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
117.
Mindoro Pallid Flying Fox
Desmalopex microleucopterus
French:
Roussette microptére
/
German:
Mindoro-WeiRfllgelflughund
/
Spanish:
Desmalopex de Mindoro
Taxonomy.
Desmalopex microleucopterus Esselstyn et al, 2008
,
“Mount Siburan, Batong Buhay, Sablayan,
Occidental Mindoro
, Mindoro Island,
Philippines
, approximately
100 m
above sea level (
12.83488 N
.
120.93028 E
).”
This species is monotypic.
Distribution.
N
Philippines
(Mindoro).
Descriptive notes.
Head-body
133- 155 mm
(tailless), hindfoot
29-34 mm
, forearm
97-103 mm
; weight
129-156 g
. Muzzle of the Mindoro Pallid Flying Fox is long, almost hairless, and whitish brown to pinkish; nostrils are large and divergent; and philtrum is undivided. Eyes are large, with orange irises. Ears are moderately long, pale brown, and narrowly rounded at tips. Body pelage is pale brown, soft, relatively long, and woollier in mantle. Uropatagium is narrow in center, tibia is sparsely furred, calcar is small, and index claw is present. Wing membranes are brown, with white blotches rather uniformly distributed on entire wing and slightly more intensely mottled in white at wingtips. Skull is typical pteropine, with pronounced basicranial deflection. Laterally, rostrum is long and tapering; nasal process of premaxilla is wide and procumbent; orbit is large, and rim is complete, with thin postorbital process joined to spine of thin arched zygoma; and zygomatic rootisjust above upper alveolar line. Dorsally, rostrum is long and rectangular, nasals are salient, paranasal recesses are moderately inflated reaching small postorbital foramina, postorbital constriction is moderately marked, sagittal crest is absent, braincase is oval, and nuchal crest is barely marked. Ventrally, palate is very long and flat; tooth rows are nearly parallel; post-dental palate is short, ending in deep concavity; ectopterygoids are comparatively large; and ectotympanic is annular, very small, and internally sided by ribbon-like entotympanic. Mandible is delicate, with long flat symphysis, thickening caudally; coronoid is relatively weak, long, and sloping, with square tip; condyle is slightly above lower alveolar line; and angle is gently rounded off. Upper incisors are moderately large, with subtle lingual basal shelf; I* is slightly larger; C! is strongly decurved; P' is tiny; posterior cheekteeth are relatively short and rectangular in occlusal outline, with posterobasal ledge and decreasing in height; molars are quadritubercular in appearance; and M* is small, with reduced cusps. Lower dentition has very large, triangular I, with basal lingual ledge, and very small, spatulated 1; C, is strongly decurved, slanted outward, and moderately small; P, is relatively very large, with tall labial cusp; posterior cheekteeth decrease in height and are rectangular in occlusal outline, with posterobasal ledge; and M, is peg-like.
Habitat.
Secondary lowland forests and disturbed agricultural areas from sea level up to elevations of ¢.
750 m
.
Food and Feeding.
The Mindoro Pallid Flying Fox is frugivorous. Seeds of
Ficus spp. (Moraceae)
,
Musa
balbisiana (
Musaceae
), and one undetermined
Melastomataceae
were found in feces.
Breeding.
No information.
Activity patterns.
Mindoro Pallid Flying Foxes are nocturnal.
Movements, Home range and Social organization.
No information.
Status and Conservation.
Not
assessed on The IUCN Red List. The Mindoro Pallid Flying Fox is a narrow endemic of lowland Mindoro known from just two localities. It has been commonly found in secondary forests and highly disturbed agricultural areas with patchy forest remnants. This suggests adaptability to modified environments, which might be key for its survival in highly deforested Mindoro. It is likely best categorized as Data Deficient and in need of studies to determine actual status. It was captured in immediate vicinity of Mounts Iglit-Baco National Park, Mindoro.
Bibliography.
Esselstyn et al. (2008), Heaney et al. (2010).