Beaufort's naked-backed fruit bat
Beaufort's naked-backed fruit bat (Dobsonia beauforti) is a species of megabat in the family Pteropodidae. It roosts in caves.
Beaufort's naked-backed fruit bat | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | Chiroptera |
Family: | Pteropodidae |
Genus: | Dobsonia |
Species: | D. beauforti |
Binomial name | |
Dobsonia beauforti Bergmans, 1975 | |
Beaufort's naked-backed fruit bat range in Western New Guinea |
Taxonomy and etymology
Beaufort's naked-backed fruit bat was described as a new species in 1975 by W. Bergmans. The holotype was collected in 1909 by Lieven Ferdinand de Beaufort in Waigeo, Indonesia. De Beaufort is the eponym for the species name "beauforti."[2]
Description
Its ears, flight membranes, and back lacks fur. Its forearm length is 99.6–111.4 mm (3.92–4.39 in).[2] It is sexually dimorphic, with males larger than females. Males are also a bright, yellowish-green in contrast to the drab brown fur of the females.[3] It is similar in appearance to the greenish naked-backed fruit bat, with which it may be confused.[1]
Range and habitat
It is endemic to Indonesia, where its range includes the Raja Ampat, Biak, and Supiori islands in Cenderawasih Bay.[1]
Conservation
As of 2016, it is listed as a least-concern species by the IUCN.[1]
References
- Mildenstein, T. (2016). "Dobsonia beauforti". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T6772A22034699. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-1.RLTS.T6772A22034699.en. Retrieved 14 November 2021.
- Bergmans, W. (1975). "A new species of Dobsonia Palmer, 1898 (Mammalia, Megachiroptera) from Waigeo, with notes on other members of the genus". Beaufortia. 23 (295): 1–13.
- Flannery, T. (1995). Mammals of the South-West Pacific & Moluccan Islands. Cornell University Press. pp. 192–193. ISBN 0801431506.