An African bat overlooked for two centuries is confirmed in Europe
An African bat whose presence in Sicily had remained an unresolved zoological mystery for almost two centuries has now been documented on Pantelleria Island. A study published in Global Ecology and Conservation reports the first solid evidence of the Egyptian slit-faced bat (Nycteris thebaica) in Europe, adding not only a new bat species but also the first representative of the family Nycteridae…
For nearly two centuries, the presence of an African bat known as the Egyptian slit-faced bat (Nycteris thebaica) remained unconfirmed in Europe. Recently, researchers from the University of Naples Federico II, Museum für Naturkunde Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Pantelleria National Park documented the species on Pantelleria Island, a volcanic island in the Sicily Channel between Tunisia and Sicily.
This discovery adds the first member of the Nycteridae family to the European fauna. The researchers employed targeted acoustic surveys to detect the bat, as its faint echolocation calls are difficult to record with standard methods. The discovery highlights the potential for overlooked species in peripheral populations of faint-calling bats, emphasizing the need for tailored monitoring techniques.
The finding also contributes to understanding how bats may have reached the central Mediterranean during historical low sea-level phases. Further research will focus on population size, roosting sites, genetic origin, and potential threats.
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