| Sierra Leone collared fruit bat | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Chiroptera |
| Family: | Pteropodidae |
| Genus: | Myonycteris |
| Species: | M. leptodon |
| Binomial name | |
| Myonycteris leptodon | |
Sierra Leone collared fruit bat (Myonycteris leptodon) is a species of megabat found in West Africa. [1]
The Sierra Leone collared fruit bat was described as a new species in 1908 by Danish mammalogist Knud Andersen. The holotype had been collected by J. Hickman in Sierra Leone. [3] It was considered a subspecies of the little collared fruit bat (Myonycteris torquatus) beginning in 1976; a 2013 study determined that the taxon was indeed genetically distinct enough to be considered a full species. [4]
The Sierra Leone collared fruit bat males weigh an average of 39.9 g (1.41 oz), while females weigh an average of 42.0 g (1.48 oz). Male forearm lengths are about 61.2 g (2.16 oz) compared to females at 61.5 mm (2.42 in). For both sexes, the average head and body length is 107.9 mm (4.25 in). [5]
Along with the straw-colored fruit bat and Veldkamp's dwarf epauletted fruit bat, the Sierra Leone collared fruit bat is one of the only African megabats believed to have seasonal migration. It roosts singly or in small groups during the day. [6]
The Sierra Leone collared fruit bat is found throughout West Africa, including: Ivory Coast, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Togo. It is often found in lowland tropical forests, though has also been documented in habitats that are a mix of forest and grassland. [1]
Megabats constitute the family Pteropodidae of the order Chiroptera (bats). They are also called fruit bats, Old World fruit bats, or—especially the genera Acerodon and Pteropus—flying foxes. They are the only member of the superfamily Pteropodoidea, which is one of two superfamilies in the suborder Yinpterochiroptera. Internal divisions of Pteropodidae have varied since subfamilies were first proposed in 1917. From three subfamilies in the 1917 classification, six are now recognized, along with various tribes. As of 2018, 197 species of megabat had been described.
The Egyptian fruit bat or Egyptian rousette is a species of megabat that is found in Africa, the Middle East, the Mediterranean, and the Indian subcontinent. It is one of three Rousettus species with an African-Malagasy range, though the only species of its genus found on continental Africa. The common ancestor of the three species colonized the region in the late Pliocene or early Pleistocene. The species is traditionally divided into six subspecies. It is considered a medium-sized megabat, with adults weighing 80–170 g (2.8–6.0 oz) and possessing wingspans of approximately 60 cm (24 in). Individuals are dark brown or grayish brown, with their undersides paler than their backs.
The long-tongued fruit bat is a species of megabat. It is nectarivorous, feeding on nectar from primarily banana flowers. It is found in several countries in South and Southeast Asia.
Andersen's fruit-eating bat is a bat species found in South America.
The hammer-headed bat, also known as hammer-headed fruit bat, big-lipped bat, and hammerhead bat, is a megabat widely distributed in West and Central Africa. It is the only member of the genus Hypsignathus, which is part of the tribe Epomophorini along with four other genera. It is the largest bat in continental Africa, with wingspans approaching 1 m (3.3 ft), and males almost twice as heavy as females. Males and females also greatly differ in appearance, making it the most sexually dimorphic bat species in the world. These differences include several adaptations that help males produce and amplify vocalizations: the males' larynges are about three times as large as those of females, and they have large resonating chambers on their faces. Females appear more like a typical megabat, with foxlike faces.
Aethalops is a genus of megabats in the family Pteropodidae. It contains two species:
The Biak naked-backed fruit bat is a species of megabat in the family Pteropodidae. It is endemic to Indonesia.
The velvety fruit-eating bat, also known as Hart's little fruit bat, is a species of bat in the family Phyllostomidae. It is the only species within the genus Enchisthenes. It is found in Central America, Mexico, the United States, and northern South America.
Wahlberg's epauletted fruit bat is a species of megabat in the family Pteropodidae. It is commonly found across southern Africa.
Buettikofer's epauletted fruit bat is a species of megabat in the family Pteropodidae. It is found in Ivory Coast, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, and Sierra Leone. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest and savanna.
The Benito roundleaf bat is a species of bat in the family Hipposideridae found in Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, and Togo. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.
Peters's dwarf epauletted fruit bat is a species of megabat in the family Pteropodidae. It is found in Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, and Zambia. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and moist savanna.
The São Tomé collared fruit bat is a species of megabat in the family Pteropodidae. It is endemic to São Tomé and Príncipe. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist and montane forest. It is threatened by habitat destruction. This bat is unique in that it is the only known mammal where the whole population has an asymmetrical dental formula.
Myonycteris is a genus of bat in the family Pteropodidae.
The East African little collared fruit bat is a species of megabat in the family Pteropodidae. It is found in Kenya, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests and moist savanna.
The little collared fruit bat is a species of megabat in the family Pteropodidae found in Angola, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Republic of the Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Togo, and Uganda. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and moist savanna.
The swift fruit bat is a species of megabat in the family Pteropodidae.
Andersen's naked-backed fruit bat or Andersen's bare-backed fruit bat is a large cave-dwelling species of megabat in the family Pteropodidae. It is endemic to the Bismarck Archipelago including the Admiralty Islands in Papua New Guinea.
The Bogota fruit-eating bat is a species of bat found in South America.
The Azagnyi fruit bat, also called the western Woermann’s fruit bat, is a species of megabat found in Africa.
