Pteropus pelewensis K. Andersen 1908

156.

Palau Flying Fox

Pteropus pelewensis

French: Roussette de Palau / German: Palau-Flughund / Spanish: Zorro volador de Palau

Other common names: Pelew Flying Fox; Yap Flying Fox (yapensis)

Taxonomy. Pteropus pelewensis K. Andersen, 1908,

“Pelew Islands [= Republic of Palau],” western chain of the Caroline Islands, Micronesia.

Pteropus pelewensis is in the griseus species group. It is often regarded as a subspecies of mariannus, and subspecies yapensis is oft en conside idered a distinct distinct species i or subspe bspecies of P. mariannus, however, recent genetic studies confirmed that it is a subspecies of pelewensis. Two subspecies recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution.

P.p.pelewensisK.Andersen,1908—PalauArchipelago(includingKayangelAtollandSonsorol,andFannaIs).

P. p. yapensis K. Andersen, 1908 — W Caroline Is (Yap).

Descriptive notes. Head—body 148-318 mm (tailless), ear 20-28 mm, hindfoot 33- 60 mm, forearm 101-144 mm; weight 130-420 g. The Palau Flying Fox is yellowish or russet-to-reddish mantle. Back is dark brown. Chest, belly, and flanks are dark to seal-brown, with densesilvery hair everywhere. Shoulders and neck are yellow-orange. Head is brown, sprinkled with gray hair. Tibia is hairless. Fur on males is stiffer and oilier than on females. Uropatagium is reduced to narrow membrane inside lower limbs. Claw on index fingeris well developed. Skull has narrow rostrum and small orbits. Dentition is relatively weak, especially on lowerjaw where P, and M | are very small.

Habitat. Primarily tropical humid forests (e.g. volcanic ravine forests) and swamp forests but also savannas, mangroves, secondary forests, and agroforests from sea level up to elevations of 213 m.

Food and Feeding. The Palau Flying Fox feeds on seeds, flowers, or fruits of Cycas (Cycadaceae), Intsia (Fabaceae), Eugenia (Myrtaceae), Ficus (Moraceae), Hydriastele (Arecaceae), Mangifera (Anacardiaceae), Ochrosia (Apocynaceae), Pandanus (Pandanaceae), and Terminalia (Combretaceae).

Breeding. In Palau, births of Palau Flying Fox take place in late November to early January. On Yap, breeding is year-round, with peaks in February-March and August October. Females give birth to one young/year.

Activity patterns. The Palau Flying Fox is primarily crepuscular. It becomes active in late afternoon and feeds mainly at 16:00-18:30 h. Colonies are sometimes formed in the morning for a few hours. While foraging, farms and villages are visited, but there are no known roosts in human settlements.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Palau Flying Foxes roost alone, in pairs, or in groups up to 200 individuals (some colonies are larger). Foraging areas are often c¢. 1-2 km away from roosts. Mangroves are seasonally inhabited, especially when Sonneratia alba (Lythraceae) blooms. Flapping of outstretched wings is used to defend flowers against conspecifics.

Status and Conservation. CITES Appendix I. Classified as Near Threatened on The IUCN Red List, and subspecies yapensis classified as Vulnerable. The Palau Flying Fox was previously threatened by excessive hunting for export to Guam and Northern Mariana Islands. Subspecies yapensis experienced a sharp population decline in the 1970s. Trade of yapensis has been prohibited since 1981 and pelewensis since 1994. Nevertheless, local hunting still poses a threat to the Palau Flying Fox. Typhoons and their consequences and loss of habitat from deforestation and road construction are also threats. Subspecies pelewensis occurs in some protected areas, but yapensis does not. There are urgent needs for local education programs and identification and protection of roosting and feeding sites. Since 1997, a ban on hunting within 100 m around roosts and establishment of more protected areas (e.g. Ngeream Island and Rock Islands) have been recommended.

Bibliography. Almeida et al. (2014), Andersen (1908b, 1912b), Corbet & Hill (1980), Flannery (1995a), Mickleburgh et al. (1992), Perez (1968), Simmons (2005), Tsang (2015), Wiles (2008a), Wiles, Engbring & Otobed (1997), Wiles, Helgen & Allison (2008a).