Trujillo's yellow bat or Trujillo's house bat (Scotophilus trujilloi) is a species of vesper bat endemic to Kenya.

Trujillo's yellow bat
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Chiroptera
Family: Vespertilionidae
Genus: Scotophilus
Species:
S. trujilloi
Binomial name
Scotophilus trujilloi
Brooks & Bickham, 2014
Range map

Taxonomy and etymology edit

It was described as a new species in 2014. The holotype was collected in 1985 in Kwale County, Kenya. The eponym for the species name "trujilloi" is Robert Trujillo. Trujillo's work on the molecular systematics of Scotophilus bats "paved the way" for the description of this species and three others.[2]

Description edit

Trujillo's house bat has reddish-mahogany fur on its back and grayish-orange fur on its belly. Its forearm length ranges from 43.8–46.2 mm (1.72–1.82 in).[2]

Range and habitat edit

Trujillo's house bat is endemic to Kenya, where it is found in the Coast Province. It has been documented at elevations of 0–760 m (0–2,493 ft) above sea level.[2]

Conservation edit

As of 2017, it is evaluated as a least-concern species by the IUCN. Its range includes at least one protected area, the Shimba Hills National Reserve. It is possibly quite tolerant of human-mediated landscape disturbance. It is threatened by the intentional destruction of its roosts.[1]

References edit

  1. ^ a b Monadjem, A. (2017). "Scotophilus trujilloi". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2017: e.T84466859A84466867. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-2.RLTS.T84466859A84466867.en.
  2. ^ a b c Brooks, D. M.; Bickham, J. W. (2014). "New species of Scotophilus (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) from Sub-Saharan Africa" (PDF). Museum of Texas Tech University (326).