Pteropus admiralitatum, Thomas, 1894

Don E. Wilson & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2019, Pteropodidae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 9 Bats, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 16-162 : 142

148.

Admiralty Flying Fox

Pteropus admiralitatum

French: Roussette de 'Amirauté / German: Admiralitatsinseln-Flughund / Spanish: Zorro volador de Almirantazgo

Taxonomy. Pteropus admiralitatum Thomas, 1894 ,

“Admiralty Islands,” Papua New Guinea.

Pteropus admiralitatum is in the griseus species group. Four subspecies have been recognized ( admiralitatum , colonus, gower:, and solomonis), but they do not segregate in their subspecific assignment, so no subspecies are recognized here until this species complex is taxonomically resolved.

Distribution. Admiralty and Purdy Is, St Mattias Group, Bismarck Archipelago, Nissan Is, Carteret Group, and Solomon Is from Buka in the N to Malaita and Guadalcanal.

Descriptive notes. Head—body 171-230 mm (tailless), ear 17-28 mm, hindfoot 33- 50 mm, forearm 118-130 mm; weight 205-334 g (mean 280 g). Muzzle of the Admiralty Flying Fox is slightly narrowed, rhinarium is brown, and nostrils are short and tubular. Eyes are medium-sized, with brown irises. Ears are relatively short. Fur is woolly and variable shades of brown. Head and face have bicolored hairs, dark brown at bases and red-brown or gray-brown at tips. Crown is pale gray; chin and throat are uniform sepia-brown. Mantle is fulvous, not sharply defined from back, which is dark brown, interspersed with lighter hairs, and adpressed. Tibia is unfurred. Chest, sides, and belly are uniform sepia-brown, mixed with silver or yellowish hairs. Wing membranes are brown, originating from sides of body. Skull has strong basicranial deflection, rostrum 1s narrowed, sagittal crest is weak, and postorbital ring is complete in many specimens. Cheekteeth have poorly developed cusps and are elongated and rectangular in occlusal outline; M? is minute.

Habitat. Regularly disturbed and secondary forests and village gardens. Outside of Manus Island, the Admiralty Flying Fox mainly occurs on small, remote, low-elevation islands in Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands.

Food and Feeding. The Admiralty Flying Fox is frugivorous.

Breeding. None offive females collected on Manus Island in June were lactating. In March, three females were lactating. Apparently not all females on a given island reproduce at the same time.

Activity patterns. The Admiralty Flying Fox is mainly nocturnal but active in daylight on small islands without birds of prey.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Documented behavior of the Admiralty Flying Fox varies, probably related to taxonomic confusion. On small islands, they roost in exposed colonies, and on larger islands, small groups roost in hollow trees.

Status and Conservation. CITES Appendix II. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCNRed List. The Admiralty Flying Fox has a wide distribution and presumably large populations.

Bibliography. Almeida et al. (2014), Bonaccorso (1998), Bonaccorso, Helgen & Hamilton (2008b), Flannery (1995a), Hamilton (2004), Helgen (2007b), Simmons (2005).

Figures

144. Ornate Flying Fox (Pleropus ornatus), 145. Seram Flying Fox (Pteropus ocularis), 146. Great Flying Fox (Pteropus neohibernicus), 147. Wallacean Gray Flying Fox (Pleropus griseus), 148. Admiralty Flying Fox (Pteropus admiralitatum), 149. Philippine Gray Flying Fox (Pteropus speciosus), 150. Island Flying Fox (Pleropus hypomelanus), 151. Black-eared Flying Fox (Pteropus melanotus), 152. Black Flying Fox (Pleropus alecto), 153. Spectacled Flying Fox (Pteropus conspicillatus), 154. Geelvink Bay Flying Fox (Pteropus pohlei), 155. Marianas Flying Fox (Pteropus mariannus), 156. Palau Flying Fox (Pteropus pelewensis), 157. Pacific Flying Fox (Pteropus tonganus), 158. Kosrae Flying Fox (Pteropus ualanus), 159. Nicobar Flying Fox (Pteropus faunulus), 160. Ontong Java Flying Fox (Pteropus howensis)

Distribution. Admiralty and Purdy Is, St Mattias Group, Bismarck Archipelago , Nissan Is, Carteret Group, and Solomon Is from Buka in the N to Malaita and Guadalcanal.