Striped leaf-nosed bat

Striped leaf-nosed bat
Conservation status

Near Threatened  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Chiroptera
Family: Hipposideridae
Genus: Hipposideros
Species: H. vittatus
Binomial name
Hipposideros vittatus
Peters, 1852 [1]
Striped leaf-nosed bat range
Synonyms

H. marungensis Noack, 1887
H. mostellum Thomas, 1904
H. viegasi Monard, 1939

The striped leaf-nosed bat (Hipposideros vittatus) is a species of roundleaf bat native to eastern and southern Africa.[2] It was formerly considered part of H. commersoni, which is now viewed as being restricted to Madagascar.[1][2]

Distribution and habitat

The striped leaf-nosed bat can be found primarily in eastern and southern Africa.[1] In east Africa, the species ranges from Ethiopia and Somalia, through Kenya, and to Zambia and Mozambique. In the south, the species appears in Zimbabwe, Botswana, and Namibia. However, smaller populations are also scattered throughout west and central Africa, in Angola, Central African Republic, eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, Guinea and Nigeria. The striped leaf-nosed bat can be found locally within caves and occasionally, roosting in trees and under the eaves of buildings. The species is most likely to appear in woodland savannas. However, they have also been found in lowland tropical moist forests, as well as at altitudes up to 1700 m.[1]

Conservation

There are no major threats to this species as a whole. However, its population is declining due to habitat destruction by excessive mining of limestone caves, disturbance by tourist, and overhunting.[1] A number of colonies are present in some protected areas in east Africa, notably Tsavo National Park in Kenya.[1] They have also been found in parts of Kruger National Park in South Africa.[1]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Mickleburgh, S., Hutson, A.M., Bergmans, W.; Cotterill, F. P. D. (2008). "Hipposideros vittatus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2014.2. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 18 October 2014.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Simmons, N. B. (2005). "Order Chiroptera". In Wilson, D. E.; Reeder, D. M. Mammal Species of the World (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 377. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494.