Megaerops albicollis, Francis, 1989

Don E. Wilson & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2019, Pteropodidae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 9 Bats, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 16-162 : 64

4.

White-collared Fruit Bat

Megaerops albicollis

French: Cynopteére a col blanc / German: \Weilkragen-Altwelt-Fruchtfledermaus / Spanish: Megaerop de cuello blanco

Taxonomy. Megaerops wetmorer albicollis Francis, 1989 ,

“Pasoh Forest Reserve, peninsular Malaysia, 2°58’N, 102°17’E, Malaysia.

Megaerops albicollis was described as a subspecies of M. wetmorei with the nominate subspecies in Mindanao, Philippines, and transferred to the related genus Plenochirus as P. wetmorei . Form albicollis is retained in Megaerops , as M. albicollis on the basis of cranial, dental, and external characters; however, external characters, chiefly presence of tail, suggest variation between western and eastern specimens, which might indicate another species. Monotypic.

Distribution. Known from a few localities in Peninsular Malaysia, C Sumatra (Jambi and Riau), and Borneo.

Descriptive notes. Head—body 45-9-51-5 mm, tail 0-4 mm, ear 8:9-13-3 mm, hindfoot 10-11 mm, forearm 46-51-5; weight 16-26 g. Rostrum ofthe White-collared Fruit Bat is short, with tubular nostrils, and ample white ruff. Muzzle is very short, and nostrils are tubular, projecting forward, and divergent, with thickened rims. Forehead slopes, eyes are very large, and iris is chestnutbrown. Ears are long, oval, and light brown, with thin darker rims. Head pelage is short, dense, and creamy yellow. Dorsal hairs are moderately long, with gray bases and yellowish-brown tips. Brunei specimen lacks external tail, whereas type specimen from Peninsular Malaysia has 4mm externaltail. Uropatagium is moderately developed on sides, narrow in center, and lightly furred dorsally. Prominent ruff of long white hairs occurs on both sexes, extending to almost meet on back. Ruff hairs are longer in males. Chest fur is long and light gray extend onto forearm where it becomes brownish and into belly whereit is shorter. Index claw is present. Wing membranes are brown, with whitish hairs extending to bases of forearms. Skull has very short, moderately deep rostrum, and narial opening projects slightly forward. Orbit is large but not elevated over gently sloping forehead. Braincase is rounded. Zygomatic root is slightly above alveolar line; zygoma is thin and only moderately arched. Postorbital process is thin and points posterolaterally. Palate is relatively wide and flat. Dentition is generally weak, with spicule-like incisors and first premolars; canines are relatively short and thin; posterior premolars are ¢.50% the length of canines but more than double the bulk of first molar; and last lower molar is peg-like. Outlines of cheekteeth are rounded.

Habitat. Primary lowland dipterocarp rainforests at elevations below c¢. 110 m.

Food and Feeding. The White-collared Fruit Bat is a transient frugivorous and likely forages in canopies. It was once captured in a subcanopy net near a Palaquium obovatum ( Sapotaceae ) fruiting tree.

Breeding. One pregnant White-collared Fruit Bat was reported in August in Peninsular Malaysia.

Activity patterns. No information.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Not assessed on The IUCN Red List. The White-collared Fruit Bat was considered conspecific with the Mindanao Fruit Bat ( Ptenochirus wetmorer ), which was classified as Vulnerable. The White-collared Fruit Bat is certainly rare, with its distribution naturally fragmented in three disjoint populations (Peninsular Malaysia, Borneo, and Sumatra).

Bibliography. Francis (1989), Hodgkison (2001), Kingston et al. (2006), Maharadatunkamsi & Maryanto (2002), Phillipps & Phillipps (2016), Rosell-Ambal, Tabaranza & Ramayla (2008).

Figures

1. Temminck’s Tailless Fruit Bat (Megaerops ecaudatus), 2. Javan Tailless Fruit Bat (Megaerops kusnotoi), 3. Ratanaworabhan’s Tailless Fruit Bat (Megaerops niphanae), 4. White-collared Fruit Bat (Megaerops albicollis), 5. Greater Short-nosed Fruit Bat (Cynopterus sphinx), 6. Lesser Short-nosed Fruit Bat (Cynopterus brachyotis), 7. Horsfield’s Short-nosed Fruit Bat (Cynopterus horsfieldui), 8. Peters’s Short-nosed Fruit Bat (Cynoplerus luzoniensis), 9. Minute Short-nosed Fruit Bat (Cynopterus minutus), 10. Nusatenggara Short-nosed Fruit Bat (Cynopterus nusatenggara), 11. Indonesian Short-nosed Fruit Bat (Cynoplerus titthaecheilus), 12. Lesser Musky Fruit Bat (Ptenochirus minor), 13. Greater Musky Fruit Bat (Plenochirus jagorn), 14. Mindanao Fruit Bat (Ptenochirus wetmorei)

Distribution. Known from a few localities in Peninsular Malaysia , C Sumatra (Jambi and Riau), and Borneo.