Chironax melanocephalus (Temminck, 1825)

Don E. Wilson & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2019, Pteropodidae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 9 Bats, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 16-162 : 77

29.

Sundaic Black-capped Fruit Bat

Chironax melanocephalus

French: Cynoptére a téte noire / German: Sunda-Schwarzkappenflughund / Spanish: Chironax de Sunda

Other common names: Black-capped Fruit Bat

Taxonomy. Pteropus melanocephalus Temminck, 1825 ,

“L’ile de Java.” Restricted by W. Bergmans and F. G. Rozendaal in 1988 to Gunung Karang, Bantam, west Java, Indonesia .

Former subspecies tumulus considered as full species here following Bergmans in 2011. Two subspecies recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution.

C.m.melanocephalusTemminck,1825—MalayanPeninsula(fromSThailand),N&SSumatra,NiasI,andWJava.

C. m. dyasae Maharadatunkamsi, 2012 — Borneo.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 55-72 mm (tailless), ear 11-15 mm, hindfoot 9-3- 10- 6 mm, forearm 44-48 mm; weight 16-20 g. Sumatran specimens appear to have two morphs; one is slightly larger and more similar to the Bornean subspecies dyasae, which might represent an undescribed species of Chironax . Head and moderately elongated muzzle are blackish and almost hairless, nostrils are shortly tubular and divergent, philtrum is divided into two parallel grooves, and lower lip pads are large. Skin around eyes is naked, eyes are large, and iris is dark brown. Ears are short, rounded, and almost black. Head pelage is short, dense, and very dark blackish brown, continuing on nape; dorsum is a lighter grayish, with longer woollier hairs (lighter or “linoleum brown” in dyasae). Uropatagium is undeveloped at center and densely covered dorsally with soft brown hairs, calcar is small, and foot claws are whitish. Throat is sparsely haired; sides of neck and shoulders have tufts of yellowish to intensely orange hairs, turning creamy in chest and more grayish and woollier on venter to genitals. Underside of uropatagium is densely haired. Wing membranes are black from sides of body and attach on second toe, and index claw is present. Skull is small and delicate, with no basicranial deflection; rostrum is gracile, gently sloping into forehead; premaxillae are fused; orbit is large; zygomatic root is only slightly above upper alveolar line; zygomais very thin and arched posteriorly; and braincase is rounded and globose. Dorsally, rostrum is relatively wide, paranasal recesses are inflated, surpassing posteriorly root of small, thin postorbital processes; postorbital constriction is not marked; braincase is oval, with barely noticeable sagittal crest; and nuchal crest is obvious. Ventrally, palate is flat, tooth rows are gently diverging, post-dental palate is long and convergent, end of post-dental palate 1s flat, sphenoid crest is present, and ectotympanic is small and wide anteriorly and internally edged by adpressed and wide entotympanic. Mandible is thin, coronoid is long and sloping, condyle is level with lower alveolar line, and angle is rounded and distinct. Dental formula for all species of Chironaxis12/2,C1/1,P3/3, M 1/2 (x2) = 30. Upper dentition has two pairs of crowded, relatively short incisors; C' is thin, short, and slightly decurved; P' is a spicule; next premolar (P°) is large and triangular, with distinct additional anteroexternal cusp; posterior cheekteeth decrease in size, and all cheekteeth are rectangular in outline. Lower dentition has two pairs of small incisors; C, 1s small, short, and barely curved; P|, has pointed crown; and posterior cheekteeth are anteriorly almost as high as C,, decreasing in size and all with rectangular outline, except peg-like M..

Habitat. Forests, more common in hill and montane rainforests, at elevations above 600 m. The Sundaic Black-capped Fruit Bat uses all forest strata below the canopy.

Food and Feeding. The Sundaic Black-capped Fruit Bat is primarily frugivorous. It is a long-term resident that uses “steady-state” fruiting plants in which a few fruits ripen in a given night and are exploited sequentially as they become available during an extended fruiting season (greater than two months) and fruit from large trees with shortduration (less than two weeks) large crops (e.g. Ficus spp. , Moraceae ). In Peninsular Malaysia, diet contains fruits of Polyalthia (Annonaceae) , Diospyros (Ebenaceae) , Ficus , Pellacalyx (Rhizophoraceae) , Adinandra (Pentaphylacaceae) ; important Ficus species are I fistulosa, I. globosa, and F. scortechinii.

Breeding. The Sundaic Black-capped Fruit Batis possibly monoestrous, with pregnant females from February (peak) through July, and females with dependent young chiefly in February-March.

Activity patterns. Sundaic Black-capped Fruit Bats roost in cave entrances, rock shelters, and tree cavities in forest subcanopy and on undersides of tree fern fronds.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. The Sundaic Black-capped Fruit Bat roosts in groups of 2-8 individuals.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. The Sundaic Black-capped Fruit Bat is common, widespread, and unlikely to decline fast enough to change category. Nevertheless, overall population trend is unknown, and it is fragmented in three main regions: Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, and Java, with two morphometrically distinct subspecies.

Bibliography. Bergmans (2011), Bergmans & Rozendaal (1988), Hodgkison (2001), Huang, J.C.C. et al. (2014), Hutson, Kingston & Suyanto (2008), Kingston et al. (2006), Maharadatunkamsi (2012), Phillipps & Phillipps (2016).

Figures

15. Brooks's Dayak Fruit Bat (Dyacopterus brooksi), 16. Common Dayak Fruit Bat (Dyacopterus spadiceus), 17. Philippine Large-headed Fruit Bat (Dyacopterus rickarti), 18. Blanford’s Fruit Bat (Sphaerias blanfordi), 19. Bornean Spotted-winged Fruit Bat (Balionycteris maculata), 20. Malayan Spotted-winged Fruit Bat (Balionycteris seemundi), 21. Bornean Pygmy Fruit Bat (Aethalops aequalis), 22. Common Pygmy Fruit Bat (Aethalops alecto), 23. Common Swift Fruit Bat (Thoopterus nigrescens), 24. Suhaniah’s Swift Fruit Bat (Thoopterus suhaniahae), 25. Mindanao Pygmy Fruit Bat (Alionycteris paucidentata), 26. Fischer’s Pygmy Fruit Bat (Haplonycteris fischeri), 27. Luzon Pygmy Fruit Bat (Otopteropus cartilagonodus), 28. Salim Ali’s Fruit Bat (Latidens salimaliz), 29. Sundaic Black-capped Fruit Bat (Chironax melanocephalus), 30. Sulawesi Black-capped Fruit Bat (Chironax tumulus), 31. Lucas’s Short-nosed Fruit Bat (Penthetor lucasu)

Subspecies and Distribution. C.m.melanocephalusTemminck,1825—MalayanPeninsula(fromSThailand),N&SSumatra,NiasI,andWJava. C. m. dyasae Maharadatunkamsi, 2012 — Borneo.