African sliding-tailed bat
| African sliding-tailed bat | ||||||||||||
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Coleura afra | ||||||||||||
| ( Peters , 1852) |
The African sliding-tailed bat ( Coleura afra ) is a species of bat from the family of the smooth-nosed free-tailed bat (Emballonuridae), which is native to Africa. It was previously the second species of its genus, alongside the endangered Seychelles sliding-tailed bat ( Coleura seychellensis ), but the newly discovered population in Madagascar could be a new species of its own.
description
With a body weight of 10–12 g, the African sliding-tailed bat is the smallest representative of the smooth-nosed free-tailed bat in Africa. The females are slightly larger than the males (sexual dimorphism ). Their fur is brown and the hair is two-tone with a dark base and a light tip. The face appears black and hairless. The flight skin is brown and, unlike many other members of this family, the African sliding-tailed bat has no wing pockets.
distribution and habitat
The African sliding-tailed bat is found in Central and West Africa in the Central African Republic , Sudan , Eritrea , Ethiopia , Uganda , Tanzania , Kenya and along the coast of Somalia , as well as in parts of Guinea , in Ghana and Benin , and locally in Angola . The species was recently discovered in northern Madagascar . Thanks to its widespread use, the IUCN classifies its population as safe.
Way of life
The African sliding- tailed bat, like most bats, is nocturnal. During the day it hangs in bright caves, cellars and abandoned buildings along lakes and coasts. Other bat species can also live in the same caves, such as the Mauritian grave bat ( Taphozous mauritianus ), Taphozous perforatus , Taphozous hildegardeae , Hipposideros caffer , Rhinopoma macinnesi and Asellia tridens . African sliding-tailed bat colonies can contain up to 50,000 animals, with each individual hanging in a specific spot. The colonies are divided into groups of up to 20 animals and individual males. It is assumed that these groups are harems, each of which is defended by a male. When it gets too warm, the animals don't hang in clusters, but split up and keep a certain distance from one another. During cold spells the groups move together and form a large, homogeneous group to store heat.
Reproduction
In Kenya, the females give birth to a young twice a year at the beginning of the rainy season . The wearing time is about 114 days, whereby it takes 8 days longer during the second, shorter rainy season of the year. Young animals born during the shorter rainy season grow more slowly than young animals born during the long rainy season, but have a higher probability of survival. After breastfeeding, females often stay longer in the mother's colony than males. The animals reach sexual maturity in the first year after their birth, whereby the females that were born in the short rainy season can suppress their first gestation so that it does not fall into the long dry season.
supporting documents
- ↑ SM Goodman, D. Andriafidison, R. Andrianaivoarivelo, SG Cardiff, E. Ifticene, RKB Jenkins, A. Kofoky, T. Mbohoahy, D. Rakotondravony, J. Ranivo, F. Ratrimomanarivo, J. Razafimanahaka, PA Racey (2005 ): The distribution and conservation of bats in the dry regions of Madagascar. Animal Conservation 8, pp. 153-165. ( Full text )
- ^ Coleura afra in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species .
literature
- Jenna Dunlop (1997): Coleura afra , Mammalian Species, No. 566, pp. 1–4 ( full text )
