Spurrell's free-tailed bat

Last updated

Spurrell's free-tailed bat
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Chiroptera
Family: Molossidae
Genus: Mops
Species:
M. spurrelli
Binomial name
Mops spurrelli
Dollman, 1911
Synonyms
  • Xiphonycteris spurrelli Dollman, 1911
  • Tadarida spurrelliDollman, 1911

Spurrell's free-tailed bat (Mops spurrelli) is a species of bat in the family Molossidae named after Herbert George Flaxman Spurrell. It is found in Cameroon, Central African Republic, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Togo. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forest and subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest. It is threatened by habitat loss.

Contents

Taxonomy and etymology

It was described as a new species in 1911 by British zoologist Guy Dollman. Dollman initially placed it in the now-defunct genus Xiphonycteris. The eponym for the species name "spurrelli" is Herbert George Flaxman Spurrell, who collected the holotype. The holotype, an adult male, was collected 60 mi (97 km) west of Kumasi, Ghana at an altitude of 700 ft (210 m). [2]

Description

Spurrell's free-tailed bat is a small species, with a forearm length of approximately 27 mm (1.1 in). Its fur is a rusty red color on its back, with its ventral surface a buffy white. Its dental formula is 1.1.2.31.1.2.3 for a total of 28 teeth. It has triangular ears, small feet, and hairy toes. [2]

Range and habitat

Its range includes several countries in Central and West Africa. It has been documented in Cameroon, Central African Republic, The Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Togo [1]

Conservation

As of 2017, it is evaluated as a least-concern species by the IUCN. It met the criteria for this classification because it has a wide geographic range; its population is presumably large; and it is unlikely to be experiencing a rapid population decline. [1]

Related Research Articles

Guinea turaco Species of bird

The Guinea turaco, also known as the green turaco or green lourie, is a species of turaco, a group of otidimorphae birds belonging to the family Musophagidae. It was formerly included in the Livingstone's, Schalow's, Knysna, black-billed and Fischer's turacos as subspecies.

Batess slit-faced bat Species of bat

Bate's slit-faced bat is a species of slit-faced bat frequently confused with Nycteris major. It is broadly distributed and common, living throughout many parts of Africa in forests and savannas.

Moloneys mimic bat Species of bat

Moloney's mimic bat is a species of vesper bat. It can be found in Angola, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Liberia, Mozambique, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, and Zambia. It is found in subtropical or tropical dry or moist forests, subtropical or tropical mangrove forests, subtropical or tropical moist montane forests, dry and moist savanna.

Abo bat Species of bat

The Abo bat is a species of vesper bat in the family Vespertilionidae. It is found in several countries in West Africa and Central Africa. It is found in these habitats: subtropical or tropical dry forest and subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest.

Spurrell's woolly bat is a species of vesper bat in the family Vespertilionidae named after Herbert George Flaxman Spurrell. It is found in Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, and Uganda. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests, subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests.

Violet-backed hyliota

The violet-backed hyliota is a species of Hyliota. It is found in Benin, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, and Togo. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forest and subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest.

Grey longbill

The grey longbill is a species of Old World warbler in the family Macrosphenidae. It is found in Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Togo, and Uganda. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.

Purple-throated cuckooshrike

The purple-throated cuckooshrike is a species of bird in the family Campephagidae. It is found in Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, and Zambia. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forest, subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest, and subtropical or tropical moist montane forest.

Shining drongo

The shining drongo is a species of bird in the family Dicruridae. It is 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, and Togo. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.

Lowland sooty boubou

The lowland sooty boubou, also known as the sooty boubou, is a species of bird in the family Malaconotidae. It is found in Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Togo, and Uganda. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest and subtropical or tropical moist shrubland.

Crested malimbe

The crested malimbe is a species of bird in the family Ploceidae. It is found in Angola, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Togo, and Uganda. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.

Blue-billed malimbe Species of bird

The blue-billed malimbe or Gray's malimbe is a species of bird in the family Ploceidae.

White-tailed ant thrush

The white-tailed ant thrush, also known as the white-tailed rufous thrush, is a species of bird in the family Turdidae. It is found in Angola, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Togo, and Uganda. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.

Square-tailed saw-wing

The square-tailed saw-wing, also known as the square-tailed rough-winged swallow is a species of bird in the family Hirundinidae. It is found in Angola, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone.

Frasers musk shrew

Fraser's musk shrew is a species of mammal in the family Soricidae. It is found in Benin, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, São Tomé and Príncipe, Sierra Leone, and Togo. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. This large black shrew was first described by the British zoologist Louis Fraser in 1843. Its exact definition is unclear; the karyotype comes from Ivory Coast but not from Equatorial Guinea, which is given as the type locality.

Benito roundleaf bat Species of bat

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. It is threatened by habitat loss.

Woermanns bat Species of mammal

Woermann's bat or Woermann's fruit bat is a species of megabat in the family Pteropodidae. It is monotypic within the genus Megaloglossus. It is found in Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Togo, and Uganda. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and moist savanna. It is threatened by habitat loss.

Sierra Leone free-tailed bat Species of bat

The Sierra Leone free-tailed bat is a species of bat in the family Molossidae. It is found in Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Liberia, Mozambique, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Togo, possibly Central African Republic, possibly Republic of the Congo, and possibly Democratic Republic of the Congo. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests and subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.

Railer bat Species of bat

The Railer bat is a species of bat in the family Molossidae. It is found in Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, and Uganda. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests and subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.

Halcyon horseshoe bat Species of bat

The halcyon horseshoe bat is a species of bat in the family Rhinolophidae. It is found in Cameroon, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, South Sudan, Togo, Uganda, possibly Gabon, and possibly Sierra Leone. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forest, subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest, moist savanna, caves, and subterranean habitats. It is threatened by habitat loss.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Monadjem, A.; Fahr, J.; Bergmans, W.; Mickleburgh, S.; Hutson, A.M.; Juste, J. (2017). "Mops spurrelli". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2017: e.T13848A22078917. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-2.RLTS.T13848A22078917.en.
  2. 1 2 Dollman, G. (1911). "Description of a new genus of Molossine Bats from West Africa". The Annals and Magazine of Natural History; Zoology, Botany, and Geology. 8. 7 (38): 210–212. doi:10.1080/00222931108692924.