A new species of Rousettus (Chiroptera: Pteropodidae) from Lore Lindu, Central Sulawesi.

Abstract

From March 2000 to July 2001, an intensive biological survey was carried out of the bat fauna of Lore Lindu National Park, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia. The study covered all 11 major vegetation types and an altitudinal range of 300 to 2400 m a.s.l. All habitat types were surveyed applying the same standardized mist-net efforts. Among other things, the survey resulted in the collection of four specimens of Rousettus (Megachiroptera) in the swamp forest of Kenawu village, Lindu Lake, Lore Lindu National Park, which represent a new species, described in the present paper. The new species is compared with the other species of Rousettus in Indonesia, most notably with the common Sulawesian rouset bat (Rousettus celebensis); nearly all skull, dentary and dental dimensions of this new species are smaller than in R. celebensis. Moreover, breast fur colour and glans penis morphology are different from these characters in the common Sulawesian rouset bat. The breast fur in the new species is of a cream colour, the abdomen is negro to chocolate, and the sides are brown leather. The glans penis of Rousettus celebensis is flattened and triangular, whereas it has an irregular shape in the new species.