Annotated checklist of bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera) of Mount Cameroon, southwestern Cameroon

Abstract

Mount Cameroon is a priority area for global biodiversity conservation, considering its high species richness and endemism across many taxa. As of yet, its Chiroptera fauna is still poorly known. Thus this paper aims to provide an updated checklist of the Chiroptera fauna of Mount Cameroon based on our own field data, previously published data and data from museum collections. Details on published references and conservation statuses are also provided for each species. During our field surveys (2016-2018), 613 individuals and 21 species were recorded. Among them three species are new to the area: Mops (Xiphonycteris) nanulus J. A. Allen, 1917, Mops (Xiphonycteris) thersites (Thomas, 1903) and Glauconycteris egeria Thomas, 1913. These new records bring the number of known bat species in the Mount Cameroon area to 38, belonging to seven families. This includes Pteropodidae Gray, 1821 (eleven species), Hipposideridae Gray, 1821 (six species), Rhinolophidae Gray, 1825 (three species), Miniopteridae Dobson, 1875 (three species), Vespertilionidae Gray, 1821 (seven species), Nycteridae Van der Hoeven, 1855 (five species) and Molossidae Gervais, 1856 (three species). We also observe that 23.7% of bats in the area are frugivorous (nine species), 71.1% are insectivorous (27 species) and 5.3% are nectarivorous (two species). Moreover, because of the increasing rate of deforestation in the area caused by slash-and-burn shifting cultivation and expansion of agro-industrial plantations, knowledge of the regional chiropteran fauna is imperative, especially as this information can provide a base for the development of future management and conservation strategies.

Sonotype‐level responses of Afrotropical hipposiderid bats to local‐scale effects of rainforest structure

“…However, due to continuing uncertainty about its taxonomic status, range and ecological requirements, D. camerunensis is listed as 'Data Deficient' on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (Mickleburgh et al, 2019;Mongombe et al, 2020). In contrast, despite a widespread distribution in the sub-Saharan continental region, M. vittatus populations are thought to be declining due to disturbance of suitable habitat and are therefore listed as 'Near Threatened' on the TA B L E 2 List of potential hipposiderid species and associated sonotypes expected to occur in the biogeographical area comprising the Lomami and Yangambi landscapes.…”

“…A plausible explanation for this differentiation in bat assemblages could be the configuration of the landscape. Indeed, D. camerunensis is considered to be an extremely rare species with a disjunct distribution (Van Cakenberghe et al, 2017), occurring sporadically in open matrix landscapes (Mongombe et al, 2020). The species has been described in Cameroon (Buea, type locality), Kenya and the DRC.…”

“…The species has been described in Cameroon (Buea, type locality), Kenya and the DRC. However, due to continuing uncertainty about its taxonomic status, range and ecological requirements, D. camerunensis is listed as ‘Data Deficient’ on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (Mickleburgh et al, 2019; Mongombe et al, 2020). In contrast, despite a widespread distribution in the sub‐Saharan continental region, M. vittatus populations are thought to be declining due to disturbance of suitable habitat and are therefore listed as ‘Near Threatened’ on the IUCN Red List (Weber et al, 2019).…”

Patterns of Bat Diversity in an Undisturbed Forest and Forest Mosaic Habitats of the Afromontane Forest Biome of Western Cameroon

“…Previous records of bats in the Cameroon Highlands were mostly in the form of pioneer faunistic expeditions and collection of specimens (Eisentraut, 1942(Eisentraut, , 1956(Eisentraut, , 1963(Eisentraut, , 1964(Eisentraut, , 1968(Eisentraut, , 1973Hill, 1968;Fedden and MacLeod, 1986). Recently, surveys by Mongombe et al (2019Mongombe et al ( , 2020, Manfothang et al (2020Manfothang et al ( , 2021 added some recent information about bats of the Cameroon Highlands. However, none of these studies evaluated the effect of anthropogenic activities on bat diversity in the biome.…”