Pteropus rayneri, Gray, 1870

Don E. Wilson & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2019, Pteropodidae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 9 Bats, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 16-162 : 151-152

169.

Solomons Flying Fox

Pteropus rayneri

French: Roussette de Rayner / German: Salomonen-Flughund / Spanish: Zorro volador de Salomén

Other common names: Rennell Flying Fox

Taxonomy. Pteropus rayneri]. E. Gray, 1870 ,

“ Solomon Islands: San Christoval [= San CristobalIsland]; Guadaleanar [= Guadalcanal Island].”

Pteropus rayneri does not include related P. cognatus and P. rennelli (formerly considered subspecies). It is in the samoensis species group. Five subspecies recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution.

P. r. rayneri J. E. Gray, 1870 — E Solomon Is (Guadalcanal and Malaita).

P. rn. grandis Thomas, 1887 — Solomon Is on Buka, Bougainville, Alu (= Shortland), Choiseul, Santa Isabel, and small adjacent islands.

P. r. lavellanus K. Andersen, 1908 — Solomon Is (Vella Lavella, Ghizo, and Ranongga).

P. v. monoensis Lawrence, 1945 — Solomon Is (Mono).

P. r. rubianus K. Andersen, 1908 — Solomon Is on Kolombangara, Simbo, New Georgia, Rendova, Tetepare, Vangunu, and Nggatokae (= Gatokae).

Descriptive notes. Head-body 230-275 mm (tailless), ear 27-37 mm, hindfoot 44— 65 mm, forearm 135-187 mm; weight 550-870 g. Muzzle is stout and sparsely haired, skin is black, nostrils are shortly tubular, and philtrum has furrow on each side. Eyes are medium-sized, with reddish brown irises. Ears are small and black, with blunt tips. Head pelage is thick, dark brown, and variably sprinkled with silvery hairs among subspecies, turning reddish brown toward crown and nape and transitioning to cinnamon rufous mantle of long stiff hairs that extends to sides of neck. Hairs on back are sealbrown, with faint purplish gloss and closely adpressed. Color of rump varies among subspecies from cinnamon-rufous in nominate rayner: to sharply demarcated orange ocherous buff in grandis . Throat is dark brown, chest and sides of belly are russet to orangish brown, and hairs are coarse. Shoulder glands in males are clusters of orange bristly hairs. Dark brown patch occurs in center of belly. Uropatagium is reduced at center; calcar is short. Thumb is extremely long, index finger is clawed, and all claws are dark red brown at bases and tan at tips. Wing membranes are drab pinkish gray and originate from sides of body. Skull is typical pteropine, with moderate basicranial deflection. Laterally, rostrum is long, sloping toward forehead; orbits are medium-sized, with postorbital bar complete in most adults; zygomatic root is above upper alveolar line; zygoma is arched; and braincase is dome-shaped and long. Dorsally, rostrum is broad, forehead is very wide, postorbital foramina are tiny, temporal linesjoin immediately anterior to well-marked postorbital constriction into low but sharp sagittal crest, zygomatic arches are wide and strong, braincase is oval, and nuchal crest is obvious. Ventrally, palate is wide and flat; tooth rows are slightly diverging posteriorly; post-dental palate is relatively long, with concave ending; and ear region has relatively small tympanic ring. Mandible has sloping symphysis and thick body, coronoid is strong and almost vertical, condyle is above lower alveolar line, and angle is well marked. Palatal ridge pattern is 5 + 5 + 3. Upper incisors are short; C! is thick but relatively short; P! 1s a spicule, often missing in most adults; next premolars are low and short but wide and stout, with strong posterior ledge; M' is long, rectangular in occlusal outline, and stout; and last molar is minute and peg-like. I, more than twice as large as I; C, is short and slanted outward, with strong cingulum; P| is low and relatively large; posterior cheekteeth are strong, generally low and decreasing in height posteriorly, with marked posterior ledge, rectangular in occlusal outline; and last molar is minute and peg-like.

Habitat. Primary and secondary rainforests; mangrove, swamp and hill forests; coconut plantations; and gardens from sea level up to elevations of ¢. 700 m.

Food and Feeding. Analysis of feces of Solomons Flying Foxes from Guadalcanal and Western Province revealed pollen from rainforest plant families Myrtaceae and Arecaceae . From interviews with communities on these islands, the five most popular food plants identified were banana ( Musa spp. , Musaceae ), pawpaw ( Asimina triloba , Annonaceae ), coconut ( Cocos nucifera, Arecaceae ), mango ( Mangifera indica , Anacardiaceae ), and Syzygium spp. (Myrtaceae) .

Breeding. The Solomons Flying Fox presumably breeds seasonally, with parental care lasting 6-7 months. Males defending harems of females in large colonies were observed in April, pregnant and lactating females in July, and young in October.

Activity patterns. Solomons Flying Foxes are nocturnal and roost in tall trees in coastal forests, especially in flat terrain in inaccessible mangrove and swamp forests and caves as reported for Vella Lavella and Nggatokae islands.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. The Solomons Flying Fox roosts in large colonies of thousands of individuals. Roosts contain 5000-7000 individuals and cover up to 2 km * on Choiseul. Isolated individuals, mother—infant pairs, and small groups of 5-12 individuals also roost in secondary forests.

Status and Conservation. CITES Appendix II. Classified as Near Threatened on The IUCN Red List. The Solomons Flying Fox is in decline due to heavy hunting and habitat destruction from intense logging; in addition, an unidentified disease, possibly introduced via vectors such as exotic red ants, has decimated some populations recently (e.g. Buka Island). Cyclones can cause severe decline; Choiseul populations might not have recovered from Cyclone Ida in 1972. Nevertheless, the Solomons Flying Fox appears to adapt to disturbance because it roosts in secondary forests and feeds in plantations and gardens.

Bibliography. Almeida et al. (2014), Andersen (1912b), Bonaccorso (1998), Bowen-Jones et al. (1997), Flannery (1995a), Lavery (2017h).

Figures

161. New Britain Masked Flying Fox (Pleropus capistratus), 162. New Ireland Masked Flying Fox (Pleropus ennisae), 163. New Caledonia Flying Fox (Pteropus vetula), 164. Common Samoan Flying Fox (Pteropus samoensis), 165. Banks Flying Fox (Pteropus fundatus), 166. Vanuatu Flying Fox (Pleropus anetianus), 167. Vanikoro Flying Fox (Pleropus tuberculatus), 168. Temotu Flying Fox (Pteropus nitendiensis), 169. Solomons Flying Fox (Pteropus rayneri), 170. Makira Flying Fox (Pteropus cognatus), 171. Rennell Flying Fox (Pteropus rennelli), 172. Temminck’s Flying Fox (Pteropus temminckui), 173. Gray-headed Flying Fox (Pteropus poliocephalus)

Subspecies and Distribution. P. r. rayneri J. E. Gray, 1870 — E Solomon Is (Guadalcanal and Malaita). P. rn. grandis Thomas, 1887 — Solomon Is on Buka, Bougainville, Alu (= Shortland), Choiseul, Santa Isabel, and small adjacent islands. P. r. lavellanus K. Andersen, 1908 — Solomon Is (Vella Lavella, Ghizo, and Ranongga). P. v. monoensis Lawrence, 1945 — Solomon Is (Mono). P. r. rubianus K. Andersen, 1908 — Solomon Is on Kolombangara, Simbo, New Georgia , Rendova, Tetepare, Vangunu, and Nggatokae (= Gatokae).