Epomophorus angolensis, Bocage, 1898

Don E. Wilson & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2019, Pteropodidae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 9 Bats, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 16-162 : 97-98

64.

Angolan Epauletted Fruit Bat

Epomophorus angolensis

French: Epomophore dAngola / German: Angola-Epaulettenflughund / Spanish: Epomdforo de Angola

Taxonomy. Epomophorus macrocephalus var. angolensisJ. E. Gray, 1870 ,

“ Angola.”

Epomophorus angolensis is often considered the only member of the angolensis species group, but it is best placed in the gambianusspecies group as it is here. Monotypic.

Distribution. W Angola and extreme NW Namibia.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 158 mm (single male) and 130-155 mm (females), no external tail, ear 28 mm (single male) and 23-26 mm (females), hindfoot 25-26 mm, forearm 85-94 mm (males) and 81— 86 mm (females); weight 80-92 g. Male Angolan Epauletted Fruit Bats are generally larger than females, with wider rostrum and folded upper lip; some color differences exist between sexes. Muzzle is long and narrow; ears are short and rounded, with anterior and posterior basal ear patches; and eyes are large. Adult males have white epaulettes. Dorsum is pale, light sandy brown to medium reddish brown, sometimes paler on shoulders and darker at bases; pelage is soft, slightly fluffy, and mid-dorsally c. 10 mm, extending halfway along forearm dorsally and ventrally. Chin, throat, and chest are darker reddish brown; venteris lighter. Wings have claw on second digits, and membranes are light brown and sparsely covered with hairs, attaching to second toes. Skull is flattened, and dorsal profile is very slightly concave; zygomatic width is moderately small but with sturdy arches; rostrum is relatively long and narrow, gradually sloping down anteriorly; sagittal crest is weak; lambdoid crest is relatively well developed; and post-dental palate is noticeably concave. There are six thick palatal ridges, of which two are post-dental, fourth is closer to third than fifth, and ridges 2—4 not divided.

Habitat. Drier regions but mainly riverine habitats in the Zambezian Woodland biotic zone, including wetter miombo woodland, undifferentiated woodland, Colophospermum (Fabaceae) mopane woodland, and transition to Bushy Karoo-Namib scrubland from sea level up to elevations of ¢. 1700 m. In Angola, eastern distribution of the Angolan Epauletted Fruit Bat is limited by extensive mosaic of Brachystegia bakerana ( Fabaceae ) thicket and edaphic grassland.

Food and Feeding. Angolan Epauletted Fruit Bat is presumably frugivorous and nectarivorous.

Breeding. Adult female Angolan Epauletted Fruit Bats had swollen nipples in September—October in northern Namibia, indicating lactation; some had neonates clinging to them.

Activity patterns. The Angolan Epauletted Fruit Bat is nocturnal. It roosts in bare branches oflarge Acacia (Fabaceae) trees, where it was exposed to direct sun.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Near Threatened on The IUCN Red List. Population of the Angolan Epauletted Fruit Bat is expected to decline by 20-25% over three generations. Major threats are removal of fruit and roost trees in riverine roosting areas for fuel and perhaps availability of firearms from civil war in Angola. It occurs in Mupa and Bikauri national parks in Angola.

Bibliography. Bergmans (1988), Mildenstein (2016a), Monadjem, Taylor et al. (2010), Shortridge (1934), Taylor (2013a).

Figures

50. Western Woermann’s Fruit Bat (Megaloglossus azagnyi), 51. Eastern Woermann’s Fruit Bat (Megaloglossus woermanni), 52. Angolan Soft-furred Fruit Bat (Lissonycteris angolensis), 53. Little Collared Fruit Bat (Myonycteris torquata), 54. Sao Tome Collared Fruit Bat (Myonycteris brachycephala), 55. Sierra Leone Collared Fruit Bat (Myonycteris leptodon), 56. Bergmans’s Collared Fruit Bat (Myonycteris relicta), 57. Broad-faced Fruit Bat (Plerotes anchietae), 58. Hammer-headed Fruit Bat (Hypsignathus monstrosus), 59. Franquet’s Epauletted Fruit Bat (Epomops franqueti), 60. Buttikofer’s Epauletted Fruit Bat (Epomops buettikoferi), 61. Veldkamp’s Epauletted Fruit Bat (Nanonycteris veldkampr), 62. Gambian Epauletted Fruit Bat (Epomophorus gambianus), 63. Peters’s Epauletted Fruit Bat (Epomophorus erypturus), 64. Angolan Epauletted Fruit Bat (Epomophorus angolensis), 65. Little Epauletted Fruit Bat (Epomophorus labiatus), 66. Minor Epauletted Fruit Bat (Epomophorus minor), 67. Ansell’s Epauletted Fruit Bat (Epomophorus anselli), 68. Wahlberg's Epauletted Fruit Bat (Epomophorus wahlbergi), 69. Dobson’s Epauletted Fruit Bat (Epomophorus dobsonu), 70. Sanborn’s Epauletted Fruit Bat (Epomophorus grands), 71. Lesser Epauletted Fruit Bat (Epomophorus pusillus), 72. Hayman’s Epauletted Fruit Bat (Epomophorus intermedius)

Distribution. W Angola and extreme NW Namibia .