Dobsonia viridis, Heude, 1896

Don E. Wilson & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2019, Pteropodidae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 9 Bats, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 16-162 : 111

90.

Greenish Naked-backed Fruit Bat

Dobsonia viridis

French: Roussette verdatre / German: Griner Nacktrickenflughund / Spanish: Dobsonia verdoso

Taxonomy. Cephalotes viridis Heude, 1896 ,

Kai Islands, Maluku Islands, Indonesia.

Records from southern Sulawesi, Buton, and Kabaena islands are assigned here to D. crenulata (previously treated by some authors as subspecies of a more widespread D. viridis ). Monotypic.

Distribution. Sula Is (Mangole), C Moluccas (Buru, Seram, and Ambon), Banda Is (Banda Neira), and Kai Is; there are specimens that likely represent this species or closely related undescribed species from the TanimbarIs.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 154-— 176 mm, tail 25-39 mm, ear 21-25 mm, forearm 109-118 mm; weight 173-229 g. Fur of the Greenish Naked-backed Fruit Bat is greenish. Wings attach along midline of back with underlying fur. Index claw (second digit of wing) is absent. Nostrils are slightly tubular, and each flares outward from centerline. Eyes are large, with brown irises. Short tail is free of narrow uropatagium that runs along legs to short stiff calcars. Molars are more cuspidate than in other species of Dobsonia . Anterointernal corner of M| is sharply marked off by distinct cusp or ledge. There are notched longitudinal ridges on upper and lower last premolars and first molars.

Habitat. [Lowland and hill tropical moist forests, disturbed forests, coconut and cocoa plantations, and gardens from sea level up to elevations of ¢. 1000 m.

Food and Feeding. The Greenish Naked-backed Fruit Bat is frugivorous. It presumably feeds heavily on native figs and commonly forages in orchards and gardens.

Breeding. Pregnant females and non-volant young Greenish Naked-backed Fruit Bats have been observed in November on Mangole.

Activity patterns. Greenish Naked-backed Fruit Bats are nocturnal and roost in caves and trees.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. The Greenish Naked-backed Fruit Bat is abundant throughout its distribution, and populations appear to be stable. It also appears to be well adapted to disturbed habitats. Hunting for local consumption is a threat in some areas, but main threat is continuing decline in extent and quality of lowland and hill forests.

Bibliography. Bergmans (1978b), Bergmans & Rozendaal (1988), Flannery (1995a), Mubarok et al. (2018), Tsang (2016b).

Figures

73. Lesser Long-tongued Blossom Bat (Macroglossus minimus), 74. Greater Long-tongued Blossom Bat (Macroglossus sobrinus), 75. Southern Blossom Bat (Syconycteris australis), 76. Halmaheran Blossom Bat (Syconycteris carolinae), 77. Moss-forest Blossom Bat (Syconycteris hobbit), 78. Manado Fruit Bat (Boneia bidens), 79. Sulawesi Harpy Fruit Bat (Harpyionycteris celebensis), 80. Philippine Harpy Fruit Bat (Harpyionycteris whitehead), 81. Bulmer’s Fruit Bat (Aproteles bulmerae), 82. Lesser Naked-backed Fruit Bat (Dobsonia minor), 83. Moluccan Naked-backed Fruit Bat (Dobsonia moluccensis), 84. Western Naked-backed Fruit Bat (Dobsonia peronu), 86. Panniet Naked-backed Fruit Bat (Dobsonia pannietensis), 87. Philippine Naked-backed Fruit Bat (Dobsonia chapmani), 88. Biak Naked-backed Fruit Bat (Dobsonia emersa), 89. Sulawesi Naked-backed Fruit Bat (Dobsonia exoleta), 90. Greenish Naked-backed Fruit Bat (Dobsonia viridis), 91. Beaufort’s Naked-backed Fruit Bat (Dobsonia beauforti), 92. Halmahera Naked-backed Fruit Bat (Dobsonia crenulata), 93. Solomons Naked-backed Fruit Bat (Dobsonia inermis), 94. New Britain Naked-backed Fruit Bat (Dobsonia praedatrix)

Distribution. Sula Is (Mangole), C Moluccas (Buru, Seram, and Ambon ), Banda Is (Banda Neira), and Kai Is; there are specimens that likely represent this species or closely related undescribed species from the TanimbarIs.