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Using various sources, including the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), published literature, recent (2015–2017) collections, as well as bat detector and camera trap surveys with opportunistic sightings and live capture in the upper Okavango catchment in central Angola, we present an updated mammal checklist of 275 species from 15 different orders for Angola (including the Cabinda region). Recent surveys (captures and bat detectors) of small mammals from the upper Okavango catchment yielded 46 species (33 species of bats, ten species of rodents and three species of shrews). One bat (Pipistrellus rusticus, rusty pipistrelle); two rodents (Mus setzeri, Setzer’s mouse and Zelotomys woosnami, Woosnam’s broad-faced mouse) and one shrew (Suncus varilla, lesser dwarf shrew) were captured for the first time, in Angola. While our species lists of bats conformed to predicted totals, terrestrial small mammals were under sampled, with only 13 species recorded by our trapping survey compared to a total of 42 shrew and rodent species expected based on GBIF records for the central Angolan highlands. Seven terrestrial small mammal species (one shrew and six rodents) are endemic to the central and western Angolan highlands but none of these were captured in our survey. The bat detector surveys added three further bat species to the country list: Pipistrellus hesperidus, Kerivoula argentata, and Mops midas. Camera trap surveys and opportunistic sightings in the upper Okavango catchment in 2016 yielded a total of 35 species of medium-large mammals, from 17 families, although all of these had been reported previously in Angola. GBIF proved to be an excellent source of biodiversity data for Angolan mammals, most importantly for documenting dramatic historical range changes of larger mammals such as the sable (Hippotragus niger niger), Kirk’s sable (H. niger kirkii) and the giant sable (H. niger variani).

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Using various sources, including the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), published literature, recent (2015-2017) collections, as well as bat detector and camera trap surveys with opportunistic sightings and live capture in the upper Okavango catchment in central Angola, we present an updated mammal checklist of 275 species from 15 different orders for Angola (including the Cabinda region). Recent surveys (captures and bat detectors) of small mammals from the upper Okavango catchment yielded 46 species (33 species of bats, ten species of rodents and three species of shrews). One bat (Pipistrellus rusticus, rusty pipistrelle); two rodents (Mus setzeri, Setzer's mouse and Zelotomys woosnami, Woosnam's broad-faced mouse) and one shrew (Suncus varilla, lesser dwarf shrew) were captured for the first time, in Angola. While our species lists of bats conformed to predicted totals, terrestrial small mammals were under sampled, with only 13 species recorded by our trapping survey compared to a total of 42 shrew and rodent species expected based on GBIF records for the central Angolan highlands. Seven terrestrial small mammal species (one shrew and six rodents) are endemic to the central and western Angolan highlands but none of these were captured in our survey. The bat detector surveys added three further bat species to the country list: Pipistrellus hesperidus, Kerivoula argentata, and Mops midas. Camera trap surveys and opportunistic sightings in the upper Okavango catchment in 2016 yielded a total of 35 species of medium-large mammals, from 17 families, although all of these had been reported previously in Angola. GBIF proved to be an excellent source of biodiversity data for Angolan mammals, most importantly for documenting dramatic historical range changes of larger mammals such as the sable (Hippotragus niger niger), Kirk's sable (H. niger kirkii) and the giant sable (H. niger variani). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human-dominated landscapes comprise the bulk of the world’s terrestrial surface and Africa is predicted to experience the largest relative increase over the next century. A multi-scale approach is required to identify processes that maintain diversity in these landscapes. Here we identify scales at which animal diversity responds by partitioning regional diversity in a rural African agro-ecosystem between one temporal and four spatial scales. Human land use practices are the main driver of diversity in all seven animal assemblages considered, with medium sized mammals and birds most affected. Even the least affected taxa, bats and non-volant small mammals (rodents), responded with increased abundance in settlements and agricultural sites respectively. Regional turnover was important to invertebrate taxa and their response to human land use was intermediate between that of the vertebrate extremes. Local scale (< 300 m) heterogeneity was the next most important level for all taxa, highlighting the importance of fine scale processes for the maintenance of biodiversity. Identifying the triggers of these changes within the context of functional landscapes would provide the context for the long-term sustainability of these rapidly changing landscapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many bee species produce thoracic vibrations in various contexts. Among the social stingless bees (Meliponini) pulsed thoracic vibrations are used to communicate with nestmates. To date all studies on stingless bee vibrational communication have been conducted in the Neotropics. We, therefore, focused on six African stingless bee species of five genera: Meliponula, Hypotrigona, Liotrigona, Dactylurina, Plebeina. We analysed the signals' temporal patterns. Vibrational signals appear to play a role in the recruitment of stingless bees. The degree of signal variation in the studied species was much lower than the variation in the signals of Neotropical stingless bees. Furthermore, the inter-signal variation of the temporal patterns exceeded intra-signal variation. This might reveal that the bees are able to modulate the temporal patterns and the signals potential communicative value. Furthermore, foraging activity correlates with pulse production in H. gribodoi and M. bocandei, supporting the hypothesis that the vibrational signals are used in the context of foraging and recruitment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents abstracts related to African bats topics which include understanding the systematic bat fauna in Madagascar, bats taxonomy and discovery and the bat's point of view.