Systematics of the <i>Rhinolophus landeri</i> complex, with evidence for 3 additional Afrotropical bat species

Roughly a third of all horseshoe bat species (Rhinolophidae: <i>Rhinolophus</i>) are found in Africa, where a recent continent-wide genetic survey suggested the presence of both undescribed and apparently invalid species. Here, we focus on the <i>R. landeri</i> species complex and the recent elevation of <i>R. lobatus</i> Peters, 1852, to species rank. That action created ambiguity in the taxonomy of East African members of the group-are both <i>R. landeri</i> Martin, 1838, and <i>R. lobatus</i> sympatric in East Africa or is another, unnamed species present there? Here, we refine genetic, morphological, and behavioral characterizations of <i>R. landeri</i> and its erstwhile synonyms with samples from the vicinity of their type localities. The distribution of <i>R. landeri</i> appears to be limited to Central and West Africa; existing genetic records attributed to this species from Mali clearly represent another taxon. We marshal genetic evidence for the species-level distinction of <i>R. dobsoni</i> Thomas, 1904, from Sudan, which was previously considered a synonym of <i>R. landeri</i>. We reject <i>R. axillaris</i> J. A. Allen, 1917, as a synonym of the <i>R. landeri</i> complex, provisionally regarding it as a valid member of the <i>landeri</i> species group. Finally, we demonstrate that East Africa is home to a fourth species of the <i>landeri</i> complex that is named herein. Final resolution of the systematics of this species complex awaits expanded characterizations (especially of genetics, vocalizations, and noseleaves) and studies of variation in regions of contact.