Abstract:

Aims: Guangdong Province is one of the provinces with the high diversity of Chiroptera in China and is also one of the global hotspots for chiropteran distribution. To comprehensively understand the current diversity resources of Chiroptera in Guangdong Province, and to provide basic data for future biodiversity research and conservation practices, the timely updating of species checklists and the availability and accuracy of molecular barcode databases, even those based on local species specimens, are necessary. 

Methods: This study is based on our long-term survey results over 30-years effort, combined with a summary of historical records and literature on Guangdong Province, we aim to update the chiropteran species checklist for the province. Additionally, we selectively utilized our specimen resources that collected by our research team over 30-years to specifically construct their molecular barcode database via molecular barcoding technology. We provided primers and PCR systems for molecular barcoding technology that cover the known species of Chiroptera, facilitating future use by researchers. 

Results: As of July 2024, Guangdong Province has recorded 61 species of Chiroptera across 8 families and 24 genera, making its species diversity second only to Yunnan Province, which has 82 species across 8 families and 31 genera. Its diversity accounts for 43.2% of the bats in China. Among these, the family Vespertilionidae has the highest diversity with 37 species, while the genus Myotis is the most diverse genus with 11 species. We compiled 11 pairs of universal primers for the Cytb gene and 9 pairs for the COI gene. Based on molecular sequence data primarily obtained from samples that historically collected in this province, we have established a reference barcoding database for the 61 Chroptera species in Guangdong Province. 

Conclusions: This study not only revises and updates the species checklist of Chiroptera in Guangdong Province, but also establishes the molecular barcoding database. It could provide accurate and convenient basic data for the molecular identification of Chiroptera species in the province and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. We hope this will benefit future biodiversity research and conservation practice.

Key words: Guangdong Province, Chiroptera (bat), updated Cchecklist, molecular barcode, molecular database