Small Samoan flying fox

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Small Samoan flying fox
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Chiroptera
Family: Pteropodidae
Genus: Pteropus
Species:
P. allenorum
Binomial name
Pteropus allenorum
Helgen, Helgen, & Wilson, 2009

The small Samoan flying fox (Pteropus allenorum) is a species of fruit-eating megabat whose type specimen was originally collected in Samoa in 1856, but was not identified as a new species until 2009. Its wingspan was at least two feet, and it weighed around 8 oz. As the type specimen is dead, and no other examples of the species are known, it is believed to be extinct. [2] [3]

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The large Samoan flying fox is a species of fruit-eating megabat whose type specimen was originally collected in Samoa in 1856, but was not identified as a new species until 2009. The only known specimen was collected by an American expedition to Samoa in 1838–1842. It was rediscovered by Smithsonian mammalogist Kristofer Helgen preserved in alcohol. It was the largest known bat from Polynesia. As the type specimen is dead, and no other examples of the species are known, it is believed to be extinct.

References

  1. Tsang, S.M. (2020). "Pteropus allenorum". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2020: e.T84882966A84882990. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-2.RLTS.T84882966A84882990.en . Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  2. A new species found in a jar, The Philadelphia Inquirer, July 11, 2009
  3. Helgen, K. M. (Kristofer M.); Helgen, Lauren E.; Wilson, Don E. (2009). "Pacific flying foxes (Mammalia, Chiroptera) : two new species of Pteropus from Samoa, probably extinct". American Museum Novitates (3646): 1–37. doi:10.1206/614.1. S2CID   36030956. http://digitallibrary.amnh.org/handle/2246/5965