Scotophilus andrewreborii, B, 2014

B, D M. B J W., 2014, N S S (C: V) S - S A, Occasional Papers of the Museum 326, pp. 1-24 : 8-11

Scotophilus andrewreborii , new species

Andrew Rebori’s House Bat

Holotype. — Voucher CMNH 98049 ( Fig. 2 ); adult male; standard skin and skull deposited at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History ( Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania, USA). Collected on 7 October 1985 by Kimberly Nelson. Prepared by Kimberly Nelson , field number 217. Muscle tissue sample TK 33143. External measurements (mm) are: head-body length 83.0; tail length 50.3; hind foot length 9.0; ear length 9.0; forearm 52.9. Cranial measurements (mm) are: greatest skull length 19.6; zygomatic breadth 13.9; braincase breadth 9.1; braincase height 8.5; interorbital width 4.7; greatest breadth across upper molars 9.2; greatest breadth across upper canines 6.8; mandibular length 14.4.

Type locality. — Kenya: Rift Valley Province , Nakuru District, 12 km S, 4 km E Nakuru (0º24'S, 36º07'E) .

Paratypes. —Two additional specimens were collected from Kenya and based on morphological and genetic data are designated as paratypes. The first paratype is voucher CMNH 98048 ; adult female; standard skin and skull deposited at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA). Collected on 7 October 1985 by Kimberly Nelson from 12 km S, 4 km E Nakuru (0º24'S, 36º07'E), Nakuru District, Rift Valley Province , Kenya. Prepared by Kimberly Nelson (field number 214). Tissue sample TK 33140. External measurements (mm) are: head-body length 82.8; tail length 48.2; hind foot length 9.8; ear length 8.8; forearm 53.8. Cranial measurements (mm) are: greatest skull length 19.6; zygomatic breadth 13.8; braincase breadth 9.5; braincase height 7.9; interorbital width 4.3; greatest breadth across upper molars 8.8; greatest breadth across upper canines 6.8; mandibular length 13.6 .

The second paratype is voucher CMNH 98050 ; adult male; standard skin and skull deposited at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA). Collected on 8 October 1985 by Kimberly Nelson from Njoro River , 3 km S, 3 km W Nakuru (0º19'S, 36º03'E), Nakuru District, Rift Valley Province , Kenya. Prepared by Kimberly Nelson (field number 219). Tissue sample TK 33149. External measurements (mm) are: head-body length 83.4; tail length 50.3; hind foot length 9.9; ear length 9.4; forearm 52.0. Cranial measurements (mm) are: greatest skull length 18.7; zygomatic breadth 14.0; braincase breadth 9.0; braincase height 8.4; interorbital width 4.3; greatest breadth across upper molars 8.7; greatest breadth across upper canines 6.8; mandibular length 13.7 .

Distribution. —The type series is known from two localities in Kenya, and there are at least five additional Kenyan localities represented by other specimens. Four specimens, CMNH 61497–61500, were collected at Karibiti. CMNH 61501 was collected in the Laikipia District of the Rift Valley Province: Uaso Nyiro River, Nanyuki. CMNH 98042 was collected in the Kwale District of the Coastal Region: Shimba Hills National Reserve, Makandara Picnic Site, 7 km S, 8 km W Kwale (4º15'S, 39º23'E). CMNH 98044, 98045, and 98054 were collected in the Machakos District of the Eastern Province: Bushwackers, 11 km N, 17 km E Kibwezi (2º19'S, 38º07'E). CMNH 102248 and 102249 were collected in the West Pokot District of the Rift Valley Province: Weiwei River bridge, 1.5 km S, 1.5 km E Sigor (1º29'N, 35º29'E; 1030 m). These combined localities encompass a minimum geographic range of approximately 38,653 km 2, with altitude ranging from approximately 332 to 1905 m asl ( Fig. 3 ).

Etymology. —It is our honor to name this species for Andrew N. Rebori (1948–2011). Rebori unknowingly touched the lives and inspired many individuals, including many museum professionals. He always maintained a keen interest in animals, especially bats, which exemplified his spirit and attitude toward life, ‘Take flight every new day!’.

Diagnosis.— Scotophilus andrewreborii is distinguished from S. dinganii from Natal by a combination of external and craniodental features. S. andrewreborii averages slightly larger in body size for most characters ( Table 1). Additionally the dorsal pelage in S. andrewreborii is more reddish than the browner dorsal fur of S. dinganii , and the ventral pelage in S. andrewreborii is orange vs. a much darker grey in S. dinganii .

Cranial measurements in S. andrewreborii are smaller, with non-overlapping measurements for braincase breadth (≤ 9.4 in S. andrewreborii vs. ≥ 9.5 mm for S. dinganii ) for males ( Table 2), and shorter mean skull length (18.9 in S. andrewreborii vs. 19.6 mm for S. dinganii ), narrower zygomatic breadth (13.5 vs. 14.2 mm), shorter braincase height (7.8 vs. 8.1 mm), narrower interorbital width (4.4 vs. 4.8 mm), decreased breadth across upper molars (8.7 vs. 9.2 mm), and decreased breadth across upper canines (6.7 vs. 6.9 mm) for females ( Table 3).

Description.— Scotophilus andrewreborii has a forearm length ranging 46.5–54.1 mm. Dorsal fur is red to mahogany. Ventral fur is tan to orange, darker on the chin and sides of the abdomen. Ears range 8.8–10.8 mm with semi-rounded tips. Ventral plagiopatagium is hairy proximal to body and forearm. Dorsal plagiopatagium, uropatagium, dactylopatagium, tail, legs, and feet are naked.

Premaxillae is deeply notched and wide. Sagittal crest is prominent along entire braincase. Skull is broad with wide orbits. Zygomatic arch is thin. Vomer has a well developed central process. Palatine bones are angled inward anteriorly. Tympanic bullae are round to oval in shape and well developed. Foramen magnum is round. Occipital condyles are developed.

Upper incisors (I1) are bilobate with inner cusp much longer than highly reduced outer cusp. Upper canines (C1) are long and well developed. Paracone of upper premolar (P1) is much longer than metacone, which is longer than hypocone. P1 has a smaller diameter, yet longer paracone than molars M1 and M2. Upper molars M1 and M2 similar in size and structure, ellipsoidal triangular outline in occlusal view, interior edge shortest. Paracone and metacone of M1 and M2 similar in length, both are longer than the hypocone. The last molar (M3) is highly reduced, less than ½ the diameter of M1 and M2 with an ellipsoidal rectangular outline in occlusal view.

Lower incisors (I1–I3) are small. I1 and I2 are well developed trilobate. Lower canine is long and well developed. First lower premolar (P1) is shorter than canine and slightly longer than paracone of M1. Lower molars (M1–M2) are similar in size and structure, with rectangular trapezoid outline in occlusal view, exterior edge shortest. Third lower molar M3 similar to M1–M2 structurally only slightly reduced in size. Paracone of M1–M3 longer than metacone, which is longer than hypocone. All mandibular processes are well developed. Coronoid process is triangular pointing upward. Angular process extends to same level as mandibular condyle.

Comments.— Scotophilus andrewreborii was referred to as Clade 9 in Trujillo et al. (2009). It is sister to clade 8, described below, from which it differs by 4.9% sequence difference at cytochrome- b which is indicative of species distinction. It differs from nominate S. dinganii (represented by clade 13 in Trujillo et al. 2009) by 9.3% sequence difference at cytochrome- b.

Figures

Figure 2. Study skin (a) and cranium and mandible (b) of Scotophilus andrewreborii holotype (CMNH 98049).

Figure 3. Distributions of the four new species in Africa (top right inset): Scotophilus andrewreborii: 1 - (Holotype and Paratype 1) 12 km S, 4 km E Nakuru; 2 - (Paratype 2) Njoro River; 3 - Nanyuki; 4 - Makandara; 5 - Bushwackers; 6 - Weiwei R. bridge. Scotophilus livingstonii (bottom left inset): 7 - (Holotype and Paratype 1) Ikuywa R. Bridge; 8 - (Paratype 2) Univ. Ghana Bot. Garden; 9 - 5 km S, 16 km E Kakamega. Scotophilus ejetai: 10 - (Holotype and Paratype 2) Dogy R. Bridge; 11 - (Paratype 1) Wereta-Weldiya Rd; 12 - Bishan Waka L. Scotophilus trujilloi: 13 - (Holotype and Paratypes) Moana Marine Sta.; 14 - Shimba Hills N.R.; 15 - 3 km E Taveta.