A new genus for a rare African vespertilionid bat: insights from South Sudan

By

Reeder, DeeAnn M.
Helgen, Kristofer M.
Vodzak, Megan
Lunde, Darrin P.
Ejotre, Imran

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2013

Original Publication

ZooKeys

Volume

285

Pages

89-115

Subjects

Badger Bat , Description , Glauconycteris curryae , Glauconycteris poensis , Glauconycteris superba , Niumbaha gen. nov , South Sudan

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.285.4892

 

Abstract

A new genus is proposed for the strikingly patterned African vespertilionid “Glauconycteris” superba Hayman, 1939 on the basis of cranial and external morphological comparisons. A review of the attributes of a newly collected specimen from South Sudan (a new country record) and other museum specimens of “G.” superba suggests that “G.” superba is markedly distinct ecomorphologically from other species classified in Glauconycteris and is likely the sister taxon to Glauconycteris sensu stricto. The recent capture of this rarely collected but widespread bat highlights the need for continued research in tropical sub-Saharan Africa and in particular, for more work in western South Sudan, which has received very little scientific attention. New country records for G. cf. poensis (South Sudan) and G. curryae (Gabon) are also reported.