Systematics of Megachiropteran Bats in the Solomon Islands — John Shaqi
Systematics of Megachiropteran Bats in the Solomon IslandsPhillips, Carleton J.
Science
Systematics of Megachiropteran Bats in the Solomon Islands
Phillips, Carleton J.
Bats -- Solomon Islands
_Remarks._--Apparently _Pteropus howensis_ is confined to Ontong Java
(Lord Howe Islands) located northeastward of the main body of islands
that constitute the Solomon Archipelago (see Fig. 5). According to A. J.
Nicholson, who collected the specimens listed above, _P. howensis_ is
not abundant in Ontong Java. He related this circumstance to the fact
that these small islands are nothing more than parts of a coral atoll
used almost entirely for the production of coconuts (see Sanborn and
Nicholson, 1950:329).
Specimens of _Pteropus howensis_ deposited in the U. S. National Museum
agree well in most ways with the original description of the species by
Troughton (1931:204-205). Slight variation in color is evident; in two
specimens, the mantle, just posterior to the ears, is Ochraceous-Buff.
The relationship of this species to other kinds of _Pteropus_ known from
Melanesia is not clear. Troughton (1931:204, 206) compared _P. howensis_
with _P. hypomelanus_ and _P. admiralitatum_ and found that it resembled
each of them. Tate (1934:2) noted that the skull of _P. admiralitatum
goweri_ was similar to that of _P. howensis_ in structure. The latter
species is, however, larger (length of forearm 122 according to
Troughton, 1931:205) than any subspecies of _P. admiralitatum_ (length
of forearm 108-112). Also, the cheek-teeth of _P. howensis_ that I have
studied are relatively larger than those of either _P. hypomelanus_ or
_P. admiralitatum_. Furthermore, in _P. howensis_ there is a small but
distinct cusp located medio-posteriorly on P4 (most noticeable in young
individuals) that is more reduced or undeveloped in specimens of the
other two species. Cheek-teeth of _P. howensis_ resemble those in a
dull-colored specimen of _P. tonganus_ from Fiji Island with which I
compared the specimens listed above.
Weights and crown-rump lengths of the two embryos (in an advanced stage
of development) examined were 20 and 29 grams and 43 and 51 mm.
(apparently these are the specimens listed by Sanborn and Nicholson,
1950:329).
=Pteropus tonganus=
_Pteropus tonganus_ has at least three subspecies, one of which has been
recorded from the Solomons. The species ranges from a small island off
the eastern coast of New Guinea, where there is an endemic subspecies,
eastward to Tonga and the New Hebrides (Laurie and Hill, 1954:33-34).
Felten (1964_a_) recently has reported on the species in the New
Hebrides.
=Pteropus tonganus geddiei= MacGillivary
1860. _Pteropus geddiei_ MacGillivary, Zoologist, 18:7134,
September, type from Aneitum Island, New Hebrides; 1912,
Andersen, Catalogue of the Chiroptera ... British Museum,
1:189; 1931, Sanborn, Publ. Field Mus. Nat. Hist., Zool.
Ser., 18:13, February 12, from Rennell Island in the Solomons.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account