Biological Sciences Building, South Ring Road, Westville Campus, University of Kwa-Zulu Natal, Westville, 3630, South Africa.
authors.forename: Jennifer M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Lamb
authors.affiliation: Association Vahatra, BP 3972, Antananarivo, 101, Madagascar.|Field Museum of Natural History, 1400 South Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL, 60605, USA.
authors.forename: Steven M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Goodman
mesh_terms: D000349:Africa; D000818:Animals; D001499:Bayes Theorem; D002685:Chiroptera / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D049810:Genetic Speciation; D008270:Madagascar; D008297:Male; D010802:Phylogeny; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA