Demonic tube-nosed fruit bat

Demonic tube-nosed fruit bat
Conservation status
	; Data Deficient (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Chiroptera
Family:	Pteropodidae
Genus:	Nyctimene
Species:	N. masalai
Binomial name
	Nyctimene masalai; Smith & Hood, 1983
	Demonic tube-nosed fruit bat range

Last updated November 16, 2021

The demonic tube-nosed fruit bat (Nyctimene masalai) 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.^[2] The range of the species may extend to other islands, however the extent of the range is not presently known.^[1]

Taxonomy and etymology

Based on its morphology, it was placed into the cephalotes species group of its genus when it was described. Species groups are hypotheses of evolutionary relationships, so it is thought that the demonic tube-nosed fruit bat is most closely related to the other members of the species group:

Pallas's tube-nosed bat, (N. cephalotes)
Island tube-nosed fruit bat, (N. major)
Eastern tube-nosed bat, (N. robinsoni)
Nendo tube-nosed fruit bat, (N. santacrucis)
Umboi tube-nosed fruit bat, (N. vizcaccia)^[4]

More recently, others have placed it in the albiventer species group. Other members of the albiventer group included in this study were:

Common tube-nosed fruit bat, (N. albiventer)
Island tube-nosed fruit bat, (N. major)
Umboi tube-nosed fruit bat, (N. vizcaccia)
Dragon tube-nosed fruit bat, (N. draconilla)
Malaita tube-nosed fruit bat, (N. malaitensis)^[5]

The specific epithet comes from the Tolai word "masalai", which Smith and Hood translate as "forest demon or devil".^[2]^: 7 Some sources place the demonic tube-nosed fruit bat as synonymous with the common tube-nosed fruit bat, Nyctimene albiventer.^[6]

Description

Bats of the Nyctimene genus are distinguished by their elongated, tubular nostrils.^[7] Individual bats are 94–103 mm (3.7–4.1 in) long. They weigh 45.2–52.3 g (1.59–1.84 oz). The forearm is 63.5–67.5 mm (2.50–2.66 in) long. The back is mottled reddish-brown, with a thin, 5 mm (0.20 in) black stripe running from the back of the head to the base of the tail. Hairs on the dorsal side of the body are long, at 8–9 mm (0.31–0.35 in) long. The ventral side is grayish-white with a yellowish-brown tint. The flight membranes are dark brown. The wings have pale yellowish-brown spots, while the ears have white spots. The forearm also has large white splotches. The nostrils are whitish.^[2] Its snout is short and narrow and its dental formula is 1.1.3.10.1.3.2, for a total of 24 teeth.^[7]

Biology

Its diet consists of fruit.^[8]

Habitat and range

So far, it is only known from New Ireland, in the Bismarck Archipelago, which is part of Papua New Guinea. It is possible that its range includes other islands in the Bismarck Archipelago, though this is currently unconfirmed.^[1] Members of this species identified so far have been found at 0–10 m (0–33 ft) above sea level.^[2]

Conservation

It is currently evaluated as data deficient by the IUCN. Previously in 1996, the IUCN had assessed this species as vulnerable. There has been little research regarding this species, and its population trend and geographic range are unknown. It is unknown if there are any threats to this species.^[1]

Related Research Articles

Megabats constitute the family Pteropodidae of the order Chiroptera (bats). They are also called fruit bats, Old World fruit bats, or—especially the genera Acerodon and Pteropus—flying foxes. They are the only member of the superfamily Pteropodoidea, which is one of two superfamilies in the suborder Yinpterochiroptera. Internal divisions of Pteropodidae have varied since subfamilies were first proposed in 1917. From three subfamilies in the 1917 classification, six are now recognized, along with various tribes. As of 2018, 197 species of megabat had been described.

The eastern or Queensland tube-nosed bat is a megabat in the family Pteropodidae that lives in north-eastern Australia. N. robinsoni is one of the few species in Pteropodidae that roosts solitarily. They get their common name from their raised tubular nostrils which is unlike most other species in the family. They are a deep brown with gray heads and sparse yellow spotting.

The black-bellied fruit bat is a species of order Chiroptera in the family Pteropodidae.

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 round-eared tube-nosed fruit bat is a species of bat in the family Pteropodidae. It is possibly conspecific with Nyctimene certans, although the taxonomy remains unresolved. The possible synonymy of the species was investigated by Randolph L. Peterson in 1991, finding the species split into two distinct groups based on morphology. It is found in West Papua and Mansuar Island in Indonesia.

The dragon tube-nosed fruit bat is a species of bat in the family Pteropodidae. It is found on both sides of New Guinea: West Papua, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. It is slightly smaller and very similar in appearance to N. albiventer, differing by having more profuse, dark spotting on its wing membranes, and smaller shorter canines. The similarity between the species has been a source of possible misidentifications. The records of this species from Papua New Guinea are associated with freshwater swamps and rivers.

The lesser tube-nosed bat is a species of megabat in the family Pteropodidae. It is native to two of the Maluku Islands in northern Indonesia.

The Umboi tube-nosed fruit bat is a species of megabat in the family Pteropodidae. It is found in Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands.

The lesser tube-nosed fruit bat or unstriped tube-nosed bat is a species of megabat in the family Pteropodidae found in West Papua, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.

The gray flying fox is a species of flying fox in the family Pteropodidae. It is not to be confused with the grey flying fox. It is found in Indonesia, but not in the Philippines, despite occasional reference to such. Very little is known about this species. The gray flying fox has small size and neutral coloration with a brownish head and an orange abdomen. It probably roosts individually or in small groups. It was listed on appendix II of CITES, and is classified as "Data Deficient" by the IUCN. This species has been decimated by hunting for bushmeat in Indonesia. The hunters use fishing hooks, ropes, and other supplies to hunt the bats. The ropes and hooks are placed along their flight paths, tearing and ensnaring the bats' wings when are flying. In the course of a hunting season, entire colonies can be killed.

The Aru flying fox is a Critically Endangered species of megabat found in the Aru Islands in Indonesia. It was described by Wilhelm Peters in 1867. It was formerly considered a subspecies of the black-bearded flying fox. The species is poorly known, and has not been encountered since the 19th century. It is classified as critically endangered by the IUCN and is listed on CITES appendix II.

Nyctimene is a genus of bats in the Pteropodidae family. Commonly known as tube-nosed fruit bats, they are found in the central Philippines, eastern Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and the north-east coast of Australia.

Keast's tube-nosed fruit bat is a species of megabat in the family Pteropodidae found in Babar, Tanimbar, and the Kai Islands.

The steadfast tube-nosed fruit bat is a species of megabat in the family Pteropodidae found in West Papua, Indonesia, and Papua New Guinea.

Paranyctimene is a genus of bats in the family Pteropodidae. They are distributed in Indonesia

Tube-nosed bat may refer to any of the following species:

References

1 2 3 4 Leary, T.; Helgen, K. (2020). "Nyctimene masalai". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2020: e.T14959A22008122. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T14959A22008122.en . Retrieved 15 November 2021.
1 2 3 4 5 Smith, James Dale; Hood, Craig S. (1983). "A New Species of Tube-nosed Fruit Bat (Nyctimene) from the Bismarck Archipelago, Papua New Guinea". Occasional Papers. The Museum. Texas Tech University. 81: 1–14.
↑ Simmons, N.B. (2005). "Order Chiroptera". In Wilson, D.E.; Reeder, D.M (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 331. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494.
↑ Kitchener, D. J.; Packer, W. C.; Maryanto, I (1993). "Taxonomic status of Nyctimene (Chiroptera: Pteropodidae) from the Banda, Kai and Aru Islands, Maluku, Indonesia–implications for biogeography" (PDF). Records of the Western Australian Museum. 16 (3): 399–417. Retrieved October 4, 2017.
↑ Bergmans, W. (2001). "Notes on distribution and taxonomy of Australasian bats. I. Pteropodinae and Nyctimeninae (Mammalia, Megachiroptera, Pteropodidae)". Beaufortia. 51 (8): 119–152. Retrieved October 4, 2017.
↑ Helgen, K.; Bonaccorso, F. (2008). "Nyctimene masalai". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2008: e.T14959A4483409. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2008.RLTS.T14959A4483409.en .
1 2 Andersen, Knud (1912). Catalogue of the Chiroptera in the collection of the British Museum. 1 (2nd ed.). London: British Museum (Natural History). Department of Zoology . [Mammals]. p. 788. doi:10.5962/bhl.title.8322 . Retrieved October 7, 2017.
↑ Dumont, E. R.; Nicolay, C. W. (2006). "Cross-sectional geometry of the dentary in bats". Zoology. 109 (1): 66–74. doi:10.1016/j.zool.2005.08.004. PMID 16377164.