150.

Abo Butterfly Bat

Glauconycteris poensts

French: Glauconyctere d'Abo / German: Abo-Schmetterlingsfledermaus / Spanish: Glauconicterio de Abo

Other common names: Abo Bat

Taxonomy. Kerivoula poensis]. E. Gray, 1842,

“ Fernando Po [= Bioko],” Equatorial Guinea.

A. Hassanin and colleagues in 2018 retrieved G. poensis as sister to part of G. egeria . Monotypic.

Distribution. W & C Africa, from Senegal E through much of W Africa to Cameroon, including Bioko I, and isolated records from DR Congo; possible record from NE Tanzania.

Descriptive notes. Head-body c.43-53 mm, tail 34-46 mm, ear 9-13 mm, forearm 32-41 mm; weight 15-7-18.9 g.

Females average slightly larger than males in body measurements. Pelage is soft and dense, with 5-7 mm mid-dorsal hairs. Dorsal and ventral fur is medium to dark grayish sepia-brown or brownish gray. Head, shoulders, and throat are paler in some individuals. Shoulder spot and dorsal flank-stripe are variable, with one or both being present or not, on one or both sides, and if present, they can be conspicuous or faint, separated or Joined. Earsare separated, rounded, and short. Inner margin has moderately long, backward-pointing lobe at base, and outer margin is connected with fleshy lobe on lower lip near corner of mouth. Eyes are very small. Wings and uropatagium are dark brown, with faint venation particularly near body. Tibia is of medium length (16-19 mm) for Glauconycteris . Head is comparatively large and high-domed, and muzzle is short, broad, and flattish. Skull is small, and profile of forehead is strongly concave compared with other Glauconycteris . I? is weakly bicuspid, with unequal cusps. I° is minute. Lowerincisors are tricuspid and slightly crowded in some individuals. Diploid number is 2n = 22 in Gabon.

Habitat. Lowland tropical moist forests at elevations of 450-1300 m. In the Mount Nimba area, recorded in forested habitats, degraded secondary forests, and on the edge of a small village. On Bioko Island, recorded in cocoa plantations.

Food and Feeding. No information.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. Abo Butterfly Bats have been found in small holes in trees and clinging to stems in banana plants, in groups of up to nine individuals clinging in a row, head to tail, along leaflets of fronds of coconut and oil palmsin Sierra Leone, and in buildings. One male and female were found inside a dead cottonwood Ceiba pentandra (Malvaceae) .

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Abo Butterfly Bats have been found alone and in small groups of up to nine individuals.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List.

Bibliography. Happold, M. (2013bb), Hassanin et al. (2018), Peters (1869b), Porter et al. (2010).