Epomophorus anselli, Bergmans & van Strien, 2004

Don E. Wilson & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2019, Pteropodidae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 9 Bats, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 16-162 : 99

67.

Ansell’s Epauletted Fruit Bat

Epomophorus anselli

French: Epomophore dAnsell / German: Ansell-Epaulettenflughund / Spanish: Epomdéforo de Ansell

Other common names: Ansell's Dawn Bat

Taxonomy. Epomophorus anselli Bergmans & van Strien, 2004 ,

“Lisanthu (1300'S, 33107), 1,000 m asl, Kasungu N.P [= Nanional Park],” Malawi.

Epomophorus anselli is in the gambianus species group and is known with certainty from only three specimens. Measurements overlap with large northern E. labiatus . Monotypic.

Distribution. Known from two localities in Malawi (Kasungu National Park and Karonga) and a further locality in SW Tanzania (Ugano).

Descriptive notes. Head—body 104-145 mm, tail 2-4 mm, ear 19-20 mm, forearm 68— 77 mm; weight 57-70 g. Males are possibly larger than females, with wider rostrum and folded upperlip and with dark band high on chest between epaulettes. Muzzle is relatively long and broad. Eyes are large;irises are brown. Ears are short and rounded and have anterior and posterior white basal ear patches and dark brown rims. Adult males have white epaulettes. Dorsum is fawn, light sandy brown to medium brown; hairs are slightly darker at bases; pelage is soft and mid-dorsally c. 12-15 mm, extending onethird along forearm dorsally and ventrally. Ventral pelage is pale brown,slightly darker on flanks. Males have no white patch on belly. Wings have claw on second digits, and membranes are brown and attached to second toes. Skull is medium-sized; condylobasal length is 47 mm in adult male holotype; and rostrum is long in males and less so in females; interorbital region is relatively flat in lateral view; parietal region is deflected downward; zygomatic width is medium for Epomophorus ; arches are relatively weak; sagittal crest is absent; nuchalcrest is weak; and post-dental palate is noticeably concave. There are six thick palatal ridges, of which two are post-dental in the male holotype and fifth is partially interdental in female paratype; interdental ridges are not divided; ridges 5-6 are divided by narrow groove; and fourth ridge is midway between third and fifth.

Habitat. Zambezian Woodland biotic zone (wetter miombo woodland dominated by Brachystegia and Julbernardia , both Fabaceae ) and edge of Afromontane-Afroalpine biotic zone at elevations of ¢. 1000-1560 m.

Food and Feeding. Ansell’s Epauletted Fruit Bat is frugivorous, possibly feeding on fruits of Syzygium cordatum ( Myrtaceae ).

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. Ansell’s Epauletted Fruit Bat is nocturnal.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Data Deficient on The IUCN Red List. Ansell’s Epauletted Fruit Bat was recently described, and there is a lack of information on its distribution,status, threats, and ecological requirements.

Bibliography. Bergmans (2013), Mildenstein (2016b), Monadjem, Taylor et al. (2010).

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. Known from two localities in Malawi (Kasungu National Park and Karonga) and a further locality in SW Tanzania (Ugano).