Spurrell's free-tailed bat
Spurrell's free-tailed bat (Mops spurrelli) is a species of bat in the family Molossidae named after Herbert George Flaxman Spurrell. It is found in Cameroon, Central African Republic, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Togo. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forest and subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest. It is threatened by habitat loss.
| Spurrell's free-tailed bat | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Chiroptera |
| Family: | Molossidae |
| Genus: | Mops |
| Species: | M. spurrelli |
| Binomial name | |
| Mops spurrelli Dollman, 1911 | |
| Synonyms | |
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Taxonomy and etymology
It was described as a new species in 1911 by British zoologist Guy Dollman. Dollman initially placed it in the now-defunct genus Xiphonycteris. The eponym for the species name "spurrelli" is Herbert George Flaxman Spurrell, who collected the holotype. The holotype, an adult male, was collected 60 mi (97 km) west of Kumasi, Ghana at an altitude of 700 ft (210 m).[2]
Description
Spurrell's free-tailed bat is a small species, with a forearm length of approximately 27 mm (1.1 in). Its fur is a rusty red color on its back, with its ventral surface a buffy white. Its dental formula is 1.1.2.31.1.2.3 for a total of 28 teeth. It has triangular ears, small feet, and hairy toes.[2]
Range and habitat
Its range includes several countries in Central and West Africa. It has been documented in Cameroon, Central African Republic, The Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Togo[1]
Conservation
As of 2017, it is evaluated as a least-concern species by the IUCN. It met the criteria for this classification because it has a wide geographic range; its population is presumably large; and it is unlikely to be experiencing a rapid population decline.[1]
References
- Monadjem, A.; Fahr, J.; Bergmans, W.; Mickleburgh, S.; Hutson, A.M.; Juste, J. (2017). "Mops spurrelli". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2017: e.T13848A22078917. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-2.RLTS.T13848A22078917.en.
- Dollman, G. (1911). "Description of a new genus of Molossine Bats from West Africa". The Annals and Magazine of Natural History; Zoology, Botany, and Geology. 8. 7 (38): 210–212. doi:10.1080/00222931108692924.