Uncovering the diversity of bats in the Mbam Minkom Massif, Cameroon : insights into the importance of tropical inselbergs

Abstract

We report the results of two expeditions (2019 and 2022) to the Mbam Minkom Massif (Centre Region, Cameroon), focused on an assessment of the montane area's bat fauna. We describe bat species' richness and highlight the incredible diversity and ecological importance of this highly threatened ecosystem. Across both years, we captured a total of 36 bat species representing 21 genera and six families on Mbam Minkom Massif and in the surrounding lowland forest. Our findings include two new species records for Cameroon, and two additional records of the recently described bat, Pseudoromicia mbamminkom. We provide accounts for all captured species, including new locality records, detailed capture locations, and notable taxonomic and distributional observations, as well as echolocation call data. Sampling curves suggest adequate sampling coverage, yet also the potential non-detection of several bat species, highlighting the need for further fieldwork to develop a comprehensive species checklist. Conservation strategies are urgently needed to protect this vital ecosystem and mitigate both the loss of forest cover and consequent species loss. Our findings illustrate the importance of the Mbam Minkom Massif and the need to better understand and conserve inselberg ecosystems within rainforests that are facing intense anthropogenic pressures.