A new, large-bodied omnivorous bat (Noctilionoidea: Mystacinidae) reveals lost morphological and ecological diversity since the Miocene in New Zealand

Hand, SJ; Beck, RMD; Archer, M; Simmons, NB; Gunnell, GF; Scofield, RP; Tennyson, AJD; De Pietri, VL; Salisbury, SW; Worthy, TH

doi:10.1038/s41598-017-18403-w

A new, large-bodied omnivorous bat (Noctilionoidea: Mystacinidae) reveals lost morphological and ecological diversity since the Miocene in New Zealand

Hand, SJ; Beck, RMD; Archer, M; Simmons, NB; Gunnell, GF; Scofield, RP; Tennyson, AJD; De Pietri, VL; Salisbury, SW; Worthy, TH

Authors

SJ Hand

Prof Robin Beck R.M.D.Beck@salford.ac.uk
Professor

M Archer

NB Simmons

GF Gunnell

RP Scofield

AJD Tennyson

VL De Pietri

SW Salisbury

TH Worthy

Abstract

A new genus and species of fossil bat is described from New Zealand's only pre-Pleistocene Cenozoic terrestrial fauna, the early Miocene St Bathans Fauna of Central Otago, South Island. Bayesian total evidence phylogenetic analysis places this new Southern Hemisphere taxon among the burrowing bats (mystacinids) of New Zealand and Australia, although its lower dentition also resembles Africa's endemic sucker-footed bats (myzopodids). As the first new bat genus to be added to New Zealand's fauna in more than 150 years, it provides new insight into the original diversity of chiropterans in Australasia. It also underscores the significant decline in morphological diversity that has taken place in the highly distinctive, semi-terrestrial bat family Mystacinidae since the Miocene. This bat was relatively large, with an estimated body mass of ~40 g, and its dentition suggests it had an omnivorous diet. Its striking dental autapomorphies, including development of a large hypocone, signal a shift of diet compared with other mystacinids, and may provide evidence of an adaptive radiation in feeding strategy in this group of noctilionoid bats.

Journal Article Type	Article
Acceptance Date	Dec 11, 2017
Online Publication Date	Jan 10, 2018
Publication Date	Jan 10, 2018
Deposit Date	Jan 23, 2018
Publicly Available Date	Jan 23, 2018
Journal	Scientific Reports
Print ISSN	2045-2322
Publisher	Nature Publishing Group
Volume	8
Issue	1
Pages	235
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-18403-w
Publisher URL	http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-18403-w
Related Public URLs	https://www.nature.com/srep/
Additional Information	Funders : Australian Research Council;Canterbury Museum and Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa;R.S. Allan Memorial Fund of Canterbury Museum;Marsden Fund Council Grant Number: DP0770660, DP120100486, DE120100957, DP130100197