Sierra Leone collared fruit bat (Myonycteris leptodon) is a species of megabat found in West Africa.[1]
Taxonomy
The Sierra Leone collared fruit bat was described as a new species in 1908 by Danish mammalogist Knud Andersen. The holotype had been collected by J. Hickman in Sierra Leone.[3] It was considered a subspecies of the little collared fruit bat (Myonycteris torquatus) beginning in 1976; a 2013 study determined that the taxon was indeed genetically distinct enough to be considered a full species.[4]
Description
The Sierra Leone collared fruit bat males weigh an average of 39.9 g (1.41 oz), while females weigh an average of 42.0 g (1.48 oz). Male forearm lengths are about 61.2 g (2.16 oz) compared to females at 61.5 mm (2.42 in). For both sexes, the average head and body length is 107.9 mm (4.25 in).[5]
The Sierra Leone collared fruit bat is found throughout West Africa, including: Ivory Coast, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Togo. It is often found in lowland tropical forests, though has also been documented in habitats that are a mix of forest and grassland.[1]