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Pteropus seychellensis comorensis
Order: Chiroptera > Family: Pteropodidae > Genus: Pteropus > Species: Pteropus seychellensis comorensis
Common Name: Seychelle's Flying Fox [English]
Type Description
Bull. Sci. Soc. Philom. Paris, ser. 7, 2:221.
Type Locality
Seychelle Isls, Mahe Isl.
Measurements
Head and body: 224-231 mm
Ear length: 31-32 mm
Forearm Length: 151-157 mm
Weight: 400-650 g
Ear length: 31-32 mm
Forearm Length: 151-157 mm
Weight: 400-650 g
Description
The head, shoulders, and belly are yellow and the ears are long and pointed (greater than 27 mm). The wings and back color are black with the back fur having a light sprinkle of greyish-white glossy hairs mixed into the black fur. In Tanzania, this species is only known from Mafia Island. (Kingdon, 1984; Bergman, 1990)
Comparisons
The only other Pteropus found in Tanzania is P. voeltzkowi, which is only known from Pemba Island. P. seychellensis has longer ears (gretaer than 27 mm) when compared to the shorter ears of P. voeltzkowi (shorter than 27 mm) (
Distribution
Pteropus seychellensis is restricted to the moist tropical areas on the Seychelle Islands, the Comoros Islands and Mafia Island. (Kingdon, 1984, 1997; Simmons, 2005) In Tanzania, this species is only known from Mafia Island, and the subspecies is called P. seychellensis comorensis. Chole Island is a good place to see these bats. Strangely, this species has never been recorded on Unguja Island,,or mainland Tanzania.
Key References
1. Bergmans, W. 1990. Taxonomy and biogeography of African fruit bats (Mammalia, Megachiroptera). 3. The genera Scotonycteris Matschie, 1894, Casinycteris Thomas, 1910, Pteropus Brisson, 1762, and Eidolon Rafinesque, 1815. Beaufortia 40: 111-177.
2. Kingdon, J. 1984. East African mammals: An atlas of evolution in Africa. (Insectivores and Bats). University of Chicago Press, Chicago, 2A:140-144.
3. Kingdon, J. 1997. The Kingdon field guide to African mammals, AP Natural World Academic Press, Harcourt Brace & Company, San Diego, p. 113.
4. Nowak, R. M. 1999. Walker's Mammals of the World. Sixth ed. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, 1:258-260, 264-271.
5. Simmons, N.B. 2005. Order Chiroptera, pp. 312-529. In Wilson, D. E., and D. M. Reeder, eds., Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, 3rd edition. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore.
2. Kingdon, J. 1984. East African mammals: An atlas of evolution in Africa. (Insectivores and Bats). University of Chicago Press, Chicago, 2A:140-144.
3. Kingdon, J. 1997. The Kingdon field guide to African mammals, AP Natural World Academic Press, Harcourt Brace & Company, San Diego, p. 113.
4. Nowak, R. M. 1999. Walker's Mammals of the World. Sixth ed. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, 1:258-260, 264-271.
5. Simmons, N.B. 2005. Order Chiroptera, pp. 312-529. In Wilson, D. E., and D. M. Reeder, eds., Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, 3rd edition. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore.