Nyctimene robinsoni

SUBFAMILY

Nyctimeninae

TAXONOMY

Nyctimene robinsoni var. australis Thomas, 1904, Cooktown, Queensland, Australia.

OTHER COMMON NAMES

English: Eastern tube-nosed fruit bat.

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS

Head and body length, 3–5.1 in (7.5–13 cm); forearm length, 2.4–2.8 in (6–7 cm); tail length, 0.8–1 in (2–2.5 cm); weight, 1.1–1.8 oz (30–50 g). Pelage light brown with a dark dorsal stripe, lighter ventrum, brown wings with yellowish blotches and spots, believed to function as camouflage. Distinctive feature is tubed nostrils which protrude for up to 1 in (2.5 cm), the function of which is not known for certain.

DISTRIBUTION

Tropical and subtropical eastern Australia.

HABITAT

Tropical rainforest, subtropical rainforest remnants.

BEHAVIOR

Solitary.

FEEDING ECOLOGY AND DIET

Eats fruit.

REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY

Polygamous with one breeding season. One pup the norm. Gestation 4.5–5 months. Females sexually mature at seven months.

CONSERVATION STATUS

Not threatened.

SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS

None known.

Common name / Scientific name / Other common names	Physical characteristics	Habitat and behavior	Distribution	Diet	Conservation status
Small-toothed fruit bat Neopteryx frosti	Tawny or brownish pelage, medial stripe from tip of nose to between the eyes, off-white stripes along muzzle. The wing membrane extends to the vertebral column creating the impression of a naked or bare back. No claw on second digit. Palate is narrowed and canines are reduced in size. Head and body length 4.1 in (10.5 cm), forearm length 4.1–4.4 in (10.5–11.1 cm), no tail, weight 6.6 oz (190 g).	Lowland tropical rainforest. Behavior poorly known.	Northern and western Sulawesi.	Unknown. Morphology of rostrum and teeth unique among the fruit bats, making an extrapolation of diet difficult.	Vulnerable
Striped-faced fruit bat Styloctenium wallace	Pelage is gray with reddish brown ventrum. White lateral stripes along the sides of the muzzle. Head and body length 5.9–7.1 in (15–18 cm), forearm length 3.5–4.1 in (9–10.3 cm), no tail, weight 6.0–7.6 oz (175–220 g).	Tropical rainforest. Natural history poorly known.	Sulawesi.	Fruit.	Lower Risk/Near Threatened
Naked-backed fruit bat Dobsonia magna English: Greater naked-backed bat	Pelage is brown to grayish black. The wing membrane extends to the vertebral column creating the impression of a naked or bare back. Head and body length 4.0–9.5 in (10.2–24.2 cm), forearm length 5.3–6.1 in (13.5–15.5 cm), short tail, weight 12.1–17.2 oz (350–500 g).	Gregarious, although has been observed roosting alone. Occupies forested areas. Roosts near the mouth of caves, old mines, and abandoned structures. In camps, these bats vocalize continuously. However, they forage alone and silently. The wing morphology makes this bat an excellent and highly maneuverable flyer that can even fly backwards. Its flying ability allows it to take fruits below the canopy level not available to Pteropus species in the area.	Northern Queensland, Australia to New Guinea to Moluccas.	Wide variety of fruits.	Not threatened
Bulmer's fruit bat Aproteles bulmerae	Very similar to Dobsonia except in size. Brown pelage, lighter on the ventral side. The wing membrane extends to the vertebral column creating the impression of a naked or bare back. Head and body length 9.5 in (24.2 cm), forearm length 6.5 in (16.6 cm), tail length 1.3 in (3.2 cm), weight 20.7 oz (600 g).	Occupies caves in montane forest. Behavior unknown.	Central highlands of New Guinea.	Fruit.	Critically Endangered; threatened by human hunting
Little flying cow Nanonycteris veldkampi English: Veldkamp's dwarf fruit bat, Veldkamp's dwarf epauletted bat	Reddish brown pelage with lighter ventrum. Males possess pouches that evert to display epaulettes. Head and body length 2.1–3.0 in (5.4–7.5 cm), forearm length 1.7–2.13 in (4.3–5.4 cm), rudimentary tail present, weight 0.7–1.1 oz (19–33 g).	Forest and savannas. Migrates from forest environments to savannas during the rainy season. Roosts alone or in small groups.	Guinea to Central African Republic.	Nectar.	Not threatened
Short-palate fruit bat Casinycteris argynnis	Pelage mainly light brown, but muzzle and wings are orange. There is a white medial eye patch between the eyes and lateral white patches behind the eyes. White tufts are present at the base of the pinnae. The palate is shortened and the dentition reduced in size. Head and body length 3.5–3.7 in (9.0–9.5 cm), forearm length 2.0–2.5 in (5.0–6.3 cm), rudimentary tail, weight 0.9–1.0 oz (26–30 g).	Tropical rainforest. Behavior largely unknown. Single individuals have been observed roosting.	Cameroon to north-eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (Zaire).	Presumably fruit.	Lower Risk/Near Threatened
Fischer's pygmy fruit bat Haplonycteris fischeri	Cinnamon pelage with lighter ventrum. Head and body length 2.7–3.1 in (6.8–8.0 cm), forearm length 1.7–2.1 in (4.4–5.3 cm), no tail, weight 0.6–0.7 oz (16–21 g).	Primary and secondary forest. Behavior poorly known.	Philippines.	Fruit.	Vulnerable; threatened by habitat destruction

Common name / Scientific name / Other common names	Physical characteristics	Habitat and behavior	Distribution	Diet	Conservation status
Little collared fruit bat Myoncyteris torquata English: Ringed fruit bat	Physically very similar to rousette bats except they have a pronounced shortening of the facial structure. Pelage is various shades of brown, a lighter ventrum, and a light collar around the neck. Head and body length 3.5–6.5 in (9–16.5 cm) forearm length 2.2–2.75 in (5.5–7.0 cm), tail length 0.2–0.5 in (0.4–1.3 cm), weight 0.9–1.9 oz (27–54 g).	Tropical rainforest, woodland-savanna mosaic. Poorly known, but appears to be solitary.	Western and central Africa.	Fruit.	Not threatened
Zenker's fruit bat Scotonycteris zenkeri	Pelage ranges from light to dark brown with a lighter ventrum. A white spot appears above the nose in front of the eyes, and two additional spots at the upper lateral border of the eyes. Head and body length 2.6–3.1 in (6.5–8.0 cm), forearm length 2–2.2 in (5–5.6 cm), tail is rudimentary, weight 0.6–0.9 oz (18–27 g).	Primary rainforest. Solitary.	Western to west central Africa.	Small fruits.	Not threatened
Ratanaworabhan's fruit bat Megaerops niphanae	Pelage is grayish brown, lighter brown on shoulders, with gray ventrum. Head and body length 2.8–3.9 in (7–10 cm), forearm length 2.0–2.5 in (5.2–6.3 cm), wingspan 16.7 in (42.4 cm), no tail, weight 0.6–1.3 oz (18–38 g).	Lowland and montane forest up to 5,900 ft (1,800 m) in altitude. Behavior is unknown.	Northeastern India, Thailand, and Vietnam.	Unknown, but presumably fruit.	Not listed by IUCN
Salim Ali's fruit bat Latidens salimalii	Pelage dark brown to black, grizzled light fur on shoulders, between the eyes, and cheeks. Head and body length, 4.0–4.3 in (10.2–10.9 cm), forearm length 2.6–2.7 in (6.6–6.9 cm), no tail.	Broadleaf montane forest. Behavior unknown.	Southern India.	Unknown, but dentition suggests hard fruits and seeds.	Critically Endangered; may be fewer than 50 individuals
Blanford's fruit bat Sphaerias blanfordi	Pelage grayish brown. Head and body length 2.5–3.2 in (6.4–8.0 cm), forearm length 2.0–2.4 in (5.2–6.0 cm), no tail.	Montane forest between 2,620 and 8,860 ft (800–2,700 m). Behavior unknown.	Northeastern India, southern Tibet, north-western Thailand, and southwestern China.	Unknown.	Not listed by IUCN
Queensland tube-nosed bat Nyctimene robinsoni English: Eastern tube-nosed fruit bat	Pelage light brown with a dark dorsal stripe, lighter ventrum, brown wings with yellowish blotches and spots, believed to function as camouflage. Distinctive feature is tubed nostrils which protrude for up to 1 in (3 cm), the function of which is not known for certain. Head and body length 3.0–5.1 in (7.5–13.0 cm), forearm length, 2.4–2.8 in (6.0–7.0 cm), tail length 0.8–1.0 in (2.0–2.5 cm), weight 1.0–1.7 oz (30–50 g).	Tropical rainforest, sub-tropical rainforest remnants. Solitary.	Tropical and subtropical eastern Australia.	Fruit.	Not threatened