189.

Lagos Serotine

Eptesicus platyops

French: Sérotine de Lagos / German: Lagos-Breitflligelfledermaus / Spanish: Eptesicus de Lagos

Taxonomy. Vespertilio platyops Thomas, 1901,

“ Lagos,” Western Region, Nigeria .

Systematic position of E. platyops is uncertain. It is often considered a subspecies of E. hottentotus or E. serotinus, but it is generally considered a distinct species based on morphology. Revision of African Eptesicus is needed. Monotypic.

Distribution. SW Nigeria and Bioko I along with an unspecified locality in Senegal.

Descriptive notes. Head-body c¢.60-75 mm, tail 40-49 mm, ear 16 mm (one specimen), forearm 45-52-5 mm. Pelage of the Lagos Serotine is silky. Dorsal pelage is pale to medium fawn (hairs brown on basal one-half); ventral pelage is paler cream to whitish (hairs with fawn bases). Bare face, ears, and membranes are brown; wings have narrow white hind border. Ears are relatively short, and inner margins are convex, with maximum curvature near basal onethird; outer margins are mostly convex with 1-2 concave sections and low rounded basal lobes; and tips are very rounded. Tragus is broad and blunt, with broadest part in middle, straight anterior margin, convex posterior margin, and small triangular lobe at base. Tail extends a couple vertebrae past margin of uropatagium, and postcalcarial lobe is poorly developed. Skull is large and robust compared with other African Eptesicus, braincase is relatively broad and high (although skull has been described as flat); forehead profile is concave orstraight; sagittal crest is very weak posteriorly; and lambdoidal crests are even weaker. I” is large, broad, flattened, and bicuspid (unlike in the Long-tailed Serotine, E. hottentotus); I’ is very small and barely exceeding cingulum of I*; and lower molars are myotodont.

Habitat. Reportedly cocoa plantations on Bioko Island and perhaps dry open woodlands in Senegal, although accuracy of this is doubtful.

Food and Feeding. No information.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. No information.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Data Deficient on The IUCN Red List. Not much is currently known regarding threats and ecology of the Lagos Serotine. Specimens from Senegal and Nigeria were captured around 1900; individuals on Bioko Island were captured in the 1980s. Only five specimens are currently known, three of which came from Bioko Island. Taxonomy of the Lagos Serotine is also uncertain, and a properstatus and conservation assessments are not possible.

Bibliography. ACR (2018), Ibanez & Valverde (1985), Rosevear (1962), Schlitter (2008), Van Cakenberghe & Happold (2013d).