1 Smithers (1971)2 Extracted from Bergmans (1989) using data from Angola, Malawi and Zambia3 Skinner and Chimimba (2005)4 Specimens measured by the authors
A single specimen was collected amidst a colony of Epomophorus crypturus hanging in a riparian tree (Smithers 1971). Epomophorus dobsonii is associated with miombo woodland throughout Angola and Zambia, although the single specimen from Botswana was collected in riverine woodland (Smithers 1971).
Extralimital: The core of this species’ distributional range is in southern Africa, beyond which it occurs in a narrow band through Tanzania to Rwanda (Bergmans 1989).
Foraging ecology: There is no information on the diet or foraging behaviour of this species.
Reproduction: In Zambia, immature individuals have been collected in September and November (Bergmans 1989).
Figure 53. Skull and teeth of Epomophorus dobsonii: (a) dorsal view, (b) ventral view, (c) lateral view, and (d) lateral view of mandible (DM 14437).
Figure 54. Epomophorus dobsonii, portrait showing white ear tufts (© F. P. D. Cotterill).
SYSTEMATIC NOTES
1889.Epomophorus dobsonii Bocage, Jornal de sciencias mathematicas, physicas e naturaes, Lisboa (2)1: 1. Quindumbo, Benguela district, western Angola.
Epomophorus dobsonii was previously placed in Epomops but is atypical of that genus (Bergmans 1989), as it has only two post-dental palatal ridges; the other two Epomops species, E. franqueti and E. buettikoferi, both have five such ridges. Recent molecular studies have demonstrated that it is more closely allied to Epomophorus than Epomops (Almeida et al. 2016).
1 Smithers (1971)
2 Extracted from Bergmans (1989) using data from Angola, Malawi and Zambia
3 Skinner and Chimimba (2005)
4 Specimens measured by the authors
Epomophorus grandis (Sanborn 1950)
Sanborn’s epauletted fruit bat Data Deficient
Description: Despite its name, Epomophorus grandis is a medium-sized bat (and small for a fruit bat) with an estimated mass of 50–60 g. The pelage is light brown; the individual hairs are uniformly coloured (Hayman 1963). It is assumed that, as a member of the genus Epomophorus, adult male E. grandis will display white shoulder epaulettes; however, to date only two young males have been collected, neither of which had these patches (Bergmans 1988). The ears have a patch of white fur at their base. The muzzle is dog-shaped.
The dental formula is 2121/2132 = 28. There are six narrow palatal ridges present, with the second to the sixth divided by a narrow groove (Sanborn 1950). One ridge is present beyond the last molar.
Key identification