Montane Monkey-faced Fruit Bat
Pteralopex pulchra Flannery, 1991
Also calledBerg-Affengesichtflughund (deu) · Bergapenkopvleermuis (nld) · Makarakomburu-Flughund (deu) · Roussette de montagne (fra) · Skrzydłolis górski (pol) · Volpe volante dal muso di scimmia di montagna (ita) · kaloň spanilý (ces) · vuoriapinanaama (fin) · ガダルカナルキツネオオコウモリ (jpn)
First described in: Rec. Aust. Mus. vol.43 p.125
The montane monkey-faced bat or montane flying monkey (Pteralopex pulchra) is a megabat endemic to the Solomon Islands. It is listed as a critically endangered species. Due to its imperilled status, it is identified by the Alliance for Zero Extinction as a species in danger of imminent extinction. In 2013, Bat Conservation International listed this species as one of the 35 species of its worldwide priority list of conservation. Only one individual has ever been found.
Descriptions from checklists and floras indexed by GBIF
conservation
Conservation: Described after completion of IUCN / SSC Old World Fruit Bat Action Plan (1992). IUCN 2003 – Critically Endangered.
Order Chiroptera - Family Pteropodidae
discussion
Discussion: Known only from the holotype. See Flannery (1991 b, 1995 b) and Parnaby (2002 b).
Order Chiroptera - Family Pteropodidae
materials_examined
Type Locality: Solomon Isls, Guadacanal, Mount Makarakomburu, 1,230 m.
Order Chiroptera - Family Pteropodidae
description
Condition. Cranium and both dentaries complete, with retained soft palate. Body in alc. has broken left forearm, hole in the dorsal surface of the skin of the right side of the head.
Type Specimens of Non-fossil Mammals in the Australian Museum, Sydney
From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA), quoted section by section
Description
It is the smallest member of its genus. The holotype weighed 280 g (0.62 lb). The length of its head and body together is 161.8 mm (6.37 in). Its forearm is 117.9 mm (4.64 in) long. Its ears are short and narrow, at 16.8 mm (0.66 in) long. Like other monkey-faced bats, it wings attach to the body near the spine rather than at the sides of its body, it has a defined sagittal crest, and it has massive canine teeth. It has "striking" red eyes. Its flight membranes are black and white. Its head, face, and back is blackish in color. The fur on its ventral side is yellowish. The ears are black, while the fur at the base of each ear is white. Like other members of its genus, its dental formula is 2.1.3.22.1.3.3. Flannery called it the "most attractive" member of its genus due to its striking coloration.
Range & habitat
It is thought to occur in montane forests above 1,200 m (3,900 ft) above sea level. So far, it has only been documented in the high-elevation forests of the island of Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands.
In human culture
It was described as a new species in 1991 by Australian mammalogist Tim Flannery. The holotype was collected in May 1990 on Mount Makarakomburu, which is on Guadalcanal Island. Its species name "pulchra" is from Latin pulcher 'beautiful'.
In the stacks
Searching the stacks…
Every page naming Pteralopex pulchra in the Biodiversity Heritage Library →
From the GBIF Backbone Taxonomy and occurrence records (GBIF.org), with Wikipedia and the Source Library. GBIF species 2432964.