A New species of long-eared bat (Chiroptera, Vespertilionidae) from Sardinia (Italy)

We describe a new species of long eared bat, genusPlecotus, from the island of Sardinia (Italy). The new species is clearly distinguishable from other EuropeanPlecotusspecies by its mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene (4.1–9.6 % sequence divergence) as well as by a unique combination of morphological characters such as brownish colour of dorsal pelage, a relatively large thumb and thumb claw, an almost cylindrical form of the penis and the characteristic shape of the baculum. The most important morphological diagnostic characters is a relatively long (≥18mm) and wide (≥6mm) tragus. The new species is currently known from three localities on Sardinia. In addition to the new species we discovered a lineage ofP. auritus, which is substantially differentiated from continentalP. auritusat subspecific level (1.2–2.7 % of sequence divergence of the 16S rRNA gene). The existence of these two endemic bat taxa on Sardinia highlights the island’s importance in the conservation of the European bat community.