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
_Measurements._--Average and extreme measurements of four males and
seven females are as follows: Length of head and body, 281 (260-302);
hind foot, 52.3 (50-58); ear, 33.1 (31-37); length of forearm, 173
(168-180). Average and extreme measurements of skulls of three males and
six females are as follows: Greatest length of skull, 73.7 (71.3-77.7);
condylobasal length, 73.1 (70.5-77.4); zygomatic breadth, 40
(36.4-41.5); breadth across first-upper molars, 20.9 (18.3-22.1); length
of maxillary tooth-row, 28.1 (26.9-29.9); length of mandibular
tooth-row, 31.8 (29.7-32.7).
_Remarks._--_Pteropus rayneri grandis_ is the largest subspecies of the
species. It is also the widest ranging subspecies, being found on six
islands (see Fig. 6).
Although the specimens listed above agree well with descriptions of
color given by Thomas (1887_a_:147) and Andersen (1912:259, 263-264),
some individual variation is noticeable. In bats not yet fully grown
(judging from small size, unfused epiphyses, and lack of wear on teeth),
numerous scattered hairs on the sides of the face and crown are buffy.
In adults the face and crown are blackish. With regard to individual
variation in color of mantle and rump patch, specimens with the
following combinations were noted (1) mantle Brick Red, rump patch
bright, basal three-quarters of hairs white, tips Warm Buff (2) mantle
darker, near Hessian Brown, rump patch dark, Chestnut along edges,
center Ochraceous-Tawny (3) mantle Brick Red, rump patch intermediate
between the two other types. Size of rump patch also is variable. In
some specimens it extends onto the upper parts of the thighs whereas in
other specimens it does not.
Sanborn (1931:16) reported an extra tooth, behind the last lower molar,
in a specimen from Choiseul. In one of three specimens in the Bishop
Museum, m3 is lacking. Judging from Troughton's (1936:346) remarks, size
of individuals varies considerably. Specimens that he examined from
Bougainville had longer forearms (up to 177) and larger hind feet
(54-57) than those examined by me from Choiseul. On the other hand,
specimens listed above from Bougainville agree well with those from
Choiseul. In many specimens in the U. S. National Museum, length of the
right- and left-forearm differ. For example, in No. 276926 the right
forearm measures 180 whereas the left is 174; in No. 277098 the right is
172 and the left is 167. Troughton (1936:346) gave standard ear
measurement in _P. r. grandis_ as ranging from 29.5 to 31.5. Ears of
specimens that I examined varied from 31.0 to 37.0.
=Pteropus rayneri rubianus= Andersen
1908. _Pteropus rubianus_ Andersen, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., ser. 8,
2:366, October, type from Rubiana; 1912, Andersen, Catalogue
of the Chiroptera ... British Museum, 1:255; 1931, Sanborn,
Publ. Field Mus. Nat. Hist., Zool. Ser., 18:15, February 12,
from Narovo (Simbo).
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