Pteropodidae
Author
Don E. Wilson
Author
Russell A. Mittermeier
text
2019
2019-10-31
Lynx Edicions
Barcelona
Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 9 Bats
16
162
book chapter
88683
10.5281/zenodo.6448815
bbbf94d9-a910-4cda-97df-7eca124163ed
978-84-16728-19-0
6448815
88.
Biak Naked-backed Fruit Bat
Dobsonia emersa
French:
Roussette de Biak
/
German:
Biak-Nacktrlickenflughund
/
Spanish:
Dobsonia de Biak
Other common names:
Biak Bare-backed Fruit Bat
Taxonomy.
Dobsonia emersa Bergmans & Sarbini, 1985
,
Sorido, Biak Island,
Papua Province
,
Indonesia
.
Populations attributed to
D. emersa
from Numfor Island possibly represent an undescribed subspecies or species but conservatively that population is included here. Monotypic.
Distribution.
Schouten Is (Numfor, Biak-Supiori, and Owi) off NW New
Guinea
.
Descriptive notes.
Head-body
158- 170 mm
, tail
24-27 mm
; ear 25-
23 mm
, forearm
112-119 mm
; weight 178-218 ¢. Dorsal fur 1s brownish black; ventral fur is pale brown. Wings meet along spine, with underlying brown fur. Flight membranes are blackish brown. Index claw (second digit of wing) is absent. Nostrils are slightly tubular, and each flares outward from centerline. Eyes are large, with brown irises. Short tail is free of narrow uropatagium that run along legs to short stiff calcars.
Habitat.
Primary and secondary lowland tropical moist forests and village gardens, only reported from sea level up to ¢.
30 m
.
Food and Feeding.
The Biak Naked-backed Fruit Batis frugivorous. It likely feeds on native figs. In village gardens,it eats carambola or star fruit (
Oxalidaceae
).
Breeding.
Non-volant young Biak Naked-backed Fruit Bats weighing
30-98 g
have been observed in late September on Numfor, suggesting parturition in August to early September.
Activity patterns.
Biak Naked-backed Fruit Bats are nocturnal and roost in caves.
Movements, Home range and Social organization.
Biak Naked-backed Fruit Bats are gregarious In cave roosts.
Status and Conservation.
Classified as Vulnerable on The IUCN Red List. The Biak Naked-backed Fruit Bat is known from less than five locations. There is some disturbance at roost sites and limited hunting. It might be threatened by habitat degradation and forest clearing due to logging and agricultural expansion on Biak, the most highly populated West Papuan island, but it appears to tolerate some disturbance.
Bibliography.
Bergmans & Sarbini (1985), Bonaccorso & Helgen (2008a), Flannery (1995a).