Murina baletei, Eger & Sedlock & Lim & Heaney, 2025

Murina baletei sp. nov.

( Figs. 1 View FIGURE 1 , 8C View FIGURE 8 , 9C View FIGURE 9 , 10B View FIGURE 10 ; Tables 1, 2A, 2B)

M. cyclotis View in CoL : Catanduanes: Heaney et al. 1991: 406, 408; Heaney et al. 1998: 27; Mt. Isarog, Luzon Island: Heaney et al. 1999: 29, 30, 32; Sedlock et al. 2008: 352, 354; Mt. Makiling, Luzon Island: Sedlock 2001a: 182, 183, 193, 196; Sedlock 2001b: 167, 168, 173, 174. Mt. Irid, Luzon Island: Balete et al. 2013: 21; Heaney et al. 2016b: 243.

Holotype. FMNH 205411 About FMNH , field number DSB 5990 , adult male, specimen in alcohol with skull removed, collected by D. S. Balete, 8 June 2009. The holotype is currently housed at FMNH but will be transferred to the National Museum of the Philippines before the end of 2025, where it has been assigned PNM 9673 View Materials . The nucleotide sequence as deposited in GenBank of Cytb mitochondrial gene is PV659284 and DBY nuclear gene is PV659294.

Type locality. 1.3 km S, 0.8 km W Mount Irid peak, elevation 775 m, Rodriguez Municipality , Rizal Province, Luzon Island, Philippines ( 14.779 N, 121.318 E) GoogleMaps .

Paratype. FMNH 205410 About FMNH , field number DSB 5989, adult female, collected same date and same locality as the holotype .

Etymology. This species is named in honour of Danilo S. Balete, a Filipino biologist whose passion for and knowledge of Philippine biodiversity inspires young scientists even after his unexpected death in 2017. The species distribution includes the Bicol Peninsula of southern Luzon where Balete was born, as well as Mt. Makiling where he studied the diet of Megaderma spasma as an undergraduate student at the University of the Philippines, Los Baños ( Balete 2010), and Mt. Isarog—the site of his master’s research on native rodent ecology ( Balete & Heaney 1997). The suggested English common name is “Balete’s tube-nosed bat.”

Measurements of holotype. (in mm) and body mass (in g): total length, 88; tail vertebrae, 34; hind foot, 8; ear, 15, forearm, 34.8; and mass, 8.

Referred Material. FMNH 166428 About FMNH , field number JLS 142 , ♀, collected 29 March, 1999 and FMNH 166429 About FMNH , field number JLS 163 , ♂, collected 14 July, 1999 at Mount Makiling , ( 14 09 N, 121 13 E, elevation 400 m and 300 m respectively, Laguna Province, Luzon Island ( 14.1499996 N, 121.216667 E) GoogleMaps ; FMNH 177471 About FMNH , field number JLS 186 , ♀, collected 4 July 2003 (co-ordinates not recorded in the field and subsequently estimated from Google Earth as 14.150 N, 121.217 E) GoogleMaps and FMNH 177472 About FMNH , field number JLS194 , ♀, collected 15 July, 2003 (co-ordinates not recorded in the field and subsequently estimated from Google Earth as 14.132 N, 121.210 E) GoogleMaps at Los Baños, Mount Makiling , Laguna Province, Luzon Island, Philippines ; USNM 573774 About USNM , field number EAR 1685, ♂, collected 22 February 1988, 1 km N, 8.5 km W Gigmoto, elevation 200 m, Buadan R., Catanduanes Province, Catanduanes Island, Philippines ( 13 49 N, 124 19 E) GoogleMaps ; USNM 573776 About USNM , field number EAR 1788, ♀, collected 9 May 1988, Mt. Isarog , 4.5 km N, 20.5 km E Naga, elevation 475 m, Camarines Sur Province, Luzon Island, Philippines ( 13 40 N, 123 20 E) GoogleMaps ; USNM 573777 About USNM , field number EAR 1839, ♀, collected 25 March 1988, Mt. Isarog , 4.5 km N, 20.5 km E Naga, Camarines Sur Province, Luzon Island, Philippines ( 13 40 N, 123 21 E) GoogleMaps ; and FMNH 218203 About FMNH , field number DSB 9183 , ♀, collected 27 May 2012 at Ambulong Peak, Lubang municipality, Lubang, Philippines ( 13.79226 N 120.14645 E) GoogleMaps .

Diagnosis. A medium sized Murina similar to Murina cyclotis (as defined by Francis and Eger 2012) but larger, with a more robust skull, and sagittal and lambdoidal crests that are well defined. Although dorsal fur is bicoloured as in M. cyclotis , this species has pale basal bands blending to greyish-brown tips. It differs genetically by>12% average sequence divergence in Cytb from other species in the genus ( Table 3).

Description. Dorsal fur is bicoloured with a grey base blending to reddish brown/greyish brown tips. Hair measures 9–10 mm at the shoulders. The ventral hair is also bicoloured but paler than on the dorsum, with pale grey bases blending to pale brown or reddish-brown tips. The posterior border of the ear is notched. The forearm is hairy and the uropatagium is covered with long hairs. This species appears to be sexually dimorphic in colour with tips of fur slightly redder in colour for females than males (photo of holotype live, Fig. 10B View FIGURE 10 ).

The skull is robust, somewhat like M. cyclotis but much larger ( Tables 1 and 2A, 2B), has well developed sagittal and lambdoidal crests which clearly define the posterior of the skull where they meet, producing a helmet shape. The rostrum is heavy and slopes gradually to the forehead ( Fig. 8C View FIGURE 8 ). Similar to M. cyclotis , the molars have reduced mesostyles ( Figs. 3A View FIGURE 3 , 9C View FIGURE 9 ), but the teeth are very heavy and substantial looking. The canine is short but greater in length than P 2 and P 4 ( Fig. 8C View FIGURE 8 ). The lower incisors are tricuspidate and the remaining teeth heavy. The talonid is ½ size of the trigonid ( Figs. 3B View FIGURE 3 , 9C View FIGURE 9 ). Penis of males is short and wide ( 3 mm. at widest point) relative to M. alvarezi . See Tables 1 and 2A, 2B for selected external and skull measurements.

Ecology. This species has been captured from a broad range of elevations ( 200–1125 m, Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 ) and habitat types. On Luzon Island, it was recorded in remnant primary, lowland forest and montane forest on Mt. Isarog ( Heaney et al. 1999); in second growth lowland dipterocarp forest (e.g., Shorea spp. ) on Mt. Makiling ( Sedlock 2001b; a), and in regenerating lowland forest on Mt. Irid ( Balete et al. 2013). On Catanduanes Island, it was captured in primary forest on a small plateau between two rivers ( Heaney et al. 1991). Bats were captured in harp traps set across trails, as well as in mist nets set along trails, intercepting bats flying low through the forest understory. Pregnant females were captured in March on Luzon Island and in May on Catanduanes Island; the latter female was primiparous with two embryos measuring 15 mm. Lactating females were captured on Luzon Island in June (Mt. Irid; FMNH 205410, DSB 5989) and July (Mt. Makiling; FMNH 177471, JLS 186). Reproductively active males with scrotal testes were captured in June and July on Luzon Island. Notably, one of these males, with a black gland below its scrotum, was captured with a lactating female in the same net.

Distribution. Lubang, southern Luzon and Catanduanes islands ( Fig.1 View FIGURE 1 ).

Genetic Analyses. Cytochrome b and DBY sequences are available on GenBank for specimens listed in Appendices 2 and 3. Murina baletei is one of the divergent lineages from the Philippines that is closely related to M. cyclotis from mainland Asia. Relative divergences among Philippine species are discussed below. The standard karyotype was described by Rickart et al. (1999) as representing M. cyclotis .