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A Noninvasive Hair Sampling Technique to Obtain High Quality DNA from Elusive Small Mammals

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The 2 Sigma Genus Concept in mammalogy: Lessons from Lasiurus.

Amy B Baird¹, Janet K Braun², Mark D Engstrom³

¹Department of Natural Sciences, University of Houston - Downtown, Houston, Texas, United States of America.

|June 25, 2025

Summary

This study proposes a new "2 Sigma Genus Concept" for classifying bats, using genetic divergence to define genera. Lasiurine bats are best divided into three genera based on this new phylogenetic method.

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Area of Science:

Taxonomy and Systematics
Molecular Evolution
Mammalogy

Background:

Species concepts are established, but higher taxonomic group definitions, like genera, lack consensus.
The genus rank is crucial for scientific nomenclature, necessitating a stable and biologically meaningful classification method.
Disagreement exists on the number of genera within Lasiurine bats, with proposals ranging from one to three based on morphology and genetic data.

Purpose of the Study:

To explore generic-level taxonomy using Lasiurine bats as a model system.
To develop a consistent and biologically meaningful method for determining generic status.
To propose the "2 Sigma Genus Concept" for genus-level classification based on genetic divergence.

Main Methods:

Comparative analysis of genetic divergence using Cytochrome b (Cytb) sequences in vespertilionine bats.
Phylogenetic analysis to identify sister genera and their divergence levels.
Application of the "2 Sigma Genus Concept," defining genera based on genetic distance relative to the mean and standard deviation of sister genus divergences within a higher taxonomic category.

Main Results:

Within Vespertilioninae, the mean genetic distance between sister genera using Cytb is 20.68% ± 3.89%.
A proposed new genus requires a genetic distance >12.90% to its sister genus.
Lasiurine bats exhibit a sister-genus divergence of 31.14% ± 1.64%, qualifying them as a higher category (tribe), with internal lineages qualifying as genera (21.77% and 22.91% divergence).

Conclusions:

Lasiurine bats are best classified into three distinct genera to ensure taxonomic consistency within their subfamily.
The "2 Sigma Genus Concept" provides a statistically robust and phylogenetic approach to genus-level taxonomy.
The proposed method, utilizing genetic divergence thresholds, can be applied to other bat subfamilies and potentially other taxa.