Lesser Angolan epauletted fruit bat


The lesser Angolan epauletted fruit bat is a species of megabat in the family Pteropodidae. It is found in Angola and Republic of the Congo. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forest, subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest, dry savanna, and moist savanna. It is threatened by habitat loss.

Taxonomy

The lesser Angolan epauletted fruit bat was described as a new species in 1950 by Colin Campbell Sanborn. Sanborn placed it in the genus Micropteropus, with a binomen of Micropteropus grandis. The holotype had been collected at Dundo, Angola.

Description

Based on three individuals, it has a forearm length of. It has a dental formula of for a total of 28 teeth. The fur of its back is a pale, reddish-brown, while the fur of its belly is pale or whitish brown. Its ears are brown, short, and somewhat pointed at the tips.

Range and habitat

It is native to Africa where it has been documented in two countries: Angola and the Republic of the Congo. As of 2016, it had only been documented in the type locality of Dundo, Angola in addition to Pointe-Noire, Congo. Its habitat is likely savanna, though may also include tropical forest.

Conservation

As of 2016, it is evaluated as a data deficient species by the IUCN. It meets the criteria for this classification because there is little up-to-date information on its geographic range, ecological needs, and threats that it may be facing.