Nyctinomus thersites Thomas, 1903 Molossidae Don E. Wilson Russell A. Mittermeier 7VW4R Thomas 1903 [2033,2293,813,859] Mammalia Molossidae Mops Animalia Chiroptera 37 656 Chordata species thersites    89.    Railer Free-tailed Bat    French: Tadaride railleuse/ German: Thersites-Bulldogfledermaus/ Spanish: Mops de Thersites   Other common names: Railer Bat, Railer Mops Bat   Taxonomy. Nyctinomus thersites Thomas, 1903,   “Efulen, Cameroons[= Camer oon].”  This species is monotypic.    Distribution. Sierra Leoneand GuineaE to Cameroon(and Bioko I) and across CongoBasin to Uganda, Rwanda, and W Kenya; there are no records over much of interior of CongoBasin, which may be undersampled.   Descriptive notes.Head-body 66-77 mm, tail 25-36 mm, ear 13-22 mm, hindfoot 8-10 mm, forearm 35-42 mm; weight 10-34 g. Fur is short and sleek, blackish brown to dark reddish brown above, and medium brown below, with black ventral-stripe; flanks and rump are naked, with two tufts of long hairs on rump. Upper lip has 5-6 well-defined wrinkles on each side and many spoon-hairs. Wings and uropatagium are blackish or dark brown. Ears are blackish and relatively short (extending halfway along muzzle when laid flat), inner margins connected by interaural band of skin having forward-facing fold, bearing fringe of darker hair on its posterior edge but no interaural crest. Tragus is minute, and concealed by antitragus, which is large and trapezoid, with rounded corners and broad base. Anterior palate is narrowly emarginated, and basisphenoid pits are moderately developed. As is typical for Mops, cusps on M’ have third ridge much reduced. Chromosomal complement has 2n = 48 and FNa = 62.   Habitat.Tropical moist forest and cocoa plantations.   Food and Feeding.No information.   Breeding.Based on observations of pregnant females in Uganda, the Railer Free-tailed Bat is thought to be seasonally polyestrous with births in March and September, gestation period of ¢.2-5 months, and a lactation period of ¢.3-5 months.   Activity patterns.The Railer Free-tailed Bat is nocturnal, and roosts in hollow trees, under roofs, or in road culverts and drains.   Movements, Home range and Social organization.Railer Free-tailed Bats roostsingly or communally in small colonies. They sometimes share roosts with Short-winged Freetailed Bats ( M. brachypterus) and CongoFree-tailed Bats ( M. congicus).   Status and Conservation.Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List.   Bibliography.ACR (2017), Happold, D.C.D. (1987), Happold, M. (2013ar), Kingdon (1974), Lang & Chapin (1917b), Monadjem, Fahr, Bergmans, Mickleburgh, Hutson & Juste (2017b), Rosevear (1965). 3780789410 37 656