Syconycteris carolinae, Rozendaal, 1984

Don E. Wilson & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2019, Pteropodidae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 9 Bats, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 16-162 : 105

76.

Halmaheran Blossom Bat

Syconycteris carolinae

French: Syconyctere d’'Halmahera / German: Halmahera-Blitenflughund / Spanish: Syconicterio de Halmahera

Other common names: Halmahera Blossom Bat, North Moluccan Blossom Bat

Taxonomy. Syconycteris carolinae Rozendaal, 1984 ,

“beside a stream running through undisturbed primary forest at the southern base of Gunung (= Mount) Gamkunora, east of Baru and north of Tosoa, 1° 20° N 127° 31’ E, northwest Halmahera [Island, Molucca Islands], Indonesia, altitude c. 180 m.”

This species is monotypic.

Distribution. N Moluccas on Halmahera and Bacan Is.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 83-97- 8 mm (tailless), ear 12:3-16- 8 mm, hindfoot 15- 4 mm, forearm 55-6-61- 1 mm; weight 35-47 g. The Halmaheran Blossom Bat can be distinguished from the Southern Blossom Bat (S. australis ) by its darker pelage, largersize, slightly longer rostrum, heavier zygomatic arches, more strongly developed postorbital processes, and lack of prominent lambdoid crest. Head and muzzle are elongated, with raised forward-facing nostrils. Fur is somewhat woolly and longer than in the Mossforest Blossom Bat (S. hobbit ). Dorsal pelage is dark brown and darker on head and nape; ventral pelage is more dark blonde, being grayer and somewhat lighter than dorsum and having silvery tipped hairs, giving grizzled appearance. Eyes are large, with dark reddish-brown irises; ears are elongated, with bluntly rounded tips, and colored like dorsum. Wings are black; second digits of wings have a claw. There is no uropatagium, but there is a strip of longer fur along inside legs where uropatagium would be; calcar is absent. Skull is elongated, with long rostrum, and jaws and dentition are much more robust than in species of Macroglossus . Molars and premolars are largely reduced, narrow, and linear with flat tops; upper incisors are uniformly large and procumbent; I, are much larger than I, and do not have any gap between them; dentition is generally weaker than in the Southern Blossom Bat and more elongate in the occlusal view; and diastemata between lower premolars are wider than in the Southern Blossom Bat.

Habitat. Most commonly moderately disturbed areas including secondary forests and gardens but also relict forests.

Food and Feeding. The Halmaheran Blossom Bat is most likely nectarivorous.

Breeding. Nine lactating and two visibly pregnant Halmaheran Blossom Bats were collected in January on northern Halmahera. Young might be left in roosts until they are able to fly, although this needs confirmation.

Activity patterns. Halmaheran Blossom Bats are nocturnal.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Vulnerable on The IUCN Red List. The Halmaheran Blossom Bat is known from only three locations on two islands in Indonesia. It is considered rare due to low number of captures despite many sampling attempts. Halmahera is experiencing ongoing habitat destruction from gold and nickel mining, logging operations, and urban development. In 2017, the Halmaheran Blossom Bat was ranked as the eighth highest research priority for island-endemic bats because of the conservation situation on Halmahera and current lack of knowledge on its basic ecology.

Bibliography. Boeadi & Flannery (1992), Conenna et al. (2017), Flannery (1995a), Helgen & Salas (2008), Koopman & Gordon (1992), Lawrence (1991), Rozendaal (1984).

Figures

73. Lesser Long-tongued Blossom Bat (Macroglossus minimus), 74. Greater Long-tongued Blossom Bat (Macroglossus sobrinus), 75. Southern Blossom Bat (Syconycteris australis), 76. Halmaheran Blossom Bat (Syconycteris carolinae), 77. Moss-forest Blossom Bat (Syconycteris hobbit), 78. Manado Fruit Bat (Boneia bidens), 79. Sulawesi Harpy Fruit Bat (Harpyionycteris celebensis), 80. Philippine Harpy Fruit Bat (Harpyionycteris whitehead), 81. Bulmer’s Fruit Bat (Aproteles bulmerae), 82. Lesser Naked-backed Fruit Bat (Dobsonia minor), 83. Moluccan Naked-backed Fruit Bat (Dobsonia moluccensis), 84. Western Naked-backed Fruit Bat (Dobsonia peronu), 86. Panniet Naked-backed Fruit Bat (Dobsonia pannietensis), 87. Philippine Naked-backed Fruit Bat (Dobsonia chapmani), 88. Biak Naked-backed Fruit Bat (Dobsonia emersa), 89. Sulawesi Naked-backed Fruit Bat (Dobsonia exoleta), 90. Greenish Naked-backed Fruit Bat (Dobsonia viridis), 91. Beaufort’s Naked-backed Fruit Bat (Dobsonia beauforti), 92. Halmahera Naked-backed Fruit Bat (Dobsonia crenulata), 93. Solomons Naked-backed Fruit Bat (Dobsonia inermis), 94. New Britain Naked-backed Fruit Bat (Dobsonia praedatrix)

Distribution. N Moluccas on Halmahera and Bacan Is.