Pteropus temminckii ( Peters, 1867 )

Tsang, Susan M., Wiantoro, Sigit & Simmons, Nancy B., 2015, New records of flying foxes (Chiroptera: Pteropus sp.) from Seram, Indonesia, with notes on ecology and conservation status, American Museum Novitates 2015 (3842), pp. 1-24 : 17-18

Pteropus temminckii ( Peters, 1867)

Temminck’s flying fox

TYPE LOCALITY: Amboina (= Ambon), Central Maluku, Indonesia .

NEW MATERIAL: Pulau Marsegu , Seram Bagian Barat Regency, Maluku Province, Indonesia. Collected by Sigit Wiantoro and Susan M. Tsang, 1 female MZB 36926, 1 male MZB 36925. Mosso Village , Maluku Tengah Regency, Maluku Province, Indonesia. Collected by Sigit Wiantoro and Susan M. Tsang, 1 female MZB 36924 .

OTHER SPECIMENS EXAMINED: MZB 15597, MZB 8341, MZB 2155, MZB 14839, ZMB 2633, ZMB 4964, and ZMB 3473.

OCCURRENCE AND IDENTIFICATION: Pteropus temminckii was captured in both West and Central Seram, in both mangrove (Pulau Marsegu) and secondary forest (Mosso) habitats. A foliage rooster that is unlikely to occur in large colonies ( Helgen and Bonaccorso, 2013), P. temminckii is not easily detected. Of the four Moluccan Pteropus species , P. temminckii is best represented by previous collection efforts throughout its range. Combined records from our expeditions and previous collection efforts suggest that P. temminckii is relatively common compared to P. ocularis . Flannery (1995) states that P. temminckii likely prefers primary forest based on a report that researchers from AM captured large numbers in primary forests at ~ 800 m elevation in Ambon. However, in Seram P. temminckii is apparently most commonly encountered today in secondary forest. Local villagers describe encountering these bats relatively often in the small patches of secondary forest that frequently occur between villages, and we were able to capture a female in this habitat. These fragmented forests are used as orchards or hunting areas by Christian villagers. The mangrove habitat where one male and one female P. temminckii were captured was also unexpected, as this species has not been previously reported in mangrove forest and our mistnets were set with the goal of capturing the P. melanopogon .

Pteropus temminckii is significantly smaller than other Pteropus species on Seram, and comparatively easy to identify. Adults have a forearm length <110 mm and GSL <55mm, which is significantly smaller than the next largest species found on Seram, P. ocularis ( tables 2 and 3, fig. 2 ). Our specimens all exhibit uniquely dense pale yellowish-buff silky fur described by Dobson (1878) as diagnostic for the species. The coloration and fur thickness are similar to P. personatus , a North Moluccan species, but P. temminckii does not have a black facial mask.

HUMAN DISTURBANCE: P. temminckii is threatened by habitat loss and by bushmeat hunting ( Helgen and Bonaccorso, 2013). As a species commonly encountered by hunters, more data is needed to determine how intensely hunting has affected population trends.

CONSERVATION: Currently, the IUCN lists P. temminckii as Vulnerable under criteria A2c, meaning a projected decline of ≥30% of the population in the next three generations due to a decline in habitat. Pteropus temminckii was the only species that we found at multiple survey sites and habitats (including disturbed areas), and it was the most commonly encountered of the four Pteropus found in Seram during our survey. Our observations indicate that this species has broader habitat preferences than previously reported. We did not directly observe or capture the species in Manusela National Park, though it has previously been recorded there according to park staff. We found foraging sites with telltale bite marks on fruits for P. temminckii within Manusela National Park, but did not find any foliage roosts. Pteropus temminckii will likely face increased extinction pressure as habitat continues to be degraded, but our observations suggest it is likely the least threatened of the four Pteropus species in Seram.

Figures

FIG. 2. Dorsal views of skulls of A, Pteropus chrysoproctus (MZB 36909♀); B, Pteropus melanopogon (MZB 10753); C, Pteropus ocularis (MZB 369283); D, Pteropus temminckii (MZB 369253).