Nyctimene aello, Thomas, 1900

Don E. Wilson & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2019, Pteropodidae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 9 Bats, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 16-162 : 117

99.

Broad-striped Tube-nosed Fruit Bat

Nyctimene aello

French: Grand Nyctimene / German: Breitstreifen-Réhrennasenflughund / Spanish: Nyctimeno grande

Other common names: Greater Tube-nosed Bat, Dark Tube-nosed Fruit Bat (celaeno)

Taxonomy. Cephalotes aello Thomas, 1900 ,

“Milne Bay [Milne Bay Province], S.E. [Papua] New Guinea.

Nyctimene aello is the only member of the aello species group, which is one of four groups currently recognized in Nyctimene ( aello , cyclotis , albiventer , and cephalotes ). Species groups of Nyctimene here do not necessarily reflect genetic relationships but do reflect current morphological similarities. Full-scale revision of the entire genus is currently underway that will completely rework species recognition and evolutionary relationships. Thus, taxonomy of Nyctimene presented here should not be presented as authoritative and is based on taxonomy presented in Mammal Species of the World in 2005, with a few alterations to avoid additional confusion to the already convoluted taxonomy of Nyctimene . Nyctimene celaeno has been considered a distinct subspecies of N. aello or a distinct species, but it is tentatively considered a synonym of N. aello here. Monotypic.

Distribution. [Lowland New Guinea along with Raja Ampat Is (Salawati and Misool) and Kairiru and Admosin Is, off N coast.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 103-144 mm, tail 14- 1-31 mm, ear 13- 4-24 mm, hindfoot 16-22- 7 mm, forearm 77-7-88- 1 mm; weight 70- 3-93 g. Rostrum of the Broadstriped Tube-nosed Fruit Bat is short, with long tubular divergent nostrils that curve outward at rims. Ears are rounded, with bluntly pointed tips; eyes are large, with dark reddish-brown irises. Dorsal and ventral pelage is uniformly pale grayish brown, and there is thick (8-14 mm across) dark brown dorsal stripe. Wings and ears are light brown; ears generally have some yellow spotting, and wings have some darker brown and lighter patches throughout. Second digit of wing has a claw, and wing attaches at second digit of foot. Tail is very short, black, and wrinkled, and narrow uropatagium connects at base and stretches to calcar at ankles. Claws are black. Skull and mandible are robust, and rostrum is short. Dental formula for all species of Nyctimene is11/0,C1/1,P3/3,M 1/2 (x2) = 24. Single lowerincisor is completely deciduous, falling out before adulthood; lower molars are broad and rounded in dorsal view; C, replaces incisors and is long and powerful; and P, is elongated and longer than P and P,,

Habitat. Primary rainforest (but one collection in secondary rainforest) from sea level up to elevations of ¢. 1000 m but extremely rare above 200 m.

Food and Feeding. Broad-striped Tube-nosed Fruit Bats are frugivorous and likely a Ficus (Moraceae) specialist. They have been observed picking ripe figs after briefly hovering near clusters offigs.

Breeding. Pregnant Broad-striped Tube-nosed Fruit Bats have been captured in January—February and a lactating female in September.

Activity patterns. Broad-striped Tube-nosed Fruit Bats are nocturnal.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. The Broad-striped Tube-nosed Fruit Bat appears to occur at low densities.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. The Broad-striped Tube-nosed Fruit Bat is widespread and common throughout its distribution. It faces no known major threats, but very little is known about its ecology and threats.

Bibliography. Bergmans (2001), Bonaccorso (1998), Bonaccorso & Helgen (2008b), Flannery (1995a, 1995b), Giannini & Simmons (2007a), Helgen (2007a), Irwin (2017), McKean (1972), Simmons (2005).

Figures

95. African Straw-colored Fruit Bat (Eidolon helvum), 96. Madagascan Straw-colored Fruit Bat (Eidolon dupreanum), 98. Steadfast Tube-nosed Fruit Bat (Paranyctimene tenax), 99. Broad-striped Tube-nosed Fruit Bat (Nyctimene aello), 100. Round-eared Tube-nosed Fruit Bat (Nyctimene cyclotis), 101. Mountain Tube-nosed Fruit Bat (Nyctimene certans), 102. Happy Tube-nosed Fruit Bat (Nyctimene wrighiae), 103. Lesser Tube-nosed Fruit Bat (Nyctimene varius), 104. Common Tube-nosed Fruit Bat (Nyctimene albiventer), 105. Dragon Tube-nosed Fruit Bat (Nyctimene draconilla), 106. Demonic Tube-nosed Fruit Bat (Nyctimene masalai), 107. Malaita Tube-nosed Fruit Bat (Nyctimene malaitensis), 108. Umboi Tube-nosed Fruit Bat (Nyctimene vizcaccia), 109. Island Tube-nosed Fruit Bat (Nyctimene major), 110. Philippine Tube-nosed Fruit Bat (Nyctimene rabori), 111. Pallas’s Tube-nosed Fruit Bat (Nyctimene cephalotes), 112. Keast’s Tube-nosed Fruit Bat (Nyctimene keasti), 113. Queensland Tube-nosed Fruit Bat (Nyctimene robinsont)

Distribution. [Lowland New Guinea along with Raja Ampat Is (Salawati and Misool) and Kairiru and Admosin Is, off N coast.