Aethalops alecto, Thomas, 1923

Don E. Wilson & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2019, Pteropodidae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 9 Bats, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 16-162 : 74

22.

Common Pygmy Fruit Bat

Aethalops alecto

French: Cynoptére pygmée / German: Gewohnlicher Zwergflughund / Spanish: Aethalops pigmeo

Other common names: Pygmy Fruit Bat

Taxonomy. Aethalodes alecto Thomas, 1923 ,

“Indrapura Peak, Sumatra [ Indonesia]. Alt. 7300" [= 2225 m].”

Three subspecies are recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution.

A.a.alectoThomas,1923—WPeninsularMalaysiaandWSumatra.

A.a.boeadntKitcheneretal,1993—BaliandLombokIs.

A. a. ocypete Boeadi & Hill, 1986 — Java.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 63-75 mm (tailless), ear 9-15 mm, hindfoot 9-14 mm, forearm 43-48 mm; weight 17-22- 5 g. Head of the Common Pygmy Fruit Bat has moderately elongated muzzle and is naked with blackish skin; nostrils are shortly tubular and divergent; philtrum is divided into two parallel grooves; and lower lip pads are triangular. Eyes are moderately large; iris is blackish brown. Ears are short, rounded, and black, and medial rim is slightly paler than pinna. Head pelage is short, soft, and dark grayish brown; nape and dorsum are densely haired, dark grayish brown, and woolly. Reduced uropatagium and tibia are thickly furred, and calcar is minute. Throat is thinly haired;sides of neck are glandular and inconspicuously yellowish brown; and chest and belly are mouse-gray. Wing membranes are black from sides of body and attach between first and second toes. Skull lacks basicranial deflection; rostrum is pointed, sloping to forehead; orbit is large; zygomatic root is only slightly above alveolar line; zygoma is very thin and arched posteriorly; and braincase is globose. Dorsally, rostrum is tapering; paranasal recesses are inflated; postorbital process is blunt; no postorbital foramina, almost no postorbital constriction; skull is rounded; and temporal lines and nuchal crest are inconspicuous. Ventrally, palate is flat and rather narrow; post-dental palate is long; palatine spine is inconspicuous and joined to sphenoidal crest; and ectotympanic is small and wide anteriorly, edged internally by ribbon-like entotympanic. Mandible is thin and straight; coronoid is long, low, and sloping; condyle is level with lower alveolar line; and angle is salient ventrally and slightly pointed posteriorly. I*is long and bent medially; I' is conspicuously shorter, thinner, and straight; C' is small, weak, and slightly decurved; P' is minute; next premolar (P?) is large and laterally triangular; and last cheekteeth decrease in height and have rectangular outlines. I, is very small and bifid with inner side longer; 1, is absent; C,is very small and low; P| is conspicuously pointed; next premolar (P,) is very large, triangular, and as high as C; and posterior cheekteeth are low and small.

Habitat. Generally montane rainforests but also Lesser Sundas deciduous forests (Lombok Island) at elevations of 1000-2700 m.

Food and Feeding. The Common Pygmy Fruit Bat is primarily frugivorous, but morphology (e.g. relatively long snout and small canines) suggests some use of flower products.

Breeding. Pregnant Common Pygmy Fruit Bats were recorded in February—June in Peninsular Malaysia.

Activity patterns. No information.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. The Common Pygmy Fruit Bat roosts alone or in small groups of 2-3 individuals, and it appears to move solitarily.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red Lust.

Bibliography. Boeadi & Hill (1986), Giannini & Simmons (2007a), Kitchener, Hisheh et al. (1993), Kumaran, Tingga & Struebig (2016), Medway (1978), Olson et al. (2001), Thomas (1923).

Figures

15. Brooks's Dayak Fruit Bat (Dyacopterus brooksi), 16. Common Dayak Fruit Bat (Dyacopterus spadiceus), 17. Philippine Large-headed Fruit Bat (Dyacopterus rickarti), 18. Blanford’s Fruit Bat (Sphaerias blanfordi), 19. Bornean Spotted-winged Fruit Bat (Balionycteris maculata), 20. Malayan Spotted-winged Fruit Bat (Balionycteris seemundi), 21. Bornean Pygmy Fruit Bat (Aethalops aequalis), 22. Common Pygmy Fruit Bat (Aethalops alecto), 23. Common Swift Fruit Bat (Thoopterus nigrescens), 24. Suhaniah’s Swift Fruit Bat (Thoopterus suhaniahae), 25. Mindanao Pygmy Fruit Bat (Alionycteris paucidentata), 26. Fischer’s Pygmy Fruit Bat (Haplonycteris fischeri), 27. Luzon Pygmy Fruit Bat (Otopteropus cartilagonodus), 28. Salim Ali’s Fruit Bat (Latidens salimaliz), 29. Sundaic Black-capped Fruit Bat (Chironax melanocephalus), 30. Sulawesi Black-capped Fruit Bat (Chironax tumulus), 31. Lucas’s Short-nosed Fruit Bat (Penthetor lucasu)

Subspecies and Distribution. A.a.alectoThomas,1923—WPeninsularMalaysiaandWSumatra. A.a.boeadntKitcheneretal,1993—BaliandLombokIs. A. a. ocypete Boeadi & Hill, 1986 — Java.