Nycteris arge, Thomas, 1903

Don E. Wilson & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2019, Nycteridae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 9 Bats, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 374-386 : 383

1.

Bates’s Slit-faced Bat

Nycteris arge

French: Nyctere de Bates / German: Bates-Schlitznase / Spanish: Nicterio de Bates

Taxonomy. Nycteris arge Thomas, 1903 ,

“Efulen, Cameroons [= Cameroon].”

Nycteris arge belongs to the arge group.

Monotypic.

Distribution. Patchily distributed in tropical forests of W & C Africa extending from Sierra Leone and Liberia to Togo and from SW Nigeria, Cameroon, and Gabon (including Bioko I) through DR Congo to South Sudan, W Uganda, SW Kenya, and NW Tanzania, and S to N Angola.

Descriptive notes. Head—body 50-65 mm, tail 42-61 mm, ear 25-34 mm, hindfoot 9-11 mm, forearm 39-46 mm; weight 6-11 g. Bates’s Slit-faced Bat is small, with short rounded wings. Longitudinal cleft runs along top of muzzle, covering noseleaves. Fur is long and fluffy, dark reddish brown to grayish brown dorsally, and slightly lighter ventrally. Ears are very long. Wing membranes are dark brown and free of hair except along margins of forelimbs where long hairs are present and can be rufous in color. There are no obvious sexual differences in pelage.

Habitat. Variety of tropical lowland forests including montane and swamp forest at elevations up to 1000 m. Bates’s Slit-faced Bats predominantly occur in undisturbed forest but can enter agroforestry plantations.

Food and Feeding. No information.

Breeding. Pregnant and lactating Bates’s Slitfaced Bats have been captured at different times of the year, suggesting that there is not a single, restricted breeding season. Litter size is one.

Activity patterns. Bates’s Slit-faced Bat roosts during the day in sheltered structures including hollow trees, caves, and road culverts. It leaves the day roost at dusk and typically forages close to the ground, gleaning prey off foliage and the forest floor.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Bates’s Slitfaced Bat roosts singly or in small groups of 2—4 individuals, often including a male and female. Echolocation call is multiharmonic and involves a steep FM sweep.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. Although Bates’s Slit-faced Batis not currently under threat of extinction, extent of its rainforest habitat is decreasing.

Bibliography. Fahr (20130), Griffiths (1994, 1997), Juste & Ibanez (1994b), Monadjem & Fahr (2007), Monadjem, Rasmussen & van der Made (2011), Monadjem, Richards & Denys (2016), Monadjem, Taylor et al. (2010), Rosevear (1965), Thomas et al. (1994), Van Cakenberghe & De Vree (1985), Verschuren (1957).

Figures

1. Bates’s Slit-faced Bat (Nycteris arge), 2. Intermediate Slitfaced Bat (Nycteris intermedia), 3. Dwarf Slit-faced Bat (Nycteris nana), 4. Dja Slitfaced Bat (Nycteris major), 5. Malayan Slit-faced Bat (Nycteris tragata), 6. Javan Slit-faced Bat (Nycteris javanica), 7. Andersen’s Slit-faced Bat (Nycteris aurita), 8. Large Slitfaced Bat (Nycteris grandis), 9. Hairy Slitfaced Bat (Nycteris hispida), 10. Large-eared Slit-faced Bat (Nycteris macrotis), 11. Madagascar Slitfaced Bat (Nycteris madagascariensis), 12. Parisi’s Slitfaced Bat (Nycteris parisii), 13. Wood's Shitfaced Bat (Nycteris wood), 14. Gambian Slitfaced Bat (Nycteris gambiensis), 15. Egyptian Slitfaced Bat (Nycteris thebaica)

Distribution. Patchily distributed in tropical forests of W & C Africa extending from Sierra Leone and Liberia to Togo and from SW Nigeria , Cameroon , and Gabon (including Bioko I) through DR Congo to South Sudan , W Uganda , SW Kenya , and NW Tanzania , and S to N Angola .