Epomops franqueti (Tomes, 1860)

Mongombe, Aaron Manga, Fils, Eric Moise Bakwo & Tamesse, Joseph Lebel, 2020, Annotated checklist of bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera) of Mount Cameroon, southwestern Cameroon, Zoosystema 42 (24), pp. 483-514 : 490-492

Epomops franqueti (Tomes, 1860)

( Fig. 4 , Table 3 )

Epomophorus franqueti Tomes, 1860: 54 .

COMMON NAMES. — English: Franquet’s Epauletted Fruit Bat. French: Epomophore de Franquet.

MATERIAL EXAMINED. — 171 specimens (including original data). Mount Cameroon area • 18 specimens; Victoria ; 4°00’46”N, 9°13’13”E; 136 m; 13.XII-16.XII.1966 & 11.XI.1973; Martin Eisentraut & Preuss P. leg.; ZFMK 1969.0579 to 0586; 1973.0371 to 0373, 0382, 0383, ZMB 53871, 53872, 53916, 67052, 9040 • 16 specimens; Mueli ; 4°23’00”N, 9°07’00”E; 600 m; 20.I-9.II. 1958; Martin Eisentraut leg.; ZFMK 1961.0604, 0605, 0609, 0611 to 0615, 0619, SMNS 6635 to 6641 • 5 specimens; Koto-Barombi ; 4°27’57”N, 9°16’01”E; 457 m; 16.I- 21.I.1958; Martin Eisentraut leg.; ZFMK 1961.0616, 0617, 0620, SMNS 6633, 6634 • 14 specimens; Isobi ; 4°07’15”N, 8°59’33”E; 56 m; 17.I.1958; Martin Eisentraut leg.; ZFMK 1961.0606, 0608, 0610, 0618; 1969.0420, SMNS 6642 to 6650 • 1♂; Buea ; 4°09’00”N, 9°12’00”E; 1050 m; 17.I.1958; Martin Eisentraut leg.; ZFMK 1969.0421 • 1 specimen; Lake Barombi ; 4°39’00”N, 9°25’00”E; 457 m; Conradt leg.; ZMB 54425 .

Other localities of Cameroon • 3 specimens; Nyasoso ; 4°49’42”N, 9°40’55”E; 1078 m; 10.XII-12.XII.1966; Martin Eisentraut leg.; ZFMK 1969.0422, 0425, 0431 • 8 specimens; Dikume Balue ; 4°14’42”N, 9°29’36”E; 1100 m; 17.II-28.II.1967; Martin Eisentraut leg.; ZFMK 1969.0423, 0429, 0430, 0453 to 0457 • 3 specimens; Mount Kupe ; 4°48’05”N, 9°42’29”E; 1078 m; 16.XI-26.II.1966; Martin Eisentraut leg.; ZFMK 1969.0424, 0427, 0428 • 1 specimen; Bamenda (Bambui); 6°03’00”N, 10°14’00”E; 1354 m; 5.II.1967; Martin Eisentraut leg.; ZFMK 1969.0426 • 1 specimen; Mora ; 11°2’47”N, 14°8’26”E; Martin Eisentraut leg.; ZFMK 1973.0370 • 11 specimens; Bipindi ; 3°05’00”N, 10°25’00”E; 184 m; Zenker Georg August leg.; ZMB 1128, 11280, 40160, 40161, 4785, 54934, 67098, 67101 to 67103, 67105 • 3 specimens; Yaoundé ; 3°52’00”N, 11°31’00”E; 726 m; Carnap-querheimb & Haberer leg.; ZMB 10026, 10029, 54520 • 2 specimens; Moungo River ; 4°02’50”N, 9°33’41”E; Buchholz leg.; ZMB 5001, 5002 • 1 ♂; Longji ; 3°04’31”N, 9°58’40”E; 15 m; Paschen leg.; ZMB 54933 • 1♀; Batonga ; 4°01’49”N, 9°06’04”E; 79 m; Kaiser leg.; ZMB 67103 • 3 ♂; Kribi ; 2°57’00”N, 9°55’00”E; 13 m; Zenker Georg August leg.; ZMB 9041, 9972, 9973 .

ORIGINAL DATA. — 79 individuals (22 males and 57 females) of this species were captured during our field surveys in disturbed habitats at altitudes below 1300 m a.s.l. ( Table 1 ). Both Eisentraut (1963) and Fedden & MacLeod (1986) also recorded this species in lowland, disturbed forest in Mount Cameroon.

HABITATS AND DISTRIBUTION. — This species is mostly distributed in Central Africa, but can also be encountered in parts of West and East Africa ( Kityo & Nalikka 2016). This species inhabits low to mid-elevation rainforest and some relic forest in savannah regions ( Happold 1987). Happold (2013a) pointed out that this species prefers secondary to primary forest and is often caught in gardens, and in clearings close to dense undergrowth where it roosts in dense foliage of large trees.

Figures

FIG. 4. — Epomops franqueti (Tomes, 1860). Photo: © Aaron Manga Mongombe.