Molecular phylogeography of Hipposideros pratti in China.

ABSTRACT

Hipposideros pratti has low genetic diversity and was divided into two clades, the central-western clade and the eastern clade. We did not detect a clear east-to-west dispersal route along the longitudinal direction, and we found that the eastern clade spread outward from one population to another, while the central-western clade spread gradually. The glacial-interglacial period of the Quaternary influenced the migration and dispersal of H. pratti. H. pratti did not experience a significant population increase in the past, and the average population trajectory was decreasing. Given the convenient ecosystem services provided by bats, the preservation of bat populations is particularly critical. Nonetheless, we have discovered that the majority of H. pratti's distributional sites were not discovered in this study. Based on our results, it is important to apply in situ conservation measures for effective protection as soon as possible.