Species of bat
| São Tomé free-tailed bat |
Conservation status |
 Endangered (IUCN 3.1)[1] |
Scientific classification  |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Chiroptera |
| Family: | Molossidae |
| Genus: | Mops |
| Species: | M. tomensis |
| Binomial name |
Mops tomensis
(J. Juste & C. Ibañez, 1993) |
 |
| range |
| Synonyms |
- Tadarida (Chaerephon) tomensis Juste & Ibañez, 1993
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The São Tomé free-tailed bat (Mops tomensis) is a species of bat in the family Molossidae. It is endemic to São Tomé and Príncipe. Its natural habitats are dry savanna, moist savanna, and plantations. It is threatened by habitat loss. Only three individuals have ever been documented.
Taxonomy and etymology
It was described as a new species in 1993. Initially, the authors placed it in the genus Tadarida, but within the subgenus Chaerephon. Therefore, its scientific name was Tadarida (Chaerephon) tomensis.[2]
Its species name "tomensis" means "belonging to Tomé," referencing the fact that the holotype was found on São Tomé and Príncipe. Based on its morphology, the authors hypothesized that it might be closely related to Gallagher's free-tailed bat.[2]
Description
Like other Mops species, its ears are connected to each other via a thin band of tissue called the interaural membrane. It is a small species of bat, with a forearm length of approximately 38.5 mm (1.52 in). Individuals weigh approximately 7.2 g (0.25 oz). The ears have rounded tips, and are wider than they are tall. Its antitragus is rectangular and defined, while the tragus is very small. Its wings are long and narrow, with the wing membranes whitish and nearly transparent. Its dorsal fur is dark brown, with its ventral fur a lighter brown. Its dental formula is 1.1.2.32.1.2.3, for a total of 30 teeth.[2]
Range and habitat
The holotype was located approximately 3 km (1.9 mi) northwest of Guadalupe, São Tomé and Príncipe in the vicinity of Praia das Conchas. Another specimen was collected near Água Izé.[2] It has been documented in open savanna forest with baobob trees (Praia das Conchas) and humid forest and (Água Izé). Its habitat near Água Izé may have been lost to agricultural conversion, with the forest replaced by cocoa plantations.[1]
Conservation
It is currently assessed as endangered by the IUCN. As of 2019, the only individuals that have been documented were the three initially used to describe the species in 1993. It may also be declining due to competition with the little free-tailed bat.[1]
References
- ^ a b c Monadjem, A.; Mickleburgh, S.; Hutson, A.M.; Bergmans, W.; Juste, J. (2019). "Chaerephon tomensis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2019: e.T4321A21981234. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T4321A21981234.en. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
- ^ a b c d Juste, J; Ibanez, C (1993). "A New Tadarida of the Subgenus Chaerephon (Chiroptera: Molossidae) from SaO Tome Island, Gulf of Guinea (West Africa)" (PDF). Journal of Mammalogy. 74 (4): 901. doi:10.2307/1382428. JSTOR 1382428.
External links
- Illustrations of the São Tomé free-tailed bat
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Subfamily Molossinae |
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Chaerephon
(Lesser mastiff bats) | - Duke of Abruzzi's free-tailed bat (C. aloysiisabaudiae)
- C. atsinanana
- Ansorge's free-tailed bat (C. ansorgei)
- Gland-tailed free-tailed bat (C. bemmeleni)
- Spotted free-tailed bat (C. bivittata)
- Fijian mastiff bat (C. bregullae)
- Chapin's free-tailed bat (C. chapini)
- Gallagher's free-tailed bat (C. gallagheri)
- Northern freetail bat (C. jobensis)
- Red free-tailed bat (C. jobimena)
- Northern free-tailed bat (C. johorensis)
- Grandidier's free-tailed bat (C. leucogaster)
- Lappet-eared free-tailed bat (C. major)
- Nigerian free-tailed bat (C. nigeriae)
- Wrinkle-lipped free-tailed bat (C. plicata)
- Little free-tailed bat (C. pumila)
- Russet free-tailed bat (C. russata)
- Solomons mastiff bat (C. solomonis)
- São Tomé free-tailed bat (C. tomensis)
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Cheiromeles
(Naked bats) | |
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| Cynomops | - Cinnamon dog-faced bat (C. abrasus)
- Freeman's dog-faced bat (C. freemani)
- Greenhall's dog-faced bat (C. greenhalli)
- Mexican dog-faced bat (C. mexicanus)
- C. milleri
- Para dog-faced bat (C. paranus)
- Southern dog-faced bat (C. planirostris)
|
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Eumops
(Mastiff bats) | - Black bonneted bat (E. auripendulus)
- Dwarf bonneted bat (E. bonariensis)
- Big bonneted bat (E. dabbenei)
- E. ferox
- Florida bonneted bat (E. floridanus)
- Wagner's bonneted bat (E. glaucinus)
- Sanborn's bonneted bat (E. hansae)
- Guianan bonneted bat (E. maurus)
- E. nanus
- Patagonian bonneted bat (E. patagonicus)
- Western mastiff bat (E. perotis)
- Colombian bonneted bat (E. trumbulli)
- Underwood's bonneted bat (E. underwoodi)
- E. wilsoni
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| Mormopterus | - Subgenus Mormopterus
- Natal free-tailed bat (M. acetabulosus)
- M. francoismoutoui
- Sumatran mastiff bat (M. doriae)
- Peters's wrinkle-lipped bat (M. jugularis)
- Kalinowski's mastiff bat (M. kalinowskii)
- Little goblin bat (M. minutus)
- Incan little mastiff bat (M. phrudus)
- Subgenus Micronomus
- East-coast free-tailed bat (M. norfolkensis)
- Subgenus Ozimops
- Beccari's free-tailed bat (M. beccarii)
- M. halli
- M. kitcheneri
- M. loriae
- M. lumsdenae
- M. petersi
- Southern free-tailed bat (M. planiceps)
- Eastern free-tailed bat (M. ridei)
- Subgenus Setirostris
- M. eleryi
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Molossops
(Broad-faced bats) | - Equatorial dog-faced bat (M. (Cabreramops) aequatorianus)
- Mato Grosso dog-faced bat (M. mattogrossensis)
- Rufous dog-faced bat (M. neglectus)
- Dwarf dog-faced bat (M. temminckii)
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Molossus
(Velvety free-tailed bats) | - Aztec mastiff bat (M. aztecus)
- M. barnesi
- Coiban mastiff bat (M. coibensis)
- Bonda mastiff bat (M. currentium)
- Velvety free-tailed bat (M. molossus)
- Miller's mastiff bat (M. pretiosus)
- Black mastiff bat (M. rufus)
- Sinaloan mastiff bat (M. sinaloae)
- M. trinitatus
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Mops
(Greater mastiff bats) | - Subgenus Xiphonycteris
- Spurrell's free-tailed bat (M. spurrelli)
- Dwarf free-tailed bat (M. nanulus)
- Peterson's free-tailed bat (M. petersoni)
- M. leonis
- Sierra Leone free-tailed bat (M. brachyptera)
- M. bakarii
- Railer bat (M. thersites)
- Subgenus Mops
- Angolan free-tailed bat (M. condylurus)
- White-bellied free-tailed bat (M. niveiventer)
- Mongalla free-tailed bat (M. demonstrator)
- Malayan free-tailed bat (M. mops)
- Sulawesi free-tailed bat (M. sarasinorum)
- Trevor's free-tailed bat (M. trevori)
- M. congica
- Midas free-tailed bat (M. midas)
- Niangara free-tailed bat (M. niangarae)
- Medje free-tailed bat (M. congicus)
- M. leucostigma
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| Myopterus | - Daubenton's free-tailed bat (M. daubentonii)
- Bini free-tailed bat (M. whitleyi)
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| Neoplatymops | - Mato Grosso dog-faced bat (N. mattogrossensis)
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Nyctinomops
(New World
free-tailed bats) | - Peale's free-tailed bat (N. aurispinosus)
- Pocketed free-tailed bat (N. femorosaccus)
- Broad-eared bat (N. laticaudatus)
- Big free-tailed bat (N. macrotis)
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Otomops
(Big-eared
free-tailed bats) | - Javan mastiff bat (O. formosus)
- Harrison's large-eared giant mastiff bat (O. harrisoni)
- Johnstone's mastiff bat (O. johnstonei)
- Madagascar free-tailed bat (O. madagascariensis)
- Large-eared free-tailed bat (O. martiensseni)
- Big-eared mastiff bat (O. papuensis)
- Mantled mastiff bat (O. secundus)
- Wroughton's free-tailed bat (O. wroughtoni)
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| Platymops | - Peters's flat-headed bat (P. setiger)
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Promops
(Domed-palate
mastiff bats) | - Big crested mastiff bat (P. centralis)
- P. davisoni
- Brown mastiff bat (P. nasutus)
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| Sauromys | - Roberts's flat-headed bat (S. petrophilus)
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Tadarida
(Free-tailed bats) | - Egyptian free-tailed bat (T. aegyptiaca)
- White-striped free-tailed bat (T. australis)
- Mexican free-tailed bat (T. brasiliensis)
- Madagascan large free-tailed bat (T. fulminans)
- European free-tailed bat (T. insignis)
- New Guinea free-tailed bat (T. kuboriensis)
- La Touche's free-tailed bat (T. latouchei)
- Kenyan big-eared free-tailed bat (T. lobata)
- European free-tailed bat (T. teniotis)
- African giant free-tailed bat (T. ventralis)
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Taxon identifiers |
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| Chaerephon tomensis | |
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