Abstract

RODRIGUEZ-POSADA, Miguel E.  and  SANCHEZ-PALOMINO, Pedro. Taxonomy of the genus Phyllostomus (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae) in Colombia. Mastozool. neotrop. [online]. 2009, vol.16, n.1, pp.153-168. ISSN 0327-9383.

The analysis of Colombian populations of Phyllostomus is important to understand the taxonomy and distribution of the genus. It had been proposed that the Andes in Colombia act as a barrier for the gene flow between the subspecies of P. discolor. Additionally, Colombian populations of P. hastatus were described as subspecies and were included as junior synonyms of P. hastatus panamensis more than 60 years ago. The specific separation of P. elongatus and P. latifolius and their distribution in Colombia are not clear. In this paper we analyzed the morphometric and morphological variation among and within Colombian Phyllostomus species. The results show that P. discolor has secondary sexual dimorphism, but there is not geographic variation between populations of each side of the eastern Andean versant. It is possible that P. discolor is monotypic or that the contact zone between the subspecies does not take place in Colombia. There are two morphometric groups of P. hastatus, the first one, P. hastatus panamensis, is comprised by the populations to the west side of the eastern Andean versant, whereas the second one contains the populations distributed to the east side of the Andes and are assigned to the nominal form. P. elongatus and P. latifolius are morphometric and morphologically distinct from each other. The reports of these two species from Pacific versant of the Andes should be revised.

Keywords : Colombia; Morphometrics; Multivariate analyses; Phyllostomus; Taxonomy.

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