Morphological Divergence in the Genus Eptesicus (Microchiroptera: Vespertilionidae) in Western Australia: a Multivariate Approach.

Abstract

Analyses of morphological divergence in male and female Eptesicus in Western Australia are detailed. Phenetic differences between individuals at each locality, or nearby groups of localities, are examined for males and females separately, by canonical variate analysis. Populations can be roughly grouped into those of the South-west, North-west-Desert, Pilbara, Kimberley and the Peninsulas. Trends are evident from the analysis of the regional data for external morphological measurements. The South-west populations are referable to Eptesicus regulus Thomas, 1906. The moderately large Northwest-Desert populations are considered part of a general cline of Eptesicus pumilus extending north through the intermediate-sized Pilbara populations to the small Kimberley populations. The Peninsula populations have their greatest phenetic affinities with Eptesicus douglasi. In all populations examined, female Eptesicus tend to be larger than males.