Lissonycteris angolensis

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	MAMMALIA	CHIROPTERA	PTEROPODIDAE

Scientific Name:

Lissonycteris angolensis

Species Authority:

Bocage, 1898

Common Name/s:

English

–

Angolan Fruit Bat, Angolan Rousette

Synonym/s:

Lissonycteris goliath

Lissonycteris petraea

Lissonycteris ruwenzorii

Lissonycteris smithii

Rousettus angolensis

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Least Concern ver 3.1

Year Assessed:

2008

Assessor/s

Mickleburgh, S., Hutson, A.M. & Bergmans, W.

Evaluator/s:

Hutson, A.M., Racey, P.A. (Chiroptera Red List Authority) & Cox, N. (Global Mammal Assessment Team)

Justification:
Listed as Least Concern in view of its wide distribution, presumed large population, it occurs in a number of protected areas, has a tolerance of a degree of habitat modification, and because it is unlikely to be declining fast enough to qualify for listing in a more threatened category.

History:

2004	–	Least Concern (IUCN 2004)
1996	–	Lower Risk/least concern (Baillie and Groombridge 1996)

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	This species is widely distributed at elevations ranging from sea level to 4,000 m asl, in West Africa, Central Africa and East Africa, with some distinct populations present within southern Africa. It ranges from Senegal and The Gambia in the west, through most of West Africa to Cameroon; from here it ranges southwards into Congo, eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and Angola, and eastwards into Central African Republic, southern Sudan, eastern and southern Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda and Burundi. In East Africa it is distributed from Ethiopia in the north through Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania. In southern Africa the species is present in northern Zambia, Zimbabwe and Mozambique. The nominate subspecies Lissonycteris angolensis angolensis has been recorded from northwestern Angola, central and southern Cameroon, Central African Republic, central Congo, Equatorial Guinea (Bioko, Mbini), Gabon, eastern Nigeria, and northwestern and southwestern Democratic Republic of the Congo; the subspecies L. a. goliath is known from four localities in south-east Africa (the border area of Mozambique and Zambia) between sea level and 1,800 m asl; L. a. petraea is found only in Ethiopia, where it has been recorded from six localities between 1,190 and 2,600 m asl; L. a. ruwenzorii has been recorded from Ethiopia, Kenya, Mozambique, Rwanda, southern Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, northeastern and southeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zambia and Zimbabwe; L. a. smithi is distributed in the lowlands of western Africa, where its distribution follows the savanna and forest zone, it is found up to 1,400 m asl on Mount Nimba.
Countries:	Native: Angola; Burkina Faso; Burundi; Cameroon; Central African Republic; Congo; Congo, The Democratic Republic of the; Côte d'Ivoire; Equatorial Guinea; Ethiopia; Gambia; Ghana; Guinea; Guinea-Bissau; Kenya; Liberia; Mozambique; Nigeria; Rwanda; Senegal; Sierra Leone; Sudan; Tanzania, United Republic of; Togo; Uganda; Zambia; Zimbabwe Presence uncertain: Benin; Gabon
Range Map:	(click map to view full version)

Population [top]

Population:	This species can be common in some localities. Some subspecies, such as Lissonycteris angolensis petraea, are known from few specimens.
Population Trend:	Decreasing

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	Populations of this species have been recorded from a diverse range of habitats, including montane tropical forest, lowland tropical moist forest, Zambezian miombo woodland, Sudanian woodland, moist savanna and mosaics of these habitats with grassland. Groups of this species, generally consisting of six to eight animals, can be most often found roosting at cave entrances and amongst dense vegetation (including under palm leaves). Members of the subspecies Lissonycteris angolensis goliath have been recorded from mid-altitude and afromontane forest, and is probably associated with caves as roost sites; L. a. petraea is present in evergreen and semi-evergreen bush land, and afromontane vegetation, it too may be associated with caves; L. a. ruwenzorii has been recorded from forest clearings and orchards; L. a. smithi is found in savanna and lowland forest, and is considered fairly adaptable to habitat modification.
Systems:	Terrestrial

Habitat and Ecology:

Populations of this species have been recorded from a diverse range of habitats, including montane tropical forest, lowland tropical moist forest, Zambezian miombo woodland, Sudanian woodland, moist savanna and mosaics of these habitats with grassland. Groups of this species, generally consisting of six to eight animals, can be most often found roosting at cave entrances and amongst dense vegetation (including under palm leaves). Members of the subspecies Lissonycteris angolensis goliath have been recorded from mid-altitude and afromontane forest, and is probably associated with caves as roost sites; L. a. petraea is present in evergreen and semi-evergreen bush land, and afromontane vegetation, it too may be associated with caves; L. a. ruwenzorii has been recorded from forest clearings and orchards; L. a. smithi is found in savanna and lowland forest, and is considered fairly adaptable to habitat modification.

Systems:

Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	There appear to be no major threats to this species as a whole. Some subspecies, such as Lissonycteris angolensis goliath may be threatened by loss of habitat resulting from logging operations, and disturbance of cave roosting sites. It is possible that some populations of this species are threatened by overharvesting for subsistence food.

Major Threat(s):

There appear to be no major threats to this species as a whole. Some subspecies, such as Lissonycteris angolensis goliath may be threatened by loss of habitat resulting from logging operations, and disturbance of cave roosting sites. It is possible that some populations of this species are threatened by overharvesting for subsistence food.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	This species is present in a number of protected areas. There is a need to protect the habitat of subspecies such as Lissonycteris angolensis goliath and L. a. petraea.

Conservation Actions:

This species is present in a number of protected areas. There is a need to protect the habitat of subspecies such as Lissonycteris angolensis goliath and L. a. petraea.

Citation:	Mickleburgh, S., Hutson, A.M. & Bergmans, W. 2008. Lissonycteris angolensis. In: IUCN 2008. 2008 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 02 December 2008.
Disclaimer:	To make use of this information, please check the Copyright and Data Disclaimer.
Feedback:	If you see any errors or have any questions or suggestions on what is shown on this page, please fill in the feedback form so that we can correct or extend the information provided