Pteropus natalis

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Pteropus natalis
Pteropus melanotus natalis - the Christmas Island flying-fox.jpg
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Chiroptera
Family: Pteropodidae
Genus: Pteropus
Species:
P. natalis
Binomial name
Pteropus natalis
Thomas, 1887 [1]
Christmas Island in its region.svg
Location of Christmas Island
Synonyms
  • Pteropus melanotus natalis

Pteropus natalis is a bat species found only on Christmas Island, the sole remaining native mammal species on the island. The population, sometimes referred to as the Christmas Island fruit-bat or Christmas Island flying-fox, [2] has gone into sharp decline and is consequently critically endangered.

Christmas Island Australian external territory

The Territory of Christmas Island is an Australian external territory comprising the island of the same name. Christmas Island is located in the Indian Ocean, around 350 kilometres (220 mi) south of Java and Sumatra and around 1,550 kilometres (960 mi) north-west of the closest point on the Australian mainland. It has an area of 135 square kilometres (52 sq mi).

Critically endangered IUCN conservation category

A critically endangered (CR) species is one that has been categorized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild.

Contents

Taxonomy

The population has been treated as a species of Pteropus or subspecies of Pteropus melanotus , known as the black-eared flying fox. [2] The first description was published by Oldfield Thomas in 1887, a report of the zoological collection made at Christmas Island during a visit by HMS Flying Fish. The specimens Thomas described were two females and a new-born male, which he allied to the genus Pteropus for the similarity to a species found in nearby Lombok. [1] A revision by Frederick Nutter Chasen in 1940 assigned several Pteropus populations of the greater region to the status of subspecies, though he expressed some doubt on the validity of this population as subspecies Pteropus melanotus natalis. [3] Later authorities thought the subspecific status was weakly founded, stating " … given the degree of separation [between island populations] involved and the tendency towards a high degree of speciation in the [Pteropus] genus" Tidemann (1985), [4] and recognition as a full species (James, et al.) [5] was accepted by Australian conservation and taxonomic authorities. [6] [2] The standard text Mammal Species of the World (Wilson and Reeder, 3rd ed.) recognises the treatment as a subspecies of P. melanotus. [7]

<i>Pteropus</i> Genus of large bats

Pteropus is a genus of megabats which are among the largest in the world. They are commonly known as fruit bats or flying foxes, among other colloquial names. They live in the tropics and subtropics of Asia, Australia, East Africa, and some oceanic islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. There are at least 60 extant species in the genus.

Oldfield Thomas British mammalogist

Michael Rogers Oldfield Thomas FRS FZS was a British zoologist.

HMS <i>Flying Fish</i> (1873) British Royal Navy ship in Korea and Japan

HMS Flying Fish was a Fantome-class sloop of the Royal Navy, built at Chatham Dockyard and launched on 27 November 1873. Originally intended to be named Daring, she was renamed Flying Fish before launch on 14 January 1873.

Vernacular and common descriptors for the bat include Christmas Island, Blyth's or black-eared flying-fox, or the Christmas Island fruit-bat,[ citation needed ] [2]

Description

Christmas Island flying fox ChristmasIslandFlyingFox-Andrews1900.png
Christmas Island flying fox

A smaller species of the megabat genus Pteropus, dark in overall appearance and bearing deep black fur. They may weigh between 0.25 and 0.5 kilograms (0.55 and 1.10 lb). The forearm measurement is 117–134 millimetres (4.6–5.3 in) in length. [8] The colour of the fur is near black, occasionally with an indistinct reddish collar, its length gives the body a rounded appearance. [6] A single young is born annually. [9] They commune in centralised camps. [2]

The generational length is nine years, a figure based on studies of individual mortality and extrapolation from a similar captive species Pteropus poliocephalus . The mean life expectancy is given as 6 to 12 years. [10] [6]

In population biology and demography, generation time is the average time between two consecutive generations in the lineages of a population. In human populations, generation time typically ranges from 22 to 33 years. Historians sometimes use this to date events, by converting generations into years to obtain rough estimates of time.

Ecology

An endemic species of Christmas Island, and not known to have ever occurred outside of this location. [8] [6] The species is diurnal, moving from their roosts to feed in the late afternoon; an unusual characteristic for species of the order Chiroptera (bats). They roost close to coast, and are presumed to range across the entire island in search of food. The forage sites are in the native rainforest, but they are recorded feeding at revegetation sites or gardens. The main diet of the species is fruit and nectar, obtained from a wide variety of native and introduced plants; the total number of food plants is eighteen introduced species and thirty five natives. The amount of food available is presumed to increase during December to March, the wet season. The consumption of the leaves of an unidentified plant has also been noted. The fruit of the stinkwood Celtis timorensis , Tahitian chestnut Inocarpus fagifer , Jamaican cherry Muntingia calabura , mango Mangifera spp., soursop Annona muricata , custard apple Annona reticulata , Ficus macrocarpa and Maclura cochinchinensis are some of the most important in the diet. Both fruit and flowers of the Indian almond Terminalia catappa , Syzygium nervosum , Tristiropsis acutangula and Planchonella nitida and other plants provide sources of food, as do the flowers of Macaranga tanarius , Barringtonia racemosa , Dysoxylum gaudichaudianum and the coconut palm Cocos nucifera . [11]

Diurnality animal behavior characterized by activity during the day, with a period of sleeping, or other inactivity, at night

Diurnality is a form of plant or animal behavior characterized by activity during daytime, with a period of sleeping or other inactivity at night. The common adjective used for daytime activity is "diurnal". The timing of activity by an animal depends on a variety of environmental factors such as the temperature, the ability to gather food by sight, the risk of predation, and the time of year. Diurnality is a cycle of activity within a 24-hour period; cyclic activities called circadian rhythms are endogenous cycles not dependent on external cues or environmental factors. Animals active during twilight are crepuscular, those active during the night are nocturnal, and animals active at sporadic times during both night and day are cathemeral.

Wet season yearly period of high rainfall, especially in the tropics

The wet season is the time of year when most of a region's average annual rainfall occurs. Generally the season lasts at least a month. The term 'green season' is also sometimes used as a euphemism by tourist authorities. Areas with wet seasons are dispersed across portions of the tropics and subtropics.

<i>Celtis timorensis</i> species of plant

Celtis timorensis, commonly known as stinkwood or stinking wood, is a species of flowering plant in the Cannabaceae family that grows in tropical Asia. The specific epithet comes from the name of the island of Timor, the locality of the type collection.

As with related species, they have a long life span and reproduction rate is low. A colony's births are recorded as most numerous in February or December to February, the result of synchronised breeding; the young are born five months after successful copulation. The age at which females can give breed is reported at three years of age or as early as six months, after a period of rapid development. The sexual relationships are presumed to be promiscuous or polygamous, which is supported by greater numbers of adult females in the colony. [11]

Christmas Island is a remote island, first colonised by humans in the 1890s. The island was shared by another bat, the species Pipistrellus murrayi (Christmas Island pipistrelle), which was last recorded in 2009 and classified as extinct. [8] Three other mammal species were recorded at the island, the native rats Rattus macleari and Rattus nativitatis , and the Christmas Island shrew Crocidura trichura ; all these native mammals are presumed to be have become extinct. [6] Human occupation and exploitation of the island has resulted in substantial alterations to its ecology, and the impact on the population has been direct, indirect, or presumed. Prior to legislation that forbade hunting, the 'flying foxes' were collected and eaten. Anecdotal reports in the 1980s of up to 200 individuals being collected would have significantly threaten a colony, although the frequency and scale of these events is poorly documented. As a result of phosphate mining, the area of native forest on the island has been reduced by around one quarter. The site for refinement of the phosphate produced large amounts of dust that impacted the bat population, by covering their habitat, suppressing the growth of plants, and increasing cadmium levels in the environment; a camp for one colony near the processing site was abandoned. [11]

Introduced species have provided other threatening factors. The feral cat ( Felis catus ) is known to prey on this bat and may be strongly associated in its sudden decline. Another early introduction was the giant centipede Scolopendra morsitans , implicated in the disappearance of the island's only other bat species Pipistrellus murrayi, is thought to be placing further pressure on this bat. The yellow crazy ant Anoplolepis gracilipes , an invasive species, began to form supercolonies that threatened the species directly and the destruction of their habitat; the ants were aerially bombarded with Fipronil. [11]

Pteropus natalis is a keystone species of the Christmas Island ecology, one of only two vertebrate species to specialise on fruit; the only other extant frugivore is the imperial pigeon Ducula whartoni . They play an important role in pollination of many plants and, following the demise of the island's other bat, may be the only vector for seed dispersal for some fleshy-fruited species. An expert work group report on the island's ecology said of this species, "[t]he significance … in maintaining key ecosystem processes in the rainforest of Christmas Island cannot be overestimated" (Beeton, et al.). [11] [6]

Status

The population on Christmas Island is considered to be critically endangered, [9] and is listed (as Pteropus natalis) under the Australian EPBC Act. [12] C. R. Tidemann reported observing endangering behaviors on a visit to Christmas Island in 1984: "Three behavioural features make P. melanotus easy prey for hunters on Christmas Island even though firearms are prohibited: (1) a pronounced diurnal shift from the usually nocturnal habits of congenerics; (2) a tendency to feed close to the ground, particularly in the exotic shrub of Muntingia calabura ; (3) a failure to respond in an appropriate manner to the approach of potential predators." [13] On Christmas Island, the bat is also predated by feral cats. [9]

Related Research Articles

Megabat Family of relatively large flying mammals (fruit bats)

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.

Giant golden-crowned flying fox The largest bat species by forearm length and wingspan

The giant golden-crowned flying fox, also known as the golden-capped fruit bat, is a species of megabat endemic to the Philippines. Since its description in 1831, three subspecies of the giant golden-crowned flying fox have been recognized, one of which is extinct. The extinct subspecies was formerly recognized as a full species, the Panay golden-crowned flying fox. Formerly, this species was placed in the genus Pteropus; while it is no longer within the genus, it has many physical similarities to Pteropus megabats. It is one of the largest bat species in the world, weighing up to 1.4 kg (3.1 lb)—only the Indian and great flying fox can weigh more. It has the longest documented forearm length of any bat species at 215 mm (8.5 in).

Mariana fruit bat species of mammal

The Mariana fruit bat, also known as the Mariana flying fox, and the fanihi in Chamorro, is a megabat found only in the Northern Mariana Islands and Ulithi. Habitat loss has driven it to endangered status, and it is listed as threatened by the US Fish and Wildlife Service. Poachers and food hunters, other animals, and natural causes have led to the decline.

Little red flying fox species of mammal

The little red flying-fox – Pteropus scapulatus – is a megachiropteran bat native to northern and eastern Australia. The species weighs about half a kilogram, one US pound, and is the smallest species of Pteropus at the Australian mainland. P. scapulatus occurs at the coast and further inland, camping and flying to the tropical to temperate regions that provide them with an annual source of nectar. They exhibit an unusual method of obtaining drinking water during dry periods, skimming a stream's surface to gather it onto their fur while they are in flight.

Grey-headed flying fox species of mammal

The grey-headed flying fox is a megabat native to Australia. The species shares mainland Australia with three other members of the genus Pteropus: the little red P. scapulatus, spectacled P. conspicillatus, and the black P. alecto.

Spectacled flying fox species of mammal

The spectacled flying fox, also known as the spectacled fruit bat, is a megabat that lives in Australia's north-eastern regions of Queensland. It is also found in New Guinea and on the offshore islands including Woodlark Island, Alcester Island, Kiriwina, and Halmahera.

Mauritian flying fox species of mammal

The Mauritian flying fox, also known as Greater Mascarene flying fox or Mauritius fruit bat is a large megabat species endemic to Mauritius and La Réunion.

Black flying fox species of mammal

The black flying fox or black fruit bat is a bat in the family Pteropodidae. It is among the largest bats in the world, but is considerably smaller than the largest species in its genus, Pteropus. The black flying fox is native to Australia, Papua New Guinea, and Indonesia. It is not a threatened species.

Livingstones fruit bat species of mammal

Livingstone's fruit bat, also called the Comoro flying fox, is a megabat in the genus Pteropus. It is an Old World fruit bat found only in the Anjouan and Mohéli islands in the Union of the Comoros in the western Indian Ocean.

Ryukyu flying fox species of mammal

The Ryukyu flying fox or Ryukyu fruit bat is a species of megabat in the family Pteropodidae. It is found in Japan, Taiwan, and the Batanes and Babuyan Islands of the Philippines. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests and subtropical or tropical swamps. It is threatened by habitat loss and by hunting for food and the IUCN classify it as "Vulnerable".

Black-bearded flying fox species of mammal

The black-bearded flying fox is an endangered species of megabat in the genus Pteropus. It is endemic to Indonesia, found on the islands of Ambon, Buru, Seram, Banda, and Yamdena. Currently considered monotypic, it formerly included the Aru flying fox and Kei flying fox as subspecies.

Black-eared flying fox species of mammal

The black-eared flying fox, species Pteropus melanotus, is a bat of the family Pteropodidae (megabats). Also known as Blyth's flying fox, it is found on the Andaman Islands and Nicobar Islands (India), and in Sumatra (Indonesia). A population on Christmas Island, which is critically endangered, has been placed as a subspecies of this population. The conservation and taxonomic status of that population was later re-established as a distinct species, the Christmas Island fruit-bat Pteropus natalis.

<i>Pteropus pelagicus</i> species of mammal

Pteropus pelagicus is a species of fruit bat in the family Pteropodidae. It includes two subspecies that were formerly recognized as full species— Pteropus insularis and Pteropus phaeocephalus. It is endemic to Micronesia. It is threatened by habitat loss.

Bonin flying fox species of mammal

The Bonin flying fox, Bonin fruit bat, or in Japanese Ogasawara giant bat is a species of flying fox in the family Pteropodidae. It is endemic to four islands in Ogasawara Islands, Japan. Its natural habitat is subtropical forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.

Rennell flying fox species of mammal

The Rennell flying fox is a species of flying fox found in the Solomon Islands. It is an endangered species risking extinction.

Christmas Island National Park Protected area in Australia

Christmas Island National Park is a national park occupying most of Christmas Island, an Australian territory in the Indian Ocean southwest of Indonesia. The park is home to many species of animal and plant life, including the eponymous red crab, whose annual migration sees around 100 million crabs move to the sea to spawn. Christmas Island is the only nesting place for the endangered Abbott's booby and critically endangered Christmas Island frigatebird, and the wide range of other endemic species makes the island of significant interest to the scientific community.

Planchonella duclitan is a species of plant in the family Sapotaceae. A tree that may attain a height of 40 metres, presenting glossy leaves and orange fruit. It is common on Christmas Island, dominating up to 20% of the upper leaf canopy, as a tree to 30 metres, in established forest or around 40% in regenerating habitat where it may attain the maximum height.

References

  1. 1 2 Thomas, Oldfield (1887). "Report on a zoological collection made by the officers of H.M.S. 'Flying Fish' at Christmas Island. I. Mammalia". Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London. Academic Press, [etc.] 1887: 511–14.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "Pteropus natalis — Christmas Island Flying-fox, Christmas Island Fruit-bat". Species Profile and Threats Database. Retrieved 24 December 2018.
  3. ↑ Chasen, F. N. (1940). A handlist of Malaysian mammals; a systematic list of the mammals of the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Borneo and Java, including the adjacent small islands. W.T. Cherry, Government Printer].
  4. ↑ Tidemann, C. (1985). A study of the status, habitat requirements and management of the two species of bats on Christmas Island (Indian Ocean). Canberra: Australian National Parks and Wildlife Service.
  5. ↑ James D., G. Dale, K. Retallick & K. Orchard (2007). Christmas Island Biodiversity Monitoring Programme: Christmas Island Flying-Fox Pteropus natalis. An assessment of conservation status and threats. Report to Department of Finance and Deregulation and Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Beeton, Prof. Bob; Burbidge, Dr. Andrew. "Final report : Christmas Island Expert Working Group". National Parks. Department of the Environment and Energy. Retrieved 24 December 2018.
  7. ↑ Simmons, N.B. (2005). "Subspecies Pteropus melanotus natalis". In Wilson, D.E.; Reeder, D.M (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 312–529. ISBN   978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC   62265494.
  8. 1 2 3 Richards, G.C.; Hall, L.S.; Parish, S. (photography) (2012). A natural history of Australian bats : working the night shift. CSIRO Pub. pp. 26, 27, 144. ISBN   9780643103740.
  9. 1 2 3 Hutson, A.M., Kingston, T., James, D., Lumsden, L., Molur, S. & Srinivasulu, C. 2008. Pteropus melanotus. In: IUCN 2010. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2010.4. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 6 February 2011.
  10. ↑ Woinarski J, Flakus S and Tiernan B (2012). Results from a monitoring program for the Christmas Island flying-fox Pteropus (melanotus) natalis, 2006–2012. Parks Australia, Christmas Island.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 Threatened Species Scientific Committee (6 March 2013). "Conservation Advice for Pteropus melanotus natalis" (PDF). www.environment.gov.au. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
  12. ↑ "Pteropus natalis — Christmas Island Flying-fox Species Profile and Threats Database, Australian government. Retrieved 24 November 2017.
  13. ↑ Tidemann, C. R. (June 1987). "Notes on the Flying-Fox, Pteropus melanotus (Chiroptera: Pteropodidae), on Christmas Island, Indian Ocean". Australian Mammalogy . Australian Mammal Society. 10 (2): 89.
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