Kerivoula_cuprosa

Copper woolly bat

Copper woolly bat

Species of bat

The copper woolly bat (Kerivoula cuprosa) is a species of vesper bat. It is found in Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, and Guinea. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests, subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, and subtropical or tropical swamps. It is threatened by habitat loss.

Quick Facts Conservation status, Scientific classification ...

Taxonomy

The copper woolly bat was described as a new species in 1912 by British zoologist Oldfield Thomas. The holotype had been collected in 1911 by George Latimer Bates in southeast Cameroon.[2]

Description

The copper woolly bat is a small microbat, with a forearm length of 30–33 mm (1.2–1.3 in) and weight of 4.0–4.5 g (0.14–0.16 oz). The hair on its back is chocolate brown in color, with the tips of its hairs "frosted" in appearance with a golden color. The texture of its fur is woolly and frizzled. The uropatagium (flight membrane between the hind limbs) lacks a fringe of hair, which can distinguish it from some other African Kerivoula.[3]

Biology and ecology

The copper woolly bat is insectivorous, foraging for its insect prey in cluttered rainforests. It likely hunts by gleaning, or plucking insects off of vegetation. Its broad wings are capable of maneuverable flight and hovering for short durations. It likely favors smaller arthropods and those that are soft-bodied, as its teeth and skull are incapable of generating a high bite force.[3]

Range and habitat

The copper woolly bat has been documented in the following countries: Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Guinea, Kenya, and Liberia. Its habitat includes swampy forests, lowland forests, and forests interspersed with savanna.[1]

References

  1. [1]
    Fahr. J. (2019). "Kerivoula cuprosa". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2019: e.T10971A21971772. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T10971A21971772.en. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  2. [2]
    Thomas, O. (1912). "Mammals from the Ja River, Cameroons". Annals and Magazine of Natural History. 8. 10 (55): 41–42.
  3. [3]
    Happold, M. (2013). Kingdon, J.; Happold, D.; Butynski, T.; Hoffmann, M.; Happold, M.; Kalina, J. (eds.). Mammals of Africa. Vol. 4. A&C Black. pp. 727–728. ISBN 9781408189962.
Share this article:

This article uses material from the Wikipedia article Kerivoula_cuprosa, and is written by contributors. Text is available under a CC BY-SA 4.0 International License; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.