| The broad-nosed bats, genus Platyrrhinus, constitute one of the most speciose groups of the Neotropical bat family Phyllostomidae; ten species were recognized at the onset of this study. Members of the genus are predominantly frugivorous and body size ranges from small to large. The broad Neotropical distribution of Platyrrhinus and its radiation into most areas of endemism makes it an excellent group for exploring historical biogeography. Platyrrhinus presents difficulties both in terms of its diagnosis and in how many species it includes.;This thesis explores the systematics, taxonomy, and population genetic structure of Neotropical bats of the genus Platyrrhinus Saussure, 1860 (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae). Chapters explore different aspects of Platyrrhinus diversity, including its content, species limits, phylogenetic relationships, and the population structure of eight species.;Analyses show that the diversification of Platyrrhinus has been even greater than previously imagined, with 20 species in the genus, not the 10 that had been recognized as recently as 2005. Hence, their interrelationships offer an even more fine-grained picture of Neotropical diversification, with centers of cladogenesis both in the Andes and in moist lowland forests. Future studies are needed on the mechanisms of speciation involved in this diversification and the mechanisms of coexistence that permit as many as six members of this genus to coexist in local sympatry. |
