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Rosevear’s Serotine

Neoromicia roseveari

French: Vespere de Rosevear / German: RosevearZwergfledermaus / Spanish: Neoromicia de Rosevear

Taxonomy. Neoromicia roseveari Monadjem et al., 2013,

“across the Yit River in mature riparian rainforest (07°29' N, 08°35'W),” on the edge of East Nimba Nature Reserve, Nimba Province, Liberia.

Separated from other similar taxa based on molecular data and craniodental and bacular morphology; known from few specimens. Monotypic.

Distribution. Guinea (Simandou Range) and Liberia (Mt Nimba).

Descriptive notes. Head-body 47-50 mm, tail 39-44 mm, ear c¢. 8 mm, forearm c. 37 mm; weight 6-6-3 g. Dorsal and ventral pelage of Rosevear’s Serotine are similar in color, being chocolate-brown, unicolored above and slightly bicolored below. Wings and interfemoral membrane are dark brown. Ears are comparatively short and round; tragus has curved outer margin and distinct lobe at base. Skull is comparatively robust for Neoromicia; rostrum is broad; braincase is broad and rises distinctly and sharply above level of rostrum; posterior region of parietal/supraoccipital crest does not form a helmet;sagittal and lambdoid crests are low. Upper tooth row converges anteriorly; I? is bifid; I’ reaches ¢.66% length of 1%; P? is absent; and C! is in contact with P*. A. Monadjem and colleagues reported dental formula to be: 12/3, C1/1,P1/2,M 2/3 (x2) = 30, but this seems to be an error because their published image of the skull shows the normal formula for the genus.

Habitat. Forested habitats at the base of Mount Nimba. Two specimens were netted in primary forest, suggesting that the species may be forest-dependent.

Food and Feeding. No information.

Breeding. In the Simandou Range, Guinea, a pregnant Rosevear’s Serotine with an embryo of 20 mm crown-rump length was caught in March.

Activity patterns. No information.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Endangered on The IUCN Red List. The only two populations known are underincreasing threat due to deforestation for logging, mining, and slash-and-burn agriculture.

Bibliography. ACR (2017), Decher et al. (2016), Monadjem et al. (2013).