Dobsonia crenulata, K. Andersen, 1900

Don E. Wilson & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2019, Pteropodidae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 9 Bats, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 16-162 : 112

92.

Halmahera Naked-backed Fruit Bat

Dobsonia crenulata

French: Roussette crénelée / German: Halmahera-Nacktriickenflughund / Spanish: Dobsonia de Halmahera

Taxonomy. Dobsonia crenulata K. Andersen, 1900 ,

“ Ternate [Tsland],” Maluku Is lands, Indonesia.

Non-Moluccan populations of D. crenulata might represent undescribed subspecies requiring additional systematic investigation. Monotypic.

Distribution. Talaud Is (Karakelong), Sangihe Is (Sangihe and Siau), Sulawesi (including Togian Is, Banggai Is, Kabaena, Muna, Buton, and Hoga Is), Sula Is (Mangole and Sanana), and C Moluccas (Morotai, Halmahera, Bacan, and smaller Ternate and Bau Is).

Descriptive notes. Head-body 165-205 mm, tail 23-38 mm, ear 22-29 mm, hindfoot 26-38 mm, forearm 119-136 mm; weight 220-320 g. Adult male Halmahera Nakedbacked Fruit Bats tend to be larger than females in body weight and lengths of head body and forearm. Fur has greenish wash over much of body. Nape varies from raw umber to bister to brownish bister. Head is shiny dark grayish brown. Venter is drab or drab brown, mixed with raw umber on chest and belly. Wings attach along midline of back, with underlying fur. Nostrils are slightly tubular, and each flares outward from centerline. Claws are brown. Index claw (second digit of wing) is absent. Baculum is broader than long and V-shaped with point at distal and proximal ends curving downward; incurvation at proximal end between two legs is quite shallow. Diploid number is 2n = 36—published under the Greenish Naked-backed Fruit Bat ( D. viridis ) from southern Sulawesi and here assigned to the Halmahera Naked-backed Fruit Bat.

Habitat. Primary and secondary tropical moist lowland forests and village gardens from sea level up to elevations of ¢. 1000 m.

Food and Feeding. The Halmahera Naked-backed Fruit Bat is frugivorous. It is probably strongly dependent on figs.

Breeding. Births of Halmahera Naked-backed Fruit Bats take place in November—January, variably by island and presumably influenced by local biotic and climatic conditions. Pregnant and lactating females are known from December on the Togian Islands and January on Halmahera. A 43-g newborn was observed clinging to its mother when disturbed from a cave on Halmahera. On Ternate, a 46-g young was at its mother’s breast when captured in a mist net in January; mother was foraging in a village garden confirming that mothers at least occasionally carry young when foraging.

Activity patterns. The Halmahera Naked-backed Fruit Bat is nocturnal and roosts in caves, trees, and rock crevices.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Halmahera Naked-backed Fruit Bats are gregarious and congregate in large colonies in limestone caves.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. The Halmahera Naked-backed Fruit Bat has a relatively large distribution and is presumably common with stable populations on a number of Indonesian islands. It tolerates habitat disturbance by foraging in rural gardens. Hunting and limestone extraction at roosting sites in southern Sulawesi are localized threats. Research on its ecology and population trends is needed to better predict its future conservation status.

Bibliography. Bergmans & Rozendaal (1988), Corbet & Hill (1992), De Jong & Bergmans (1981), Flannery (1995a), Hill (1983), Hutson, Kingston & Helgen (2008).

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. Talaud Is (Karakelong), Sangihe Is (Sangihe and Siau), Sulawesi (including Togian Is, Banggai Is, Kabaena, Muna, Buton, and Hoga Is), Sula Is (Mangole and Sanana), and C Moluccas (Morotai, Halmahera, Bacan, and smaller Ternate and Bau Is).