Kerivoula lanosa
lesser woolly bat

Kerivoula lanosa was originally thought to be restricted to the southeastern region of sub-saharan Africa. The species was recorded in southeastern Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of Africa) and Zambia and south into Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and Botswana. In 1988, these bats were discovered in Nigeria and western central Africa, including the counries of Liberia, Ghana, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Gabon, and along the Ivory Coast. In general, K. lanosa is a rare, but widely spread species. (Hill, Harrison, and Jones, 1988; Rautenbach, Schlitter, and Braack, 1984; Rosevear, 1965; Smithers, 1983)

Kerivoula lanosa tend to be associated with aquatic environments, although some specimens have been collected in forested regions. They are usually found near rivers both in dry environments as well as well watered areas. It is believed that K. lanosa uses abandoned bird nests for shelter during the day, especially those of weavers. (Roberts, 1951; Smithers, 1983)

Members of this genus are all characterized by their grizzled, woolly, hair and buffy coloration. The hair of K. lanosa is curled, darker at the base than the tip, and extends onto the forearm and the fringes of the wings. The ventral surface, including the throat, is a much lighter shade of buff or white. Hairs on the interfemoral membrane tend to curve inward and have a hooked appearance. As in other members of Kerivoula, K. lanosa possess a high braincase that tends to rise very steeply from the rostrum. K. lanosa also has broad, pointed ears that have a funnel shape. A calcaneum supports the outer regions of the interfemoral membrane, which extends beyond the feet. (Rautenbach, Schlitter, and Braack, 1984; Roberts, 1951; Smithers, 1983)

These animals have a mass ranging from 6 to 8 g. They are about 8 cm long.

No information is available on K. lanosa for this category.

Partially because the species is widespread and relatively rare, there is no information available on the habits of K. lansosa. It is known, however, that the flight of this species is fairly slow and has been described as fluttering. It is also known that these animals are nocturnal. (Rosevear, 1965; Smithers, 1983)

Home Range

(No information available).

While there is no information available on how K. lanosa communicates with conspecifics, it is known that all members of the subfamily (Microchiroptera) use echolocation to hunt.

All members of the suborder (Microchiroptera) use high frequency sounds to locate their prey. K. lanosa is insectivorous. (Smithers, 1983)

(No information available).

Bats play a very important ecological role in almost every ecosystem worldwide as pollinators, seed dispersers, and insectivores. While there is no information on the impact that K.lanosa has on its ecosystem, there is significant research available on other members of the family Vespertilionidae. All information in this category is based on research for other species of the family, and not that of K. lanosa. All members of the family are insectivorous and play a very important role in the balance of their respective ecosystems. ("Michrochiropteran Bats: Global Status Survey and Conservation Action", 2001; Ducummon, 2000)

One member of the Vespertilionidea family, Myotis lucifugus (little brown bat) can consume over 1200 (mosquito size) insects in one hour and eat 100 percent of its own body mass every night. Roughly 80 percent of M. lucifugus in the northern US and Canada eat mosquitoes. These bats are known to be very important in pest control in the region. A single 150 member colony of the species Eptesicus fuscus (big brown bat) is capable of consuming over 123,000 pest insects each summer. It is reasonable to assume that K. lanosa is like other members of its family with regard to its impact on local insect populations. ("Michrochiropteran Bats: Global Status Survey and Conservation Action", 2001; Ducummon, 2000)

(No information available).

All information in this category is based on other memmbers of the family Vespertilionidae. There is no information on the economic importance of K. lanosa. ("Michrochiropteran Bats: Global Status Survey and Conservation Action", 2001; Ducummon, 2000)

The diet of E. fuscus specifically includes insects known to defoliate trees and the roots of grasses and other plants. These insects are pests in both orchards and soybean fields, and cause the spread of many plant diseases. One beetle reduces productivity by 10 to 13 percent, costs $15 to $25 per acre, and costs an estimated 33 billion dollars to American farmers each year. Yet an E. fuscus colony of about 150 animals can devastate 33 million of the beetles’ larvae each year. Because over 35 percent of its diet includes these insects, E. fuscus is considered to be very important for pest control. K. lanosa may perform a similar service by destroying insects. ("Michrochiropteran Bats: Global Status Survey and Conservation Action", 2001; Ducummon, 2000)

Another member of the Vespertilionidae family, Antrozous pallidu, is also an important asset to ranchers. Pallid bats, A. pallidus, are known for consumption of grasshoppers and crickets. This species is another example of the importance of bats as insectivores in many ecosystems ("Michrochiropteran Bats: Global Status Survey and Conservation Action", 2001; Ducummon, 2000)

(No information available).