Pteropus chrysoproctus, Temminck, 1837

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

190.

South Moluccan Flying Fox

Pteropus chrysoproctus

French: Roussette d'Ambon / German: Sidmolukken-Flughund / Spanish: Zorro volador de Ambon

Other common names: Ambon Flying Fox

Taxonomy. Pteropus chrysoproctus Temminck, 1837 ,

Ambon, Maluku Islands, Indonesia.

Pteropus chrysoproctus is in the melanopogon species group. It might not include synonymized P. argentatus , Sulawesi specimens previously referred to as P. argentatus were identified as Acerodon celebensis . It might contain undescribed subspecies. Monotypic.

Distribution. C Moluccas Is (Buru, Ambon, and Seram) and Watubela Archipelago in Indonesia.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 190-265 mm (tailless), ear 27-30 mm, hindfoot 48-55 mm, forearm 163-177 mm; weight 300-420 g. Greatest lengths of skulls are 67-77 mm and tibias 75-80 mm. Ears of the South Moluccan Flying Fox are of moderate length and curved into pointed tips. Bases of most hairs are tawny to rufous. On Seram, body is dark chestnut-brown, with more gradation to red-chestnut on sides of upper chest and flanks. Mantle is rufous, with sides occasionally grading to golden rufous to golden toward nape. Crown and sides of head are dark rufous, with back grading from lighter mantle into chestnut. A Buru specimen has dark burnt umber on back, with more golden tawny-tinged hairs toward rump, dark chestnut chest and belly, nearly ocherous buffy thighs, and tawny head, mantle, and sides of neck. Forearm is naked, and upperside oftibia is sparsely furred or naked. Wing membranes are black from uppersides of body. Index claw is present. Canines are slender at bases, I, and P| are smaller, and cheekteeth are narrower compared with Black-bearded Flying Fox ( P. melanopogon ). 1, is 1-5-2 times larger than I. Canines of males are noticeably longer and slightly heavier than females.

Habitat. Old growth forest and recently mangrove forest.

Food and Feeding. The South Moluccan Flying Fox is probably frugivorous, but anecdotal evidence from Seram suggests that it feeds on durian ( Durio sp. , Malvaceae ) flowers. Hunters have seen it foraging in stands of Ceiba (Malvaceae) and orchards of cultivated fruits ( Syzygium , Myrtaceae ).

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. The South Moluccan Flying Fox is crepuscular and nocturnal. It roosts on mangrove islands during the day and leaves around dusk to forage in forested areas with low levels of disturbance.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. The South Moluccan Flying Fox is generally gregarious and roosts in large colonies in forested areas. A colony of ¢.300 individuals was found in an unprotected mangrove forest. Single individuals and groups of less than ten individuals have been seen in temporary roosts in fragmented forests near villages. It roosts with the Black-bearded Flying Fox in separate trees.

Status and Conservation. CITES Appendix II. Classified as Vulnerable on The IUCN Red List. Population decline of the South Moluccan Flying Fox is suspected to have been more than 30% over three generations due to hunting and habitat loss. It is usually hunted at foraging sites as a snack for drinking parties. Deforestation, mining, oil exploration, and agroforestry expansion has resulted in loss of almost one-half of total forest coverage. Some foraging sites occur in Manusela National Park on Seram, but day roosts occur in unprotected mangrove forests on offshore islands nearby. There is no effective protection, and no protected area on Buru. It is likely extinct on Ambon.

Bibliography. Andersen (1912b), Corbet & Hill (1992), Flannery (1995a), Musseretal. (1982), Simmons (2005), Tsang (2016j), Tsang et al. (2015).

Figures

174. Livingstone’s Flying Fox (Pteropus livingstonii), 175. Pemba Flying Fox (Pleropus voeltzkowi), 176. Ryukyu Flying Fox (Pleropus dasymallus), 177. Bonin Flying Fox (Pteropus pselaphon), 178. Little Golden-mantled Flying Fox (Pleropus pumilus), 179. Lyle’s Flying Fox (Pteropus lylei), 180. Indian Flying Fox (Pleropus medius), 181. Rodrigues Flying Fox (Pteropus rodricensus), 182. Large Flying Fox (Pteropus vampyrus), 183. Aldabra Flying Fox (Pleropus aldabrensis), 184. Malagasy Flying Fox (Pteropus rufus), 185. Seychelles Flying Fox (Pleropus seychellensis), 186. Greater Mascarene Flying Fox (Pteropus niger), 187. Aru Flying Fox (Pteropus aruensis), 188. Kai Flying Fox (Pleropus keyensis), 189. Black-bearded Flying Fox (Pleropus melanopogon), 190. South Moluccan Flying Fox (Pteropus chrysoproctus), 191. North Moluccan Flying Fox (Pteropus caniceps)

Distribution. C Moluccas Is (Buru, Ambon , and Seram) and Watubela Archipelago in Indonesia .