Taxonomic review of Hipposideros halophyllus hill and yenbutra, 1984, Hipposideros ater templeton, 1984, and Hipposideros cineraceus blyth, 1853 (Chiroptera : Hipposideridae) in Thailand and Myanmar

Thesis (M.Sc., Ecology)--Prince of Songkla University, 200

A taxonomic reassessment of Rhinolophus rex Allen, 1923 and its allies (Chiroptera: Rhinolophidae)

This study integrates analyses of mitochondrial DNA sequences and morphological and acoustic data to re-evaluate the taxonomic status of Rhinolophus rex rex, R. r. paradoxolophus and R. schnitzleri throughout their distribution ranges. Based on a dense geographic sampling of specimens hitherto referred to these taxa and contrary to the current taxonomic view, our results indicate that all examined specimens of these taxa are representatives of a single, widely distributed and morphologically variable species, R. rex. The recognition of its geographic populations as different subspecies (R. r. rex and R. r. paradoxolophus) or distinct species (R. schnitzleri) based on morphological and acoustic data should be regarded as invalid. In the light of this revision, we also reassess the conservation status of R. rex against IUCN Red List criteria as Near Threatened

A systematic review of kerivoula gray, 1842 (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae: Kerivoulinae) from Thailand

Thesis (Ph.D. (Biology))--Prince of Songkla University, 201

Six Nearly Complete Genome Segments of a Novel Reovirus Identified in Laotian Batflies

International audienceAs part of the characterization of viral communities of Laotian batflies, we report here the sequencing of six nearly complete genome segments of a novel reovirus identified in Laotian batflies that is distantly related to reoviruses recently reported in various Diptera species

FIGURE 2 in Rediscovery of Biswamoyopterus (Mammalia: Rodentia: Sciuridae: Pteromyini) in Asia, with the description of a new species from Lao PDR

FIGURE 2. Views of skin of the holotype, Biswamoyopterus laoensis n. sp. (FES.MM.12.163). A—Dorsal view; B—Ventral view; C—Head, left lateral view; and D—Ventral view of the left patagium and interfemoral membrane to show the discontinuous black lines. Not to scale

Coronaviruses with a SARS-CoV-2-like receptor-binding domain allowing ACE2-mediated entry into human cells isolated from bats of Indochinese peninsula

The animal reservoir of SARS-CoV-2 is unknown despite reports of various SARS-CoV-2-related viruses in Asian Rhinolophus bats, including the closest virus from R. affinis, RaTG13. Several studies have suggested the involvement of pangolin coronaviruses in SARS-CoV-2 emergence. SARS-CoV-2 presents a mosaic genome, to which different progenitors contribute. The spike sequence determines the binding affinity and accessibility of its receptor-binding domain (RBD) to the cellular angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor and is responsible for host range. SARS-CoV-2 progenitor bat viruses genetically close to SARS-CoV-2 and able to enter human cells through a human ACE2 pathway have not yet been identified, though they would be key in understanding the origin of the epidemics. Here we show that such viruses indeed circulate in cave bats living in the limestone karstic terrain in North Laos, within the Indochinese peninsula. We found that the RBDs of these viruses differ from that of SARS-CoV-2 by only one or two residues, bind as efficiently to the hACE2 protein as the SARS-CoV-2 Wuhan strain isolated in early human cases, and mediate hACE2-dependent entry into human cells, which is inhibited by antibodies neutralizing SARS-CoV-2. None of these bat viruses harbors a furin cleavage site in the spike. Our findings therefore indicate that bat-borne SARS-CoV-2-like viruses potentially infectious for humans circulate in Rhinolophus spp. in the Indochinese peninsula

A taxonomic review of Rhinolophus coelophyllus Peters 1867 and R. shameli Tate 1943 (Chiroptera: Rhinolophidae) in continental Southeast Asia

Recent field studies have provided new data for a review of the taxonomy, acoustic characters, distribution, and ecology of two often confused rhinolophid species, which have essentially parapatric distributions in continental Southeast Asia. Rhinolophus coelophyllus is widespread ranging from northern Myanmar to northern Malaysia, eastern Thailand and provisionally western Lao PDR. R. shameli is restricted to eastern Thailand, Cambodia, Lao PDR, and central and southern Vietnam. There are well defined differences in skull morphology, size, and echolocation call frequency, which discriminate between the two taxa