Pteropus vetula Jouan 1863
Creators: name: Don E. Wilson
name: Russell A. Mittermeier
Publisher: name: Lynx Edicions
Year: 2019
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Chordata
Mammalia
Chiroptera
Pteropodidae
Pteropus
Pteropus vetula

description: 163.
New Caledonia Flying Fox
Pteropus vetula
French: Roussette de Nouvelle-Calédonie / German: Neukaledonien-Flughund / Spanish: Zorro volador de Nueva Caledonia
Other common names: New Caledonian Flying Fox
Taxonomy. Pteropus vetula Jouan, 1863,
New Caledonia, France.
Widely used species name vetulus changed as the original specific epithet vetula is a noun in apposition and should remain unchanged. Because vetula deviates strongly from the usual appearance of species of Pteropus and is rather similar to small species of Pteralopex, with which there is no proven relationship, its classification in Pteropus 1s difficult. While R. M. Nowak in 1999 and N. B. Simmons in 2005 placed vetula in the pselaphon group, as did K. Andersen in 1912, genetic studies by F. C. Almeida and colleagues in 2014 assigned vetula to its own group (vetula species group) but related to the samoensis group, as in the results of S. M. Tsang in 2015. Monotypic.
Distribution. New Caledonia (Grande Terre and Ile des Pins).
Descriptive notes. Head-body 122-5-142- 5 mm (tailless), ear 13-15- 7 mm, hindfoot ¢. 43 mm, forearm 92- 3-114 mm; weight 120-220 g. Greatest lengths of skulls are 48— 50- 5 mm. On average, femalesare slightly larger than males. The New Caledonia Flying Fox has short rounded ears, usually hidden in fur, and thickened rims. Dense and silky fur is dark gray to black, occasionally with hint of brown. Tibial upper side is densely covered with long hairs. Mantle is only weakly demarcated by longer hair. Claw on index finger is well developed. Uropatagium is reduced to narrow membrane along insides of lower limbs. Skull has short snout. I is less than one-half the size of I. P! is very small. Premolars and molars have distinct step at posterior crown margin and additional anterointernal cusps. In general, external appearance and molars with sharp tips are reminiscent of species of Pleralopex. Because biochemicaltests showed no relationship to Pteralopex, similarities might be caused by convergent development due to a similar diet. Habitat. Primary and secondary tropical humid forests.
Food and Feeding. Condition of teeth indicates that the New Caledonia Flying Fox feeds on harderfruits than other flying fox species.
Breeding. No information.
Activity patterns. The New Caledonia Flying Fox seems to be strictly nocturnal and roosts at entrances of caves and in hollow trees.
Movements, Home range and Social organization. The New Caledonia Flying Fox probably moves mainly below forest canopies.
Status and Conservation. CITES Appendix II. Classified as Vulnerable on The IUCN Red Lust. Threats to the New Caledonia Flying Fox have not yet been sufficiently investigated. Itis probably occasionally hunted for food, but hunting is regulated under local wildlife laws. Its habitat is reduced to a small extent by deforestation. Its distribution is very limited, habitat is highly fragmented, and it is not known if it exists in protected areas. Extensive studies on ecology, population size, and potential threats are necessary to develop appropriate conservation measures.
Bibliography. Aimeida et al. (2014), Andersen (1912b), Bergmans (2001), Brescia (2008c), Dobson (1878), Felten (1964c), Flannery (1995a), Jouan (1863), Mickleburgh et al. (1992), Nowak (1999), Simmons (2005), Tsang (2015).
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 pages 149-150, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6448815