Gland-tailed Wrinkle-lipped Bat

Mops bemmeleni is a small free-tailed bat native to the forested and savanna regions of Central and West Africa. It is notable for the distinctive glandular structures near the base of its tail, which give it its common name. This species roosts in colonies in caves, hollow trees, and buildings, and plays an important role in insect population control across its range.

Central and West Africa, including Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, Kenya, and Ghana

Distributed across West and Central Africa, with records from Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, and Kenya; generally restricted to the Guineo-Congolian forest zone and adjacent transitional habitats.

Altitude and depth

Typically found from sea level up to approximately 1500 meters elevation

Seasonal movements

No long-distance migration is known; some local movements may occur in response to insect abundance and rainfall patterns, particularly between wet and dry seasons.

Found in tropical lowland rainforest, gallery forest, and forest-savanna mosaic habitats; also occupies human-modified landscapes such as agricultural areas and buildings near forest edges.

Adaptations to its environment

Possesses wrinkled lips and a robust jaw structure adapted for capturing hard-bodied insects in flight; the tail glands may play a role in scent-based communication or territory marking within roosting colonies. Its free-tailed morphology allows fast, agile flight suited to open and semi-open habitats.

Listed as Least Concern (LC) by the IUCN due to its relatively wide distribution and presumed large population, though localized declines from habitat loss have been noted in some regions.

Estimated population

No precise global population estimate exists, but the species is considered common within suitable habitat; overall population trend is presumed stable.

Habitat destruction from deforestation and agricultural expansion, disturbance of roost sites (caves and buildings), and pesticide use reducing insect prey availability.

Diseases and parasites

Susceptible to ectoparasites such as bat flies and mites; may also host bat-associated viruses, though specific pathogen studies are limited.

Protected indirectly through forest conservation areas and national parks within its range; no species-specific conservation programs are currently known.

Recommended actions

Continued monitoring of roost sites, protection of forest habitat fragments, and further research into population trends and ecological role.

Dark brown to blackish fur on the dorsal side with slightly paler underparts; wings are long and narrow, typical of fast-flying molossid bats. The face features wrinkled lips characteristic of the genus Mops.

Size

Forearm length approximately 38-42 mm; body length around 6-8 cm excluding tail.

Weight

Typically weighs between 8 and 14 grams.

Distinctive features

Distinguished from related Mops species by the presence of specialized glandular tissue near the tail base, along with subtle differences in skull and dental morphology.

Differences between males and females

Minimal sexual dimorphism; males and females are similar in size and coloration, though males may possess more developed tail glands.

Gregarious, forming roosting colonies that can range from a few dozen to several hundred individuals in caves, tree hollows, or building roofs.

When it is active

Strictly nocturnal, emerging at dusk to forage for flying insects and returning to roosts before dawn.

Diet

Insectivorous, feeding primarily on small flying insects such as moths, beetles, and flies caught in flight.

How it feeds and hunts

Uses echolocation to detect and capture prey during fast, agile aerial pursuit, typically foraging above the forest canopy or over open areas near roosts.

Communication

Communicates through high-frequency echolocation calls for navigation and prey detection, as well as social vocalizations within roosts; scent marking via tail glands may also play a communicative role.

Interactions with other species

Predated upon by owls, snakes, and small carnivorous mammals; may share roost sites with other bat species, leading to competition for space and resources.

Role in its ecosystem

Serves an important ecological function as an insectivore, helping regulate populations of night-flying insects, including agricultural pests.

Breeding season is thought to correspond with periods of high insect abundance, often during the wet season; gestation lasts approximately 2-3 months with typically a single offspring per birth.

Raising the young

Females care for their single pup within the roost, nursing it until it is capable of flight, usually within a few weeks after birth.

Maturity and lifespan

Sexual maturity is likely reached within the first year of life; lifespan in the wild is estimated at 5-10 years, though exact data are limited.

Classification

Class Mammalia > Order Chiroptera > Family Molossidae > Genus Mops > Species Mops bemmeleni

Scientific synonyms

Xenomycteris bemmeleni, Chaerephon bemmeleni (Jentink, 1879)

Recent studies

Recent taxonomic revisions within the genus Mops have clarified species boundaries using molecular data, though Mops bemmeleni remains relatively understudied compared to other African molossids.

Compared with similar species

Similar in size and appearance to other Mops species such as Mops condylurus, but distinguished by tail gland morphology and subtle cranial differences.

This bat's unique tail glands are among the few known scent-producing structures in African free-tailed bats. It can consume nearly its body weight in insects during a single night of foraging.

Where and how to see it

Best observed at dusk near forest edges or cave entrances in Central Africa, particularly in Cameroon and Uganda, using bat detectors to identify echolocation calls.

Risks to humans

No notable risk to humans; like other bats, it may carry zoonotic pathogens, so direct handling should be avoided.