Rediscovery of Glauconycteris superba Hayman, 1939 (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) after 40 years at Mbiye Island, Democratic Republic of the Congo

We report the rediscovery of the Pied Butterfl y Bat, Glauconycteris superba Hayman, 1939, 40 years after this species was last recorded. The new specimen from Mbiye Island, Democratic Republic of the Congo, is compared with the type specimens of G. s. superba and G. superba sheila Hayman, 1947 and a specimen from Matonguiné, Ivory Coast. The variation in the striking colouration of the pelage as well as in morphometric data is considered to be individual rather than geographic variation and we tentatively regard G. s. sheila as a synonym of the nominate form. Despite the wide distribution of this species in the tropical forest zone of West and Central Africa, only four specimens from four localities are known to date, which might indicate very specific habitat preferences. Contemporary land cover information around historic collection sites shows degraded landscapes. Given the highly uncertain area of occupancy of this species, we suggest changing the status of G. superba in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species from “Least Concern” to “Data Defi cient”

Nycticeinops schlieffenii

<i>Nycticeinops schlieffenii</i> (Peters, 1860) <p>Fig. 46 A–B</p> <p> <i>Nycticejus Schlieffenii</i> Peters, 1860: 224.</p> <p> <i>*</i> <i>Nycticeius (Scoteinus) schlieffeni</i> Peters, 1860.</p> <p> <i>*</i> <i>Nycticeius (Scoteinus) schlieffeni albiventer</i> Thomas & Wroughton, 1908: 540.</p> <p> Based on the shape of the baculum, Hill & Harrison (1987: 254) created a new genus (<i>Nycticeinops</i>), which contains <i>schlieffenii</i> as the only species. Happold (2013 ag: 595) indicated that four subspecies were recognized by Hayman & Hill (1971: 36), but these are of dubious validity.</p> <p> Hayman <i>et al.</i> (1966: 55–56, map 78) report <i>schlieffenii</i> from the northeastern part of the DRC, where they plotted three localities. Of these, Niangara needs to be removed as they stated on page 56 that Koopman (1965: 17) reassigned this specimen to <i>Scotoecus hirundo hindei</i>. Furthermore, Hayman <i>et al.</i> (1966) mention specimens from the southeastern part of the DRC (Tanganyika, Haut-Katanga and Haut- Lomami Provinces). The locality on Lake Tanganyika they mention is probably (Qua) Mpala, the type locality of <i>Scotophilus minimus</i> Noack, 1887, but this specimen could not be traced and is, therefore, not included here. More to the west, they also mentioned a specimen from Luluabourg. In the collection of the Tervuren museum, there is also an additional specimen from “Bas Congo ” (RMCA 65b), which probably was overlooked by Hayman <i>et al.</i> (1966), as they report a <i>Myotis bocagii</i> from the same locality (RMCA 65). Recently, an additional specimen was collected by the team of the University of Kisangani at Aketi (Bas-Uélé Province).</p> <p>The map presented by Happold (2013 ag: 595) shows two major distribution areas: the Sudanian woodlands in West Africa (from the Mauritanian-Senegalese border in the west to Nigeria and northern Cameroon in the east). The second area covers a major part of eastern Africa (from the coastal area in Sudan and Eritrea, splitting in two narrow stretches in Ethiopia, combining again to cover central Kenya, passing through central Tanzania to the southeastern DRC, Zambia, extending to the border between Angola and Namibia, Malawi, northern Zimbabwe, central and eastern Mozambique to the extreme northeastern RSA), also including a separate, small area in the northeastern DRC. The specimens reported here confirm the species’ presence in the two DRC regions, but also suggest that the species extends more to the west.</p>Published as part of <i>Cakenberghe, Victor Van, Tungaluna, Guy-Crispin Gembu, Akawa, Prescott Musaba, Seamark, Ernest & Verheyen, Erik, 2017, The bats of the Congo and of Rwanda and Burundi revisited (Mammalia: Chiroptera), pp. 1-327 in European Journal of Taxonomy 382 (382)</i> on page 101, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2017.382, <a href="http://zenodo.org/record/3860077">http://zenodo.org/record/3860077</a&gt

Hipposideros camerunensis Eisentraut 1956

<i>Hipposideros camerunensis</i> Eisentraut, 1956 <p> DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO: 1 ♂ [SN], <b>Shabunda</b>, unknown date, leg. Uwe Rahm (BMNH: 1963.1166).</p>Published as part of <i>Cakenberghe, Victor Van, Tungaluna, Guy-Crispin Gembu, Akawa, Prescott Musaba, Seamark, Ernest & Verheyen, Erik, 2017, The bats of the Congo and of Rwanda and Burundi revisited (Mammalia: Chiroptera), pp. 1-327 in European Journal of Taxonomy 382 (382)</i> on page 171, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2017.382, <a href="http://zenodo.org/record/3860077">http://zenodo.org/record/3860077</a&gt

Neoromicia brunnea

<i>Neoromicia brunnea</i> (Thomas, 1880) <p>Fig. 43 C–D</p> <p> <i>Vesperugo (Vesperus) brunneus</i> Thomas, 1880: 165.</p> <p>One specimen belonging to this species was collected at Lukolela (Mai-Ndombe Province, northwestern DRC). Fahr (2013p: 613) indicates that this species has a West African distribution, covering an area along the coast of Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea, and individual localities in Sierra Leone, Liberia, Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana. ACR (2016: 1237), furthermore, mentions specimens from Congo, Gabon and Nigeria. The Lukolela specimen is the easternmost record of this species.</p>Published as part of <i>Cakenberghe, Victor Van, Tungaluna, Guy-Crispin Gembu, Akawa, Prescott Musaba, Seamark, Ernest & Verheyen, Erik, 2017, The bats of the Congo and of Rwanda and Burundi revisited (Mammalia: Chiroptera), pp. 1-327 in European Journal of Taxonomy 382 (382)</i> on page 94, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2017.382, <a href="http://zenodo.org/record/3860077">http://zenodo.org/record/3860077</a&gt

Mops (Mops) midas

Mops (Mops) midas (Sundevall, 1843) DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO: 2 ♀♀, 1 ♂ [3 UN], Bagunda, 19 Jan. 1951, leg. H. de Saeger et al. (RBINS: 13815.1 to 13815.3); 2 ?? [2 SS], Bwamanda [Mission], between 1 Jul. 1961 and 31 Jul. 1961, leg. Vedast (Gaston Alfons) Maes (RMCA: 30949, 30950); 1 ad ♀, 1 emb?, 4 ♀♀, 1 ♂, 12 ?? [6 SS, 1 SO, 12 UN], Cel II, unknown date, leg. unknown collector, 8 Mar. 1951, 21 Feb. 1952, 8Apr. 1952, 30 Apr. 1952, 3 Oct. 1952, leg. H. de Saeger et al., 8Apr. 1952, 3 Oct. 1952, 22 Oct. 1952, leg. H. de Saeger (INPBC: 5159.4.1 to 5159.4.3, RBINS: 13819, RMCA: 36929, 36930, RBINS: 13822.1, 13822.2, RMCA: 36927, 36928, RBINS: 13821.1, 13821.2, 13814.1, 13814.2, 13820.1, 13820.2, RMCA: 36924 to 36926); 1 ad ♀, 1 ♀, 4 ?? [6 SA], Faradje, 7 Mar. 1912, 9 Mar. 1912, leg. Herbert Lang, James Paul Chapin and The American Museum Congo Expedition (AMNH: 49254 to 49257, 49262, 49272); 3 ?? [3 UN], Kamohohora, unknown date, leg. unknown collector (INPBC: V183.1 to V183.3); 3 ?? [3 UN], Mwiga, unknown date, leg. unknown collector (INPBC: V500.1 to V500.3); 1 ♂, 17 ?? [7 SS, 1 AL, 9 UN, 1 SN], Ndelele, 8 Feb. 1952, leg. H. de Saeger et al., 8 Feb. 1952, leg. H. de Saeger (RBINS: 13816.1 to 13816.4, 13817.1, 13817.2, 13818.1 to 13818.3, RMCA: 36915 to 36923); 1 ♂ [UN], Parc National de Garamba [= Garamba National Park], 3 Oct. 1952, leg. H. de Saeger et al. (RBINS: 13823); 6 ♀♀, 4 ?? [2 SS, 8 AL], Uvira, 2 Mar. 1959, leg. Uwe Rahm, 23 Sep. 1954, between 1 Mar. 1955 and 31 Mar. 1955, leg. Narcisse Leleup, 25 May 1955, leg. Waldo LaSalle Schmitt and E. Baker, 27 Jul. 1956, leg. Alvin Novick, 5 Sep. 1956, leg. Laurent, prior to 31 Oct. 1953, leg. Georges Marlier (RMCA: 33530, 27214, USNM: 301727, 301728, MCZ: 48197 to 48199, RMCA: 35694, 22911, 38152).Published as part of Cakenberghe, Victor Van, Tungaluna, Guy-Crispin Gembu, Akawa, Prescott Musaba, Seamark, Ernest & Verheyen, Erik, 2017, The bats of the Congo and of Rwanda and Burundi revisited (Mammalia: Chiroptera), pp. 1-327 in European Journal of Taxonomy 382 on page 210, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2017.382, http://zenodo.org/record/386007

Hipposideros Gray 1831

<i>Hipposideros</i> Gray, 1831 <p> DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO: 1 juv? [UN], <b>Abatupi River</b>, unknown date, leg. unknown collector (INPBC: V1057.2b); 1 ♀ [AL], <b>Île Mafi [= Mafi Island]</b>, 8 Jan. 2016, leg. Prescott Musaba, Moïse Bipoo, Charle Andabhati, Benjamin Kirongozi and Kambale Karupao (UNIKIS: ABCHIMAF12); 3 ♂♂ [3 AL], <b>Irangi, slightly E of [= Irangi]</b>, 15 Oct. 1990, leg. Wim Bergmans (ZMA: MAM.24182 to MAM.24184); 2 ♀♀ [2 AL], <b>Luhohov (River)</b>, 18 Oct. 1990, leg.</p> <p> Wim Bergmans (ZMA: MAM.24187, MAM.24188); 1 ♀ [AL], <b>Musenge</b>, 3 May 1992, leg. Ngenge Masumbuko Kamitongo (ZMA: MAM.24553); 1 ♀, 1 ♂ [2 UN], <b>Obenge</b>, 7 Feb. 2013, 8 Feb. 2013, leg. Prescott Musaba and André Malekani (UNIKIS:TLL390, TLL393); 3♂♂ [3AL], <b>Uma</b>, 12Apr. 2014, leg. Guy-Crispin Gembu Tungaluna, Prescott Musaba and André Malekani (UNIKIS: UMA504, UMA618, UMA619); 2 ♂♂ [2 UN], <b>Yoko</b>, 12 Feb. 2009, 4 Oct. 2009, leg. unknown collector (UNIKIS: GE128, GE318).</p>Published as part of <i>Cakenberghe, Victor Van, Tungaluna, Guy-Crispin Gembu, Akawa, Prescott Musaba, Seamark, Ernest & Verheyen, Erik, 2017, The bats of the Congo and of Rwanda and Burundi revisited (Mammalia: Chiroptera), pp. 1-327 in European Journal of Taxonomy 382 (382)</i> on pages 165-166, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2017.382, <a href="http://zenodo.org/record/3860077">http://zenodo.org/record/3860077</a&gt

Cloeotis percivali Thomas 1901

<i>Cloeotis percivali</i> Thomas, 1901 <p> DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO: 1 ad ♀, 1 ad ♂ [2 AL], <b>Dethioux Farm, Cave I [= Shinkolobwe]</b>, 15 Jun. 1958, leg. Félix / Michel Anciaux de Faveaux (RMCA: 27907, 27908); 1 ♀, 1 ♂ [2 SA], <b>Dethiox Caves [= Kambove]</b>, 4 Jun. 1960, leg. Félix / Michel Anciaux de Faveaux (SMF: 18920, 18921); 1 ♂ [UN], <b>Elisabethville [= Lubumbashi]</b>, 25 Mar. 1966, leg. unknown collector (RBINS: 17208); 1 ♂ [AL], <b>Kaboyaboya Cave</b>, 23 Jul. 1962, leg. Félix / Michel Anciaux de Faveaux (MHNG: 1046.098); 1 ♂ [SA], <b>Kasoma Cave</b>, 13 Aug. 1962, leg. Félix / Michel Anciaux de Faveaux (SMF: 21275); 1 ad ♀, 1 ad ♂ [2 SS], <b>Kiamokoto</b>, 4 Oct. 1948, leg. unknown collector (RBINS: 10792, 10793); 1 ♀, 1 ♂ [1 SA, 1 AL], <b>Lubudi</b>, 23 Jul. 1962, leg. Félix / Michel Anciaux de Faveaux (SMF: 21276, 21277); 5 ad ♀♀, 1 ♂, 2 ?? [5 SS, 1 SK, 2 UN], <b>Masombwe</b>, unknown date, 10 Oct. 1948, 19 Oct. 1948, leg. unknown collector (RBINS: 10802, 10803, 10777, 10789, 10794, 10796, 10797, 10800).</p>Published as part of <i>Cakenberghe, Victor Van, Tungaluna, Guy-Crispin Gembu, Akawa, Prescott Musaba, Seamark, Ernest & Verheyen, Erik, 2017, The bats of the Congo and of Rwanda and Burundi revisited (Mammalia: Chiroptera), pp. 1-327 in European Journal of Taxonomy 382 (382)</i> on page 185, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2017.382, <a href="http://zenodo.org/record/3860077">http://zenodo.org/record/3860077</a&gt

Taphozous nudiventris Cretzschmar 1830

<i>Taphozous nudiventris</i> Cretzschmar, 1830 <p> DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO: 1 ♀ [UN], <b>Cel II</b>, 8 Mar. 1952, leg. H. de Saeger <i>et al.</i> (RBINS: 13542).</p>Published as part of <i>Cakenberghe, Victor Van, Tungaluna, Guy-Crispin Gembu, Akawa, Prescott Musaba, Seamark, Ernest & Verheyen, Erik, 2017, The bats of the Congo and of Rwanda and Burundi revisited (Mammalia: Chiroptera), pp. 1-327 in European Journal of Taxonomy 382 (382)</i> on page 189, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2017.382, <a href="http://zenodo.org/record/3860077">http://zenodo.org/record/3860077</a&gt

Pipistrellus hesperidus

Pipistrellus hesperidus (Temminck, 1840) Fig. 46 E–F Vespertilio hesperida Temminck, 1840: 211. This species used to be included in Pipistrellus kuhlii, but as found by Göpfert et al. (1995: 68) and Volleth et al. (2001: 28), the sub-Saharan specimens have a different chromosome number than the specimens from Europe and northern Africa. For these sub-Saharan populations, Kock (2001: 277) reinstated the name hesperidus. Specimens belonging to this species were collected at three localities in the CRB area: two in Rwanda (Mutura and Kitabi) and one in Burundi (Nyamugari Hill). Kearney (2013d: 630) indicates that P. hesperidus is distributed in a narrow band in eastern Africa, reaching from southwestern Eritrea, over western Ethiopia, eastern South Sudan to northern Uganda, where it splits into two branches, one along the Kenyan-Tanzanian border reaching the coast, and a second along the great lakes to eastern Zimbabwe and the eastern RSA, reaching just north of Port Elizabeth. Additionally, she marked the presence of the species in the Mount Cameroon area and in Djibouti, with some further individual localities in northeastern Somalia, western Zambia, Angola and southern RSA. Furthermore, she refers to Jakob Fahr, who indicated that some records from West Africa might be misidentified. The SDM map confirms the presence of the species in eastern Africa. The records from West Africa might need to be re-examined.Published as part of Cakenberghe, Victor Van, Tungaluna, Guy-Crispin Gembu, Akawa, Prescott Musaba, Seamark, Ernest & Verheyen, Erik, 2017, The bats of the Congo and of Rwanda and Burundi revisited (Mammalia: Chiroptera), pp. 1-327 in European Journal of Taxonomy 382 on page 103, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2017.382, http://zenodo.org/record/386007

Scotophilus dinganii

Scotophilus dinganii (A. Smith, 1833) Fig. 36 E–F Vespertilio Dinganii A. Smith, 1833: 59. * Scotophilus nigrita (Schreber, 1775): 58. * Scotophilus nigrita herero Thomas, 1906: 174. As indicated below, S. nigrita was erroneously used to identify the medium-sized African Scotophilus species. Robbins (1978: 212) showed that the correct name for this species should be S. dinganii. Hayman et al. (1966: 57, map 83) reported “ S. nigrita ” from over almost the entire DRC and from northern Rwanda, with the exception of the northwestern part of the DRC and the most central part. Here, we include additional specimens from the northwestern, southwestern and southeastern parts of the country as well as from Rwanda and Burundi. This still leaves the central part of the DRC unoccupied by this species. The only central DRC record is a specimen from Boende (Tshuapa Province), but this is a juvenile specimen, which is probably too young to be identified with certainty. Furthermore, we removed a number of localities from the northeastern part of the DRC as the underlying specimens belonged to the next species. Happold (2013 am: 674) based her distribution map on data from Robbins et al. (1985: 63), which resulted in a rather detailed map with a lot of finger-like extrusions and areas which almost touch one another. We believe that the species has a wider distribution, only lacking in eastern Somalia, southern Namibia and most of the RSA and probably also from the west and central African rainforest as mentioned by Happold. However, we need to point out that some of the east African records might need to be reassigned to a separate species, e.g., S. colias as was tentatively suggested by Vallo et al. (2011: 350).Published as part of Cakenberghe, Victor Van, Tungaluna, Guy-Crispin Gembu, Akawa, Prescott Musaba, Seamark, Ernest & Verheyen, Erik, 2017, The bats of the Congo and of Rwanda and Burundi revisited (Mammalia: Chiroptera), pp. 1-327 in European Journal of Taxonomy 382 on page 80, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2017.382, http://zenodo.org/record/386007