Sierra Leone collared fruit bat
Sierra Leone collared fruit bat is a species of megabat found in West Africa.
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. It was considered a subspecies of the little collared fruit bat beginning in 1976; a 2013 study determined that the taxon was indeed genetically distinct enough to be considered a full species.
Description
The Sierra Leone collared fruit bat males weigh an average of, while females weigh an average of. Male forearm lengths are about compared to females at. For both sexes, the average head and body length is.
Biology and ecology
Along with the straw-colored fruit bat and Veldkamp's dwarf epauletted fruit bat, the Sierra Leone collared fruit bat is one of the only African megabats believed to have seasonal migration. It roosts singly or in small groups during the day.
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.