Andersen's naked-backed fruit bat | |
---|---|
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | Chiroptera |
Family: | Pteropodidae |
Genus: | Dobsonia |
Species: | D. anderseni |
Binomial name | |
Dobsonia anderseni Thomas, 1914 | |
Andersen's naked-backed fruit bat range |
Andersen's naked-backed fruit bat or Andersen's bare-backed fruit bat (Dobsonia anderseni) is a large cave-dwelling species of megabat in the family Pteropodidae. It is endemic to the Bismarck Archipelago including the Admiralty Islands in Papua New Guinea.
It was described as a new species in 1914 by British zoologist Oldfield Thomas. The holotype used to describe the species had been collected by Albert Stewart Meek and his brother-in-law, Albert Frederic Eichhorn, in October 1913. The eponym for the species name "anderseni" is Danish mammalogist Knud Andersen. Of Andersen, Thomas wrote: "I have named the species in honour of Dr. K. Andersen, in recognition of the striking monograph of Dobsonia contained in his Catalogue, a monograph which has entirely revolutionized our knowledge of the group." [2]
Its forearm length is 123–125 mm (4.8–4.9 in). Its fur is very dark brown, with its head nearly black. [2]
Its range includes several islands of Papua New Guinea. It has been documented at elevations up to 1,500 m (4,900 ft) above sea level. [1]
As of 2020, it is listed as a least-concern species by the IUCN. It meets the criteria for this classification because it has a wide geographic range; its population is presumably large; it tolerates a degree of habitat disturbance; and its population trend appears to be stable or increasing. Threats to this species include overharvesting for bushmeat or disturbance of the caves where it roosts during the day. [1]
The Admiralty Islands are an archipelago group of 18 islands in the Bismarck Archipelago, to the north of New Guinea in the South Pacific Ocean. These are also sometimes called the Manus Islands, after the largest island.
Bulmer's fruit bat is a megabat endemic to New Guinea. It is listed as a critically endangered species due to habitat loss and hunting. It is the only member of the genus Aproteles. Due to its imperiled status, it is identified by the Alliance for Zero Extinction as a species in danger of imminent extinction.
Geoffroy's rousette is a species of megabat or Old World fruit bats. It is one of 10 species in the genus Rousettus.
The bare-backed fruit bat or Moluccan naked-backed fruit bat is a fruit bat in the family Pteropodidae.
The Bismarck trumpet-eared bat, also known as the Manus Island woolly bat, is a species of vesper bat in the family Vespertilionidae. It is found in subtropical or tropical dry forests.
The glossy swiftlet is a species of swift in the family Apodidae. It is found on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi and eastwards to New Guinea, the Bismarck Archipelago and the Solomon Islands.
The northern common cuscus, also known as the grey cuscus, is a species of marsupial in the family Phalangeridae native to northern New Guinea and adjacent smaller islands, but is now also found in the Bismarck Archipelago, southeast and central Moluccas, the Solomons, and Timor, where it is believed to have been introduced in prehistoric times from New Guinea. It was formerly considered conspecific with the allopatric P. intercastellanus and P. mimicus.
Beaufort's naked-backed fruit bat is a species of megabat in the family Pteropodidae. Its natural habitat is in caves.
Dobsonia is a genus of megabat in the family Pteropodidae. It contains the following 13 species:
The Biak naked-backed fruit bat is a species of megabat in the family Pteropodidae. It is endemic to Indonesia.
The lesser naked-backed fruit bat is a species of megabat in the family Pteropodidae. It is found in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.
The Panniet naked-backed fruit bat, also known as the De Vis's Bare-backed Fruit Bat and Panaeati Bare-backed Fruit Bat, is a species of megabat in the family Pteropodidae. It roosts in groups, within caves and tree hollows.
The New Britain naked-backed fruit bat is a species of megabat in the family Pteropodidae. It is endemic to New Britain island in northern Papua New Guinea.
The Maggie Taylor's roundleaf bat is a species of bat in the family Hipposideridae. It is found in West Papua (Indonesia) and Papua New Guinea.
The common tube-nosed fruit bat is a species of megabat in the family Pteropodidae. It is found at islands north of Australia, and in Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines and the Solomon Islands.
The demonic tube-nosed fruit bat is a species of bat in the family Pteropodidae. It is endemic to Papua New Guinea. The holotype specimen was collected in 1979 on New Ireland, in the Bismarck Archipelago. It was described as a new species in 1983. The range of the species may extend to other islands, however the extent of the range is not presently known.
The Admiralty flying fox is a species of fruit bat in the family Pteropodidae, the megabats. It is found in Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands.
The great flying fox, also known as the greater flying fox or Bismarck flying fox, is a species of megabat in the genus Pteropus, found throughout lowland areas of New Guinea and in the Bismarck Archipelago. Conflicting evidence suggests that its closest relative is either the spectacled flying fox or, jointly, the Pelew and insular flying foxes. Two subspecies are recognized. At up to 1.6 kg (3.5 lb) in weight, it is among the heaviest bats in the world and the largest bat in Melanesia. It is a gregarious animal which roosts with hundreds or thousands of individuals. In part due to its wide variation in color, it has many taxonomic synonyms, including Pteropus degener, Pteropus papuanus, and Pteropus sepikensis. It may forage during the day or night in search of fruit, including figs or fruits from the family Sapotaceae. It is considered a least-concern species by the IUCN, though its numbers have been negatively impacted by what appeared to be a disease, as well as by hunting for bushmeat that occurs across its range.
The Halmahera naked-backed fruit bat is a common and widespread species of megabat in the family Pteropodidae. It is endemic to Indonesia. It is assessed as least-concern by the IUCN as it has a wide range and seems to have no significant threats.
Knud Christian Andersen was a Danish zoologist. His research focused on bats.