Otopteropus cartilagonodus, Kock, 1969

Don E. Wilson & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2019, Pteropodidae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 9 Bats, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 16-162 : 76

27.

Luzon Pygmy Fruit Bat

Otopteropus cartilagonodus

French: Cynoptere a poil long / German: Luzon-Kleinflughund / Spanish: Otoptérido de Luzén

Other common names: Luzon Fruit Bat

Taxonomy. Otopteropus cartilagonodus Kock, 1969 ,

Sitio Pactil, Mountain Province, Luzon, Philippines.

This species is monotypic.

Distribution. N Philippines (Luzon I).

Descriptive notes. Head—body 69-74 mm (tailless), ear 11-16 mm, hindfoot 9-12 mm, forearm 44-47 mm; weight 12-15 g. Slight sexual dimorphism occursin selected craniodental and external variables in some localities. Head of the Luzon Pygmy Fruit Bat is round, with wide muzzle at base and tapering; nostrils are long tubular and divergent, with thickened rims; philtrum is divided into two parallel grooves reaching upperlip; and lower lip has two triangular pads. Eyes are very large and bulging; iris 1s coffee-brown to dark brown. Ears are short and rounded, with white nodule near base of medial pinna rim and another one near base of lateral pinna rim. Head pelage is long, soft, and grayish brown, occasionally darker, and continues on nape; dorsum has longer, woolly pelage distributed to bases of forearms, sides of wing membranes, and at least one-half of tibia and uropatagium. Uropatagium is reduced at center, and calcaris short. Throat, chest, and belly are lighter grayish brown, extended between ventral base of forearm and knee. Breeding males have large, circular gland on upper abdomen. Wing membranes are brown from sides of body and attach to first toe, index claw is present, and thumb is very long. Skull is small and delicate, with no basicranial deflection; rostrum is straight; nasal apertureis relatively large; forehead is pronounced; orbit is very large; braincase is round; zygomatic root is slightly above upper alveolar line; and zygoma is very thin and little arched posteriorly. Dorsally, rostrum tapers; paranasal recesses are inflated, not reaching base of thin, needle-like postorbital processes; there is no postorbital foramina or postorbital constriction; braincase is globose, with low temporal lines (not joined in a sagittal crest); and nuchal crest is indistinct. Ventrally, palate is flat and relatively long; tooth rows have very little arch; post-dental is moderately long, with small palatine spine joined to sphenoidal crest; and ectotympanic is very small and wider anteriorly. Mandible is thin, coronoid is long and sloping, and tip is small; condyle is level with lower alveolar line; and angle is gently rounded. Dental formalais 11/1, C1/1, P 3/3, M1/] (x2) = 24. I is converging (I! absent); C! is small and decurved; P' is tiny but with distinguishable crown; posterior cheekteeth are well developed, decreasing in height to peg-like M', with oval to rectangular outline. I, is bifid, with inner cusp longer (I, absent); C, is very small, almost straight; P| has developed crown; posterior cheekteeth are very tall and straight anteriorly, decreasing in height to an almost flat M, with triangular to rectangular and oval outline. Chromosomal complement has 2n = 48 and FN = 62(?), with six pairs of metacentric or submetacentric, three pairs of telocentric, and 15 pairs of acrocentric chromosomes; sex chromosomes undetermined.

Habitat. Moist lowland and montane rainforests and tropical pine forests at elevations of 200-2530 m. The Luzon Pygmy Fruit Bat is more common at higher elevations in mossy forest and also found in secondary and mixed forest/cropland habitat.

Food and Feeding. The Luzon Pygmy Fruit Bat is primarily frugivorous. It is known to eat small fruits (e.g. Melastoma , Melastomataceae ).

Breeding. The Luzon Pygmy Fruit Bat is seasonally monoestrous. Females have one young during a locally synchronous birthing season in May-June, likely followed by postpartum estrus, mating, conception, implantation,initial development to the primitive-streak stage (or just before) in embryos 2-4 mm long, and prolonged delayed development at these stages. Rapid embryonic development resumes toward the end of gestation; maximum crown-rump length of embryo is 30 mm.

Activity patterns. No information.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. The Luzon Pygmy Fruit Bat is common and widespread and the most abundant fruit bat at elevations above 1000 m.

Bibliography. Giannini & Simmons (2007a), Heaney et al. (2016), Heideman et al. (1993), Kock (1969c), Olson et al. (2001), Ong, Rosell-Ambal, Tabaranza, Heaney, Duya, Gonzalez & Balete (2008), Rickart et al. (1999), Ruedas et al. (1994).

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)

Distribution. N Philippines (Luzon I).