Pteropus niger Kerr 1792
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 niger

description: 186.
Greater Mascarene Flying Fox
Pteropus niger
French: Roussette des Mascareignes / German: Maskarenen-Flughund / Spanish: Zorro volador de las Islas Mascarenas
Other common names: Black-spined Flying Fox, Black-Spined Fruit Bat, Mauritian Flying Fox, Mauritius Fruit Bat
Taxonomy. Vespertilio vampirus niger Kerr, 1792,
La Réunion Island, Mascarene Islands (France).
Pteropus niger is in the vampyrus group. Monotypic.
Distribution. Mauritius and Réunion Is.
Descriptive notes. Head-body 230 mm (tailless), ear 21 mm, mindfoot 51 mm, forearm 159-171 mm (males) and 143- 162 mm (females); weight 380- 340 g (males). Males are on average larger than females. Snout of the Greater Mascarene Flying Fox is blackish; head is yellowish or yellowish brown and dark russet-brown on top; eyes are large, with brown irises; and ears are small, pointed, and almost hidden in fur, with outer margin clearly concave and without conspicuous basal ear patches. Males and females are similar in color; sides of back and rump are buffy, contrasting with dark russet-brown of mantle and densely furred with 30-35-mm dark brown mid-back area (spinal track); anterior part of mantle is tinted with chestnut, lightening to dark cinnamon-rufous on occiput; middorsal hairs are 26 mm long; hairs of mantle are ¢. 27 mm; short, dense fur above extends about one-third along forearm. Tibia is thickly haired above. Venter is dark reddish brown, darker on throat; hairs on middle of abdomen are ¢. 26 mm; anal region is buffy or ocherous bufty; and humerus, proximal part of forearm, and tibia are densely furred in the same color. Wings are blackish brown; uropatagium is narrow, with central part hidden by fur; underside is furred from outer side of forearm to line connecting elbow with knee. Skull and dentition is typical pteropine.
Habitat. Forested areas, primarily in mountain ranges with restricted access.
Food and Feeding. The Greater Mascarene Flying Fox is primarily frugivorous but also eats leaves and blossoms from 18 plant species. It feeds on fruits or flowers from at least 31 plant genera in 26 families.
Breeding. Litter size of the Greater Mascarene Flying Fox is one, exceptionally two. Mating starts in April-May, and births occur in August-December (peak in October) after gestation of 4:6-6-3 months when commercial plants (e.g. mango and litchi) are fruiting. Mating couples generally copulate well out of sight from main roosting groups.
Activity patterns. The Greater Mascarene Flying Fox is primarily nocturnal, but some individuals forage during the day. After foraging, they return to the same roost they departed from or to a new one. During dry season (August-December), roosts in northwestern Mauritius are more frequently used. Roosts are found in native tall trees (Labourdonnaisia, Sapotaceae) or exotic tall trees such as Eucalyptus (Myrtaceae), Tabebuia (Bignoniaceae), Araucaria (Araucariaceae), or Albizia (Fabaceae).
Movements, Home range and Social organization. Greater Mascarene Flying Foxes will travel up to 92 km to forage in different habitats, including orchards. Population on Réunion of only c.40 individuals resulted from recent wind-driven immigration from Mauritius or a release from a captive colony following closing of Parc Zoologique de Saint Denis in 2006/2007.
Status and Conservation. CITES Appendix II. Classified as Endangered on The [UCN Red List. Population of the Greater Mascarene Flying Fox declined more than 50% in the last few years to a current estimate of ¢.37,000 individuals chiefly due to a governmentimplemented culling in 2015 and 2016 (30,938 and 7350 bats killed, respectively). Illegal hunting and accidental deaths from collisions with powerlines (6000 bats in 2016) are also threats. Habitat loss, increased risks of major cyclones, and introduction of competing alien animals such as Long-tailed Macaques (Macaca fascicularis) affect its current status. It occurs in Black River Gorges National Park, butthis did not protect them from culling. It recolonized Réunion after being extirpated for over a century.
Bibliography. Aimeida et al. (2014), Andersen (1912b), Bergmans (1991), Caceres (2011), Cheke & Dahl (1981), Florens et al. (2017), Kingston et al. (2018), Nyhagen et al. (2005), Oleksy et al. (2018).
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 160-161, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6448815