Andersen's flying fox

Last updated

Andersen's Flying Fox
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Chiroptera
Family: Pteropodidae
Genus: Pteropus
Species:
P. intermedius
Binomial name
Pteropus intermedius
Andersen's Flying Fox area.png
Andersen's flying fox range

Andersen's flying fox (Pteropus intermedius) is a species of flying fox in the family Pteropodidae found in south Burma and west Thailand. Although it is hunted for both food and as a pest, it is not known if this has a significant impact on the species. It has been seen roosting in tall, well-established trees in urban areas and will fly several kilometres to eat wild and cultivated fruits. The species was named after Knud Christian Andersen. It was last recorded in Thailand in 1970 and, presumably, there is still a small viable population in Myanmar. [1]

Contents

Taxonomy and etymology

It was described as a new species in 1908 by Danish mammalogist Knud Andersen. The holotype had been collected by William Ruxton Davison and presented to Andersen by Allan Octavian Hume. [2] There is taxonomic uncertainty regarding this species: some have published that it is likely synonymous with the Indian flying fox [1] while other have published that it is synonymous with the large flying fox. [3] Its species name " intermedius " is Latin for "intermediate;" Andersen may have chosen that name because he compared it to both the Indian flying fox and the large flying fox.

Description

Andersen wrote that it was "scarcely distinguishable" from the Indian flying fox based on its skull morphology, dentition, and external characters. He distinguished it as a new species based by the color of its breast and belly, which he described as seal brown. Its forearm is approximately 180 mm (7.1 in) long. [2]

Range and habitat

The holotype was collected in Moulmein, Myanmar. [2] Its range includes Myanmar and Thailand. [1]

Conservation

It is currently evaluated as data deficient by the IUCN. The IUCN refers to its validity as a species as "dubious", citing their belief that future research will synonymize it with the Indian flying fox. It meets the criteria for data deficient because there is a scarcity of information on its population size and trend, as well as any threats it may be facing. [1]

Related Research Articles

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

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

The Sumatran mastiff bat(Mormopterus doriae) is a species of bat in the family Molossidae, the free-tailed bats. It is only known from Sumatra in Indonesia. It was described in 1907 and has not been recorded since.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Behn's bat</span> Species of bat

Behn's bat, Behn's big-eared bat, or Behn's graybeard bat is a species of bat in the family Phyllostomidae found in Brazil and Peru. It is known only from six specimens so it is considered rare. It feeds on insects and small fruits. It is threatened by cerrado habitat loss for agriculture.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pomona roundleaf bat</span> Species of bat

The Pomona roundleaf bat, Pomona leaf-nosed bat, or Andersen's leaf-nosed bat is a species of bat in the family Hipposideridae that is endemic to India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aldabra flying fox</span> Species of bat

The Aldabra flying fox is a species of megabat in the genus Pteropus. It is endemic to the Aldabra Atoll in the Seychelles, like Chaerephon pusilla, though the latter may be the same species as the little free-tailed bat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ashy-headed flying fox</span> Species of bat

The ashy-headed flying fox or North Moluccan flying fox is a species of bat in the family Pteropodidae. It is endemic to Indonesia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indian flying fox</span> Species of mammal

The Indian flying fox, also known as the greater Indian fruit bat, is a species of flying fox native to the Indian subcontinent. It is one of the largest bats in the world. It is of interest as a disease vector, as it is capable of transmitting several viruses to humans. It is nocturnal and feeds mainly on ripe fruits, such as mangoes and bananas, and nectar. This species is often regarded as vermin due to its destructive tendencies towards fruit farms, but the benefits of its pollination and seed propagation often outweigh the impacts of its fruit consumption.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gray flying fox</span> Species of mammal

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Small flying fox</span> Species of bat

The small flying fox, island flying fox or variable flying fox is a species of flying fox in the family Pteropodidae. It is found in Australia, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Maldives, Myanmar, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, the Solomon Islands, Thailand, and Vietnam.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black-bearded flying fox</span> 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Great flying fox</span> Species of mammal

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Large flying fox</span> Species of fruit bat

The large flying fox, also known as the greater flying fox, Malayan flying fox, Malaysian flying fox, large fruit bat, kalang, or kalong, is a southeast Asian species of megabat in the family Pteropodidae. Despite its scientific name, it feeds exclusively on fruits, nectar, and flowers, like the other flying foxes of the genus Pteropus. It is noted for being one of the largest bats. As with nearly all other Old World fruit bats, it lacks the ability to echolocate but compensates for it with well-developed eyesight.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Malayan roundleaf bat</span> Species of bat

The Malayan roundleaf bat is a horseshoe bat found only in Malaysia. It is listed as a data deficient species.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bougainville monkey-faced bat</span> Species of mammal

The Bougainville monkey-faced bat or Bougainville flying monkey is a megabat endemic to Bougainville Island of Papua New Guinea and Choiseul Island of the Solomon Islands in Melanesia. It inhabits mature forests in upland areas, within the Autonomous Region of Bougainville and Bougouriba Province.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aru flying fox</span> Species of bat

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rennell flying fox</span> Species of bat

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

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Big-eared flying fox</span> Species of bat

The big-eared flying fox is a species of bat in the family Pteropodidae, larger bats who subsist largely on fruits. The species is distributed across a range in Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and islands nearing the Cape York peninsula at the northeast of Australia, at elevations less than 500 metres and often in coastal mangroves.

Knud Christian Andersen was a Danish zoologist. His research focused on bats.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shortridge's horseshoe bat</span> Species of bat

Shortridge's horseshoe bat is a species of Horseshoe bat native to Northeast India, northern Myanmar, and southern China. It was first described in 1918 by Knud Andersen, and was considered a subspecies of Blyth's horseshoe bat until 2003 when the two species were collected in sympatry.

<i>Hipposideros atrox</i> Species of bat

Hipposideros atrox, commonly known as the lesser bicolored leaf-nosed bat, is a species of bat found in Southeast Asia. Originally described as a subspecies in 1918, it was recognized as a full species in 2010. It uses echolocation to navigate and find prey, and roosts in caves during the day.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Soisook, P.; Tsang, S.M. (2020). "Pteropus intermedius". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2020: e.T136841A22042098. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-2.RLTS.T136841A22042098.en . Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 Andersen, K. (1908). "XLII.—Twenty new forms of Pteropus". Journal of Natural History. 2 (10): 368. doi:10.1080/00222930808692495.
  3. Kunz, Thomas H; Jones, Deborah P (2000). "Pteropus vampyrus". Mammalian Species (642): 1. doi:10.1644/1545-1410(2000)642<0001:PV>2.0.CO;2. S2CID   31875754.