[Mammalogy • 2017] Nyctimene wrightae • A New Tube-nosed Fruit Bat (Pteropodidae: Chiroptera) from New Guinea, A Re-diagnosis of N. certans and N. cyclotis, and A Review of their Conservation Status

Nyctimene wrightae Irwin, 2017

DOI: 10.3853/j.2201-4349.69.2017.1654 

Abstract

 The tube-nosed fruit bat genus Nyctimene comprises 18 species found in the Philippines, Wallacea, Melanesia and the Solomon Islands but species taxonomy has remained problematic. A review of the cyclotis group, consisting of N. cyclotis and N. certans from New Guinea is presented, using morphological and genetic data. Historically, the taxonomy of the cyclotis group has been severely impeded by the lack of illustrations or photographs of the majority of the types. This led authors to differ in their treatment of these species, suggesting that the distinct taxa N. cyclotis and N. certans might be conspecific. Here, N. cyclotis and N. certans are recognized as full species and are re-diagnosed. I describe Nyctimene wrightae sp. nov., a widespread New Guinean species which is tentatively placed in the cyclotis group. These three species and the sympatric N. a. papuanus, of similar body-size, are morphologically distinguished using discriminant function analyses and non-metric characters. An identification key is provided. Species distribution and conservation status are evaluated. The IUCN threat status recommended for each species is: N. wrightae sp. nov. Least Concern; N. certans (known from < 200 specimens) with unknown population size and trends, Data Deficient; and N. cyclotis, known from only two male specimens, Vulnerable. Further research is required on the basic ecology of all of these species, which remains virtually unknown. 

Keywords. Nyctimene; taxonomy; revision; Papua New Guinea; Indonesia; cryptic species; conservation; IUCN threat category; Happy tube-nosed fruit bat

Nyctimene wrightae sp. nov. Female with young pup attached, showing characteristic long ears with thickened edge and short, brown hair (photograph courtesy of Debra Wright).

Nyctimene wrightae sp. nov.

Etymology. With great pleasure I name this bat after Dr Debra Wright, Director for Wildlife Conservation Foundation, PNG 1996–2003, the co-founder of PNG Research Foundation and PNG Institute of Biological Research. She has tirelessly given her energy and considerable skills to capacity building and training Papuan New Guinean scientists. She provided logistic assistance for my team and I, helped me secure funding, provided access to facilities, and gave moral and intellectual support throughout my field-work. Her good humour, boundless energy, passion and generosity meant that despite spending many years together in remote places, we have formed a lifelong friendship. It was this cryptic bat species that started my whole journey with Nyctimene. 

Common name. Happy tube-nosed fruit bat. Field assistants Toby Kamli and Rafael Kaneg, noticed the difference between this species and N. a. papuanus in the hand and called this species the hamamas bat, which in Tok Pisin means the happy bat, due to the wide “smile” characteristic of this species. I therefore propose the happy tube-nosed fruit bat as the common name, alluding to the “smile” that seems to result from the broad dental arcade and palate and very short rostrum, which are diagnostic characters of the species.

  Nancy Irwin. 2017. A New Tube-nosed Fruit Bat from New Guinea, Nyctimene wrightae sp. nov., A Re-diagnosis of N. certans and N. cyclotis (Pteropodidae: Chiroptera), and A Review of their Conservation Status. Records of the Australian Museum. 69(2): 73–100. DOI: 10.3853/j.2201-4349.69.2017.1654

Yoda bat gets happy: New species officially recognised - News and events, The University of York https://www.york.ac.uk/news-and-events/news/2017/research/happy-tube-nosed-fruit-bat

[Mammalogy • 2016] Rousettus tangkokoensis • Morphological Variations and New Species Description of Genus Rousettus Bat from Gunung Duasudara Sanctuary, North Sulawesi, Indonesia

(b) Rousettus celebensis and (c) Rousettus tangkokoensis n. sp.

 Lengkong, Arisoesilaningsih, Hakim & Sudarto, 2016  

 DOI :  10.3844/ojbsci.2016.90.101

Abstract

Bats belongs to Pteropodidae Family that spreaded evenly in Indonesia. Genus Rousettus have their morphological variances among its own species based on characteristics on each species. Among them there is fruit-feeding bats of from genus Rousettus (Chiroptera: Pteropodidae) that have many variances of morphology among its own species. This study was aimed to identify the morphological variations and its sex type influence of genus Rousettus bats from Gunung Duasudara Sanctuary, North Sulawesi. The locations were consisted 7 types of major vegetations at altitude range from 0 to 1351 m above sea level (asl). All habitat types were observed using Mist-net method at 1 and 3 m above the ground. There were found 452 individuals, including R. amplexicaudatus (224), R. celebensis (219) and R. tangkokoensis n. sp. (9). Nine individuals of Rousettus tangkokoensis n. sp. were newly found in lowland forest and coastal forest. These newly-found species were different from other Rousettus. There was discovered that sex type had influenced the skull and external body characters on R. amplexicaudatus, R. tangkokoensis n. sp. R. celebensis. However, most of other characters were statistically not-significant that indicated there was not any sexual dimorphism. According to the Discriminant Function Analysis (DFA), these morphological groups possess different specification. Therefore, the three species of genus Rousettus have statistically variation of skull and external body characters one to another.

Keywords: North Sulawesi, Gunung Duasudara Sanctuary, Rousettus 

Fig. 4. Bat species: (a) Rousettus amplexicaudatus, (b) Rousettus celebensis and (c) Rousettus tangkokoensis n. sp.

 DOI :  10.3844/ojbsci.2016.90.101

Etymology: The new species which is proposed using the name of Tangkoko Mt. occuring in the sanctuary area was collected by Hanry Lengkong from Manado, Indonesia. The new species is (HL) 111321 had been found in Gunung Duasudara, which the only area known where this species was collected.

Hanry Jefry Lengkong, Endang Arisoesilaningsih, Luchman Hakim and Sudarto. 2016. Morphological Variations and New Species Description of Genus Rousettus Bat from Gunung Duasudara Sanctuary, North Sulawesi, Indonesia. OnLine Journal of Biological Sciences. 16(2); 90-101. DOI :  10.3844/ojbsci.2016.90.101

http://thescipub.com/PDF/ojbsci.2016.90.101.pdf

[Mammalogy • 2005] Mirimiri acrodonta | Fijian Monkey-faced Bat • Systematics of the Pacific monkey-faced bats (Chiroptera: Pteropodidae), with a new Fijian genus

Fijian Monkey-faced Bat  Mirimiri acrodonta

Abstract

The fruit-bat genus Pteralopex comprises the monkey-faced bats, a group of six endangered species found only in old-growth forests on certain islands in the south-west Pacific (the Solomon Islands and Fiji). The taxonomy of the genus is reviewed in detail and updated accordingly. Two ‘cryptic’ biological species are shown to occur in sympatry on both Bougainville and Choiseul in the northern Solomon Islands (corresponding to Pteralopex anceps Andersen, 1909 and a previously undescribed species) and each is accordingly described and reviewed. A new genus (Mirimiri) is erected for the Fijian monkey-faced bat (formerly Pteralopex acrodonta), which differs greatly both morphologically and genetically from species of Pteralopex in the Solomon Islands. Ecomorphological differences between sympatric Pteralopex species are briefly reviewed, including potential differences in functional morphology and feeding ecology. Geographic patterns of occurrence and future survey priorities for monkey-faced bats are also discussed.

Key Words: biogeography; cryptic species; Fiji; morphometrics; ecomorphology; Melanesia; Papua New Guinea; Pteralopex; Pteropodidae; Solomon Islands. 

Systematics of the Pacific monkey-faced bats (Chiroptera: Pteropodidae), with a new species of Pteralopex and a new Fijian genus

http://www.apscience.org.au/projects/APSF_10_1/apsf_10-1.html

http://brunochavesanimais.blogspot.com/2011/12/morcego-cara-de-macaco-de-fiji.html

[Mammalogy • 2005] Pteralopex flanneryi | Greater Monkey-faced Bat • Systematics of the Pacific monkey-faced bats (Chiroptera: Pteropodidae), with a new species of Pteralopex

Greater Monkey-faced Bat, Pteralopex flanneryi

Abstract

The fruit-bat genus Pteralopex comprises the monkey-faced bats, a group of six endangered species found only in old-growth forests on certain islands in the south-west Pacific (the Solomon Islands and Fiji). The taxonomy of the genus is reviewed in detail and updated accordingly. Two ‘cryptic’ biological species are shown to occur in sympatry on both Bougainville and Choiseul in the northern Solomon Islands (corresponding to Pteralopex anceps Andersen, 1909 and a previously undescribed species) and each is accordingly described and reviewed. A new genus (Mirimiri) is erected for the Fijian monkey-faced bat (formerly Pteralopex acrodonta), which differs greatly both morphologically and genetically from species of Pteralopex in the Solomon Islands. Ecomorphological differences between sympatric Pteralopex species are briefly reviewed, including potential differences in functional morphology and feeding ecology. Geographic patterns of occurrence and future survey priorities for monkey-faced bats are also discussed.

Key Words: biogeography; cryptic species; Fiji; morphometrics; ecomorphology; Melanesia; Papua New Guinea; Pteralopex; Pteropodidae; Solomon Islands. 

Systematics of the Pacific monkey-faced bats (Chiroptera: Pteropodidae), with a new species of Pteralopex and a new Fijian genus

2005

Fijian Monkey-faced Bat, Mirimiri acrodonta