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New subspecies of the common long-eared bat Plecotus auritus (Vespertilionidae: Chiroptera) from the Caucasus
Kruskop S.V., Zhukova S.S.
P. 1-8
Comparison of the mtDNA sequences and skull measurements indicates the presence of a specific form of Plecotus auritus in the Caucasian part of the species range, which we describe here as a separate subspecies P. a. ponticus subsp. nov. It differs from other long-eared bats from European Russia by having smaller mean values for 13 of 27 measured cranial characters and approximately 4.9% differences in the cytb mitochondrial gene sequence. The described subspecies inhabits the forests of the Caucasus region, as well as, apparently, the northeast of Turkey, and possibly the Rostov region and Crimea. The possibility of identifying other subspecific forms within this wide-range species and the need to study this issue are discussed.

DOI: 10.15298/rusjtheriol.24.1.01

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