168.

Temotu Flying Fox

Pteropus nitendiensis

French: Roussette de Nendo / German: Temotu-Flughund / Spanish: Zorro volador de la Isla de Ndeni

Other common names: Makira Flying Fox

Taxonomy. Pteropus nitendiensis Sanborn, 1930,

“Santa Cruz or Nitendi [= Nendo, Ndeni, or Ndende] Island, Santa Cruz Islands,” Solomon Islands.

Pteropus nitendiensis is in the samoensis species group. Monotypic.

Distribution. Temotu (Santa Cruz) Is (Tinakula, Tomotu Neo, and Nendo).

Descriptive notes. Head-body 171- 175 mm (tailless), ear 18-20 mm, forearm 116-121 mm; weight 210-320 g. Muzzle is narrowed and dark gray, and rhinarium is black, with short tubular nostrils. Eyes are large, with dark brown irises. Ears are above fur and smoothly rounded. Pelage is overall buff golden brown; males darker than females. Crown is warm buff, bases of hairs are gray, and sides of face and throat have grayish tinge, darker than mantle. Mantle and neck tufts are yellowish light brown, lightened by golden or russettips, barely contrasting with back. Hairs of back and rump are bicolored, with cream-buff tips darkened by light seal-brown bases. Tibia is dorsally furred, and hairs are close to yellowish light brown. Chest and belly are grizzled golden brown. Wing membranes are black. Skull is typical pteropine, but stout rostrum is broad and short; zygomatic arches are wide; postorbital processes are long; postorbital constriction is strong; and interorbital region is depressed. Dentition is heavy; C! is strong, without additional cusp; and lower cheekteeth have strong posterior ledge.

Habitat. [.owland primary and secondary forests and agroforests.

Food and Feeding. The Temotu Flying Fox will visit village gardens to feed on fruit trees including green coconuts (Cocos nucifera, Arecaceae), mango (Mangifera indica, Anacardiaceae), breadfruit tree (Artocarpus altilis, Moraceae), Syzygium spp. (Myrtaceae), Panama berry (Muntingia calabura, Muntingiaceae), and pawpaw (Asimina triloba, Annonaceae).

Breeding. One Temotu Flying Fox was pregnant in September.

Activity patterns. The Temotu Flying Fox is active in late afternoon and at night. It roosts in fruit trees (e.g. breadfruit tree).

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Temotu Flying Foxes roost alone Or In pairs.

Status and Conservation. CITES Appendix II. Classified as Endangered on The IUCN Red List. Extent of occurrence of the Temotu Flying Fox is small (less than 5000 km?), and there is continuing decline in extent and quality ofits forest habitat. Hunting is probably a threat.

Bibliography. Leary, Hamilton & James (2008a), Pierce (2014), Sanborn (1930).