Mitochondrial DNA identified bat species in northeast India: electrocution mortality and biodiversity loss.

Northeast India with two biodiversity hotspots is recognized as a biodiversity-rich region. However, several extant animals including chiropterans are currently at jeopardy due to habitat loss, electrocution mortality, and other anthropogenic threats. This study examines the efficacy of mitochondrial Cytochrome b (mtCytb) sequences for species-level identification of five electrocuted bat specimens from Manipur state. The similarity search results in the global database, Kimura 2 parameter (K2P) genetic distances, and neighbor-joining (NJ) tree identified all bat specimens into two species, and . The detection of is the first record of this mammal from the state. In comparison with other Pteropodidae species, the genetic distances clearly discriminate both (7.9-30.2%) and (12.2-25.7%). In addition, the combined tree analysis of present and earlier genetic information of suggested the presence of cryptic lineages and sympatric population in India. This similar approach with more sampling from a wide distribution area could assist the future genetics research on chiropterans and their precise conservation.