Glauconycteris baka
Glauconycteris baka is a small butterfly bat of the Central African forests, described in 2026 from Cameroon and also identified from specimens in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Its name honours the Baka people of the region. The species belongs to the bat family Vespertilionidae.[1]
Appearance and identification
The described male has dark brown fur, cream-coloured shoulder patches and blackish wings without a conspicuous net-like pattern. There is no pale stripe along the flank. Its forearm measures 34.2 mm; that is a measurement of the type specimen, not an established size range for the species.[1]
The skull has a short muzzle and an inflated braincase. Researchers distinguished the bat using skull and dental characters together with DNA. Shoulder markings alone are insufficient: similar patches occur in other members of the genus, including Glauconycteris beatrix, its close relative in the study's genetic analysis.[1]
Distribution and habitat
The type specimen was caught near Mambele in southeastern Cameroon, in the buffer area of Lobéké National Park. The capture site was beside a waterfall in lowland evergreen forest with an open canopy, about 520 metres above sea level. Genetic comparisons also placed bats from Bongandjola, Melume and Yoko in the Democratic Republic of the Congo within the species.[1]
These records establish a wider distribution than the single Cameroonian capture site. They do not establish how abundant the bat is throughout that area. The description provides little species-specific information about roosts, breeding or diet.[1]
Discovery and name
The 2026 description emerged from a study combining measurements, museum specimens and DNA evidence. It separated G. baka from bats previously grouped around G. beatrix. The authors consulted Baka community members through local park rangers about the proposed name and reported a favourable response.[1]
The Mammal Diversity Database recognises the species in its July 2026 release.[2]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Gomeh-Djame, Aicha; Bates, Paul J. J.; Juste, Javier; and colleagues (2026). “An integrated taxonomic and conservation assessment of Glauconycteris (Chiroptera, Vespertilionidae) in Cameroon, with the description of two new species from the Northwestern Congolian Lowland Forest”. ZooKeys 1282:161–204.
- ↑ Mammal Diversity Database (2026). “Glauconycteris baka”. Taxonomy and distribution checked against version 2.5, released 28 July 2026.