Myonycteris angolensis (Bocage, 1898)

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), European Journal of Taxonomy 382 (382), pp. 1-327 : 20

Myonycteris angolensis (Bocage, 1898)

Fig. 7 E–F

Cynonycteris Angolensis Bocage, 1898: 133 , 138.

* Rousettus (Lissonycteris) angolensis (Bocage, 1898) .

The lack of acoustical orientation (as only species with Rousettus s.l.), their different mode of locomotion, and a number of characters which more closely resembles those of Eidolon and other pteropodids than of Rousettus , already made Novick (1958) [in Aellen & Brosset 1968] and Lawrence & Novick (1963) conclude that the subgeneric status of Lissonycteris should be raised to full generic status. Lawrence & Novick (1963: 4) furthermore postulated from Myonycteris specimens stored in alcohol that the posture of their wings in life is like that of Lissonycteris. This character, together with the slender rostrum, made them propose to include the two genera in a myonycterine section. The narrowing of the anterior palate (which results in the upper tooth rows bending inwards) and the relative heaviness of P 4 reported by Bergmans (1980: 179) confirmed this grouping, as did the very similar karyotype (only a different polymorphism in pair 1) reported by Haiduk et al. (1981: 223). Genetic sequence analyses by Agnarsson et al. (2011) and Almeida et al. (2011) both confirmed the close relationship between Lissonycteris and Myonycteris , and led Nesi et al. (2012: 133) to conclude that Lissonycteris should be considered a synonym of Myonycteris .

The distribution of M. angolensis across CRB is split into three areas: one in Kongo Central Province in the extreme west, a second in the extreme southeastern part of the DRC (Haut-Katanga and Haut-Lomami Provinces) and a third along the eastern border of the DRC, extending into Rwanda and Burundi. More recently, the species has also been collected in the Kisangani area (Tshopo Province). RMCA 9904a, reported from Kabalo (Tanganyika Province) by Hayman et al. (1966: 30), was actually collected in the foothills of the Ruwenzori Mountains (Wim Wendelen, pers. comm.).

Figures

Fig. 7. Distribution maps. A–B. Nanonycteris veldkampii (Jentink, 1888). C–D. Megaloglossus woermanni Pagenstecher, 1885. E–F. Myonycteris angolensis (Bocage, 1898). A, C, E. Distribution in the CRB area. B, D, F. Pan-African distribution.