Cranial shape variation and phylogenetic relationships of extinct and extant Old World leaf-nosed bats

A groundbreaking study reveals that the extinct leaf-nosed bats from Riversleigh, Australia, do not represent an endemic Australian radiation. Using 2D geometric morphometrics and phylogenetic analysis, researchers analyzed cranial shape variation in 21 extant and fossil species to classify unallocated fossils within Hipposideridae and Rhinonycteridae families. The study found that fossil species are distributed throughout the phylogenetic tree, with some sharing close relationships with non-Australian taxa. Key findings include the assignment of six Riversleigh Miocene species to Rhinonycteridae and two to Hipposideridae, while also supporting the classification of a French fossil as part of Hipposideros. This research provides insights into the evolutionary history and cranial shape evolution of these bats.

Wilson, L. A. B., Hand, S. J., López-Aguirre, C., Archer, M., Black, K. H., Beck, R. M. D., Armstrong, K. N., & Wroe, S. (2016). Cranial shape variation and phylogenetic relationships of extinct and extant Old World leaf-nosed bats. Alcheringa: An Australasian Journal of Palaeontology, 40(4), 509–524. https://doi.org/10.1080/03115518.2016.1196434