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Issue: Vol. 5768 No. 1: 9 Mar. 2026
Type: Article
Published: 2026-03-09
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5768.1.1
Page range: 1-28
Abstract views: 95
PDF downloaded: 37

Description of a new species of African pipistrelle-like bat (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae: Afronycteris)

Ditsong National Museum of Natural History; PO Box 413; Pretoria; 0001; South Africa; Department of Zoology and Entomology; University of Pretoria; Private Bag 20; Pretoria; 0028; South Africa
Centre for Viral Zoonoses; Department of Medical Virology; University of Pretoria; Pretoria; 0002; South Africa
Ditsong National Museum of Natural History; PO Box 413; Pretoria; 0001; South Africa
Mammalia molecular genetics taxonomy morphology Afronycteris nanus Afronycteris helios Kruger National Park

Abstract

The taxonomy of the small, sub-Saharan, insectivorous bat, Afronycteris helios (Heller, 1912), has been unresolved for decades. The name A. cf. helios was introduced in the literature to recognise bats found in east and southern Africa that were like A. helios but had glands on the uropatagium. Cranio-dental morphology, bacular morphology, and molecular genetics (albeit the latter two being without representation of A. helios), provided evidence to formally describe “A. cf. helios”, which is currently known from Kenya, Mozambique, and South Africa. Bayesian analyses based on cytochrome oxidase b, cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1, and 12S rRNA confirm that it belongs to the genus Afronycteris with A. nanus (Peter, 1852) and A. helios. These analyses also revealed genetic, bacular, and cranio-dental morphological differences within A. nanus, which are described here. Pending a more thorough geographic analysis, including all existing synonyms, A. cf. nanus has been introduced to refer to bats that were smaller than A. nanus. Although co-occurring in north-eastern parts of South Africa, A. cf. nanus has a more westerly distribution extending to west Africa, relative to the more easterly distribution of A. nanus. Afronycteris sp. nov. showed at least a 6.9%, 3.4% and 2.9% nucleotide difference to its nearest relative based on cytochrome oxidase b, cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1, and 12S rRNA respectively. It is cranio-dentally smaller than A. helios, slightly smaller than A. nanus, and larger than A. cf. nanus, with a distinct baculum, and a unique pair of glands on the uropatagium.

 

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How to Cite

Kearney, T., Vries, M.D. & Markotter, W. (2026) Description of a new species of African pipistrelle-like bat (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae: Afronycteris). Zootaxa, 5768 (1), 1–28. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5768.1.1