Micropteropus pusillus ( Peters, 1868 )

Decher, Jan, Norris, Ryan W., Abedi-Lartey, Michael, Oppong, James, Hutterer, Rainer, Weinbrenner, Martin, Koch, Martin, Podsiadlowski, Lars & Kilpatrick, C. William, 2021, A survey of small mammals in the Volta Region of Ghana with comments on zoogeography and conservation, Zoosystema 43 (14), pp. 253-281 : 267

Micropteropus pusillus ( Peters, 1868)

Epomophorus pusillus Peters, 1868: 870 .

COMMON NAME. — Peters’ Lesser Epauletted Fruit Bat.

MATERIAL EXAMINED. — Agumatsa Wildlife Sanctuary • 3 ♀; ZTNHC 957 , SMF 92112, 92113 . Apesokubi • 1 ♂; 0.5 km N Apesokubi ; USNM 590071 • 4♀; USNM 590070 , ZTNHC 966 , SMF 89660, 89661 . Kyabobo NP • 1 ♂; SMF 92114 . Shiare Schoolyard • 1 ♀; SMF 92115 .

REMARK

As in previous studies from Ghana and Togo ( De Vree et al. 1969, 1971; Decher 1997a), with 23 individuals caught, Micropteropus pusillus was the most common small fruit bat in our survey, perhaps outnumbered locally only by large colonies of the high-flying Eidolon helvum ( Kerr, 1792) . It is a typical species of the rainforest-savannah mosaic characteristic for much of the Volta Region. In Ghana east of the Volta River, M. pusillus was previously captured at Akwamufe, Amedzofe, Kalakpa Game Production Reserve, Leklebi Agbesia and Odomi Jongo ( Bergmans 1989). In Ghana and Togo, M. pusillus shares a similar distribution pattern with Epomophorus gambianus (see maps in Bergmans [1988, 1989] and Grubb et al. [1998]) but it seems to occur more commonly in or near forest remnants than the latter species, suggesting a greater dependence on forest. In our survey up to eight individuals would hit the nets at the same time indicating that they fly and forage in groups.

CONSERVATION STATUS. — Micropteropus pusillus was classified as “Least Concern” on the IUCN Red List. It remains a common fruit bat species in the Ghana-Togo Highlands. However, this species may depend on forest remnants during its foraging flights ( Fahr 1996).