Nyctimene draconilla Thomas 1922
Creators: name: Don E. Wilson
name: Russell A. Mittermeier
Publisher: name: Lynx Edicions
Year: 2019
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Chordata
Mammalia
Chiroptera
Pteropodidae
Nyctimene
Nyctimene draconilla

description: 105.
Dragon Tube-nosed Fruit Bat
Nyctimene draconilla
French: Nyctimene dragon / German: Drachen-Rohrennasenflughund / Spanish: Nyctimeno dragén
Other common names: Dragon Tube-nosed Bat, Lesser Tube-nosed Bat
Taxonomy. Nyctimene draconilla Thomas, 1922,
“Bivak-island, Lorentz River, S. W. New Guinea,” Indonesia.
Nyctimene draconilla 1s in the albiventer species group. Its taxonomic status is uncertain, and it might be best considered conspecific with N. albiventer. Monotypic.
Distribution. Lowlands on either side of highlands of C New Guinea; possibly NE Papua New Guinea, although these records might not represent this species.
Descriptive notes. Head—body 70-88 mm, tail 15-22 mm, ear 10- 7-17 mm, hindfoot 9-13 mm, forearm 48-3-54- 2 mm; weight 26-31 g. The Dragon Tube-nosed Fruit Bat is very similar to the Common Tube-nosed Fruit Bat (NN. albiventer) but differs by having darker spotting on wing membrane, being slightly smaller, and having shorter and less robust canines. Rostrum is short, with long tubular divergent nostrils that curve outward at rims. Ears are long, with pointed tips; eyes are large, with amber irises. Dorsal pelage hairs are tricolored, with medium brown bases, pale gray-brown middles, and brown tips; ventral pelage and flanks range from golden to whitish or white, with gold variably on chest. There is also distinct narrow dark brown dorsal stripe extending from rump to between shoulder blades and is just barely noticeable on nape. Wings, nostrils, and ears are variably covered in bright yellow spots. Wings are greenish black to black, with variable amounts of yellow and dark spotting; second digit of wing has a claw, and wing attaches at second digit of foot. Tail is very short, black, and wrinkled, and narrow uropatagium connects at base and stretches to calcar at ankles. Claws are black. Skull and mandible are robust, and rostrum is short. Single lower incisor is completely deciduous, falling out before adulthood; lower molars are broad and rounded in dorsal view; C, replaces incisors and is long and powerful; canines are shorter and less robust than in the Common Tube-nosed Fruit Bat; and P, is elongate and longer than P, and P,.
Habitat. Associated with freshwater swamps and rivers, with one record in rural lowlands, from sea level up to elevations of c. 100 m.
Food and Feeding. No information.
Breeding. Pregnant Dragon Tube-nosed Fruit Bats were captured in August-September.
Activity patterns. No information.
Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.
Status and Conservation. Classified as Data Deficient on The IUCN Red List. Virtually nothing is known about the Dragon Tube-nosed Fruit Bat, and its taxonomic statusis uncertain. Additional research on its taxonomy, ecology, and threats is needed before a conservation assessment can be made.
Bibliography. Bergmans (2001), Bonaccorso (1998), Flannery (1995b), Giannini & Simmons (2007a), Helgen (2007a), Hutson, Suyanto, Helgen & Bonaccorso (2008c), Pattiselanno (2013).
description: Published as part of Don E. Wilson & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2019, Pteropodidae, pp. 16-162 in Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 9 Bats, Barcelona :Lynx Edicions on page 119, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6448815