First published in South Africa by:

      Wits Universty Press

      1 Jan Smuts Avenue

      Johannesburg 2001

       www.witspress.co.za

      Copyright © A. Monadjem, P. J. Taylor, F. P. D. Cotterill and M. C. Schoeman 2020

      Published edition © Wits University Press 2020

      Distribution maps © A. Monadjem

      Echolocation diagrams © M. C. Schoeman

      Drawings © Christeen Grant

      Cover image © Piotr Naskrecki: Glauconycteris variegatus drinking water

      First published 2010

      Second edition 2020

       http://dx.doi.org.10.18772/22020085829

      978-1-77614-582-9 (Hardback)

      978-1-77614-583-6 (WebPDF)

      978-1-77614-584-3 (EPUB)

      978-1-77614-585-0 (Mobi)

      Skull photographs were taken by P. J. Taylor unless indicated otherwise. Copyright for these remains with the institution in which the specimens are housed. For a complete list of museum acronyms, see List of Specimens.

      Copyright of all other photographs as listed in the captions.

      All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the written permission of the publisher, except in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright Act, Act 98 of 1978.

      Project manager: Tina Mössmer

      Copyeditor: Tina Mössmer

      Proofreader: Lee Smith

      Typeset in 9 point Berkeley

      Contents

       FOREWORD TO THE FIRST EDITION

       FOREWORD TO THE SECOND EDITION

       ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

       INTRODUCTION

       Geographical scope

       Classification and taxonomy

       Conservation Status

       MUSEUM COLLECTIONS AND PIONEERING RESEARCHERS

       Researcher gallery

       The value of specimens

       Chiroptera collections

       Databases and authors’ contributions

       BAT BIOLOGY

       Overview

       Migration

       Torpor and hibernation

       Reproduction

       Predation

       Foraging ecology and associated ecological services

       Roosting habits

       Foliage-roosting bats

       Hollow-roosting bats

       Crevice-roosting bats

       Specialised roost sites

       BIOGEOGRAPHY

       Geology

       Ancient basement rocks

       Sedimentary rocks

       Rift valleys

       Geomorphology

       Escarpments

       Drainage systems

       Climates past and present

       Vegetation

       Grassland

       Savanna

       Forest

       ECHOLOCATION

       Echolocation systems

       Types of bat echolocation pulses