Dobsonia praedatrix, K. Andersen, 1909

Don E. Wilson & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2019, Pteropodidae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 9 Bats, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 16-162 : 112-113

94.

New Britain Naked-backed Fruit Bat

Dobsonia praedatrix

French: Roussette de Nouvelle-Bretagne / German: Neubritannien-Nacktriickenflughund / Spanish: Dobsonia de Nueva Bretana

Other common names: Bismarck Bare-backed Fruit Bat, New Britain Bare-backed Fruit Bat

Taxonomy. Dobsonia praedatrix K. Andersen, 1909 ,

“Duke of York group,” Bismarck Archipelago, Papua New Guinea.

This species is monotypic.

Distribution. Bismarck Archipelago including Umboi I and nearbyIs groups.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 116- 180 mm, tail 21-37 mm, car 21-28 mm, hindfoot 22-33 mm, forearm 101- - 125 mm; weight 141-260 g. Pelage on crown ofhead and face of the NewBritain Naked-backed Fruit Bat is blackish brown; shoulders and upper back are paler brown. Ventral fur is pale brown, with yellow-green wash. Greenish color, which fades to a dull gray/tan in museum specimens, is probably attributable to photosynthetic bluegreen algae based on iodine tests that reveal starch-containing globs coating hairs. Wing membranes meet along spine with underlying fur. Ears are long and slender compared with other species of Dobsonia . Nostrils are slightly tubular, and each flares outward from centerline. Claws are bicolored, brown at bases and paler tan at tips. Index claw (second digit of wing) is absent. Skull has well-developed sagittal and nuchal crests. The New Britain Naked-backed Fruit Bat has exceptionally large pineal organ, which is associated with providing seasonal cues for production of hormones controlling reproductive timing. Upperincisors are unilobed, and molars have weakly developed cusps. Chromosomal complement has 2n = 28 and FN = 68.

Habitat. Lowland primary and secondary tropical moist forests, fruit and coconut plantations, and rural gardens from sea level up to elevations of ¢. 300 m.

Food and Feeding. The New Britain Naked-backed Fruit Batis frugivorous. It can often be found foraging in the same fruiting trees as the much larger Andersen’s Nakedbacked Fruit Bat ( D. anderseni ). Diet includes native figs ( Ficus , Moraceae ), garden fruits such as papaya, plantation grown cashews, and unidentified forest canopy flowers.

Breeding. Pregnant New Britain Naked-backed Fruit Bats have been observed in January and July at Kerevat, New Britain, suggesting two annual birth peaks. July observations of pregnancy on New Ireland also exist. Dependent young have been observed in January-February at various locations. Nearly full-grown individuals have been observed in January and July.

Activity patterns. The New Britain Naked-backed Fruit Bat is nocturnal; flight activity begins well after sunset in complete darkness. It commonly roosts in foliage, often coconut plantations among dead palm fronds, and rarely limestone caves.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Roosting group size tends to be c.10-15 individuals, although solitary individuals are encountered. The New Britain Naked-backed Fruit Bat is mainly a foliage-roosting species that responds to commonly encountered ambient daily temperatures (25-27°C) of foliage roosts, having basal metabolic rates and thermal conductance near mass-specific mammalian averages, and by maintaining homeothermy by increasing metabolism to regulate constant body temperature in cool shade temperatures that are slightly below thermoneutral zone. Maintaining alertness with high body temperature while roosting in tree canopies with potential predators including arboreal snakes and aerial raptors is critical to permit instantaneous flight. Although no studies on predation exist, brown tree snakes (Boiga irregularis) likely prey on New Britain Naked-backed Fruit Bats because they are known to feed on Marianas Flying Foxes ( Pteropus mariannus ) of similarsize.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. The New Britain Naked-backed Fruit Bat has a large and presumably stable population and large distribution occurring on many islands in the Bismarck Archipelago and surrounding region. It tolerates some degree of habitat degradation and is resilient to traditional small-scale agriculture in which small forest patches are maintained by clearing and abandoned gardens are allowed to return to secondary forest.

Bibliography. Bhatnagar et al. (1990), Bonaccorso (1998), Flannery (1995b), Helgen, Bonaccorso & Hamilton (2008), McNab & Bonaccorso (2001), Smith & Hood (1981).

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. Bismarck Archipelago including Umboi I and nearbyIs groups.