Pteropus livingstonii

Geographic Range

Pteropus livingstonii (Comoro black flying fox) is found on only two islands in the Comoro island chain, just off the coast of Africa. These islands are Nzwani, also called Anjouan, and Mwali, also called Moheli.

• Biogeographic Regions
• ethiopian ethiopian
  • native native

• Other Geographic Terms
• island endemic island endemic

Habitat

Comoro black flying foxes prefer dense, upland mountain forests which have steep sided valleys.

• Habitat Regions
• tropical tropical
• terrestrial terrestrial

• Terrestrial Biomes
• forest forest
• rainforest rainforest

Physical Description

Comoro black flying foxes have black pelage with golden or tawny tinges on the rump, sides of the belly, and at times on each shoulder. They have unique, semicircular ears. Both of these features distinguish them from other pteropodids . They weigh from 500 to 800 grams, have a wingspan up to 1.5 meters, and are about 30 cm in body length.

• Other Physical Features
• endothermic endothermic
• homoiothermic
• bilateral symmetry bilateral symmetry

• Sexual Dimorphism
• sexes alike

Reproduction

Comoro black flying foxes are polygynous. Females will mate with more than one male throughout their lifetime and males attempt to mate with as many females as they can. Males do not stay around after mating, leaving the females to raise and care for the young.

• Mating System
• polygynous polygynous

The breeding season for P. livingstonii is from January through June. Gestation lasts 4 to 6 months, after which a single young is born between July and October. Young are weaned within 4 to 6 months of being born.

• Key Reproductive Features
• iteroparous iteroparous
• seasonal breeding seasonal breeding
• gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate)
• sexual sexual
• viviparous viviparous

There was no information specifically on parental investment in P. livingstonii . In general, members of the genus Pteropus form maternity colonies where females and their young gather. Females forage at night and return to their young in the maternity roost to nurse them.

• Parental Investment
• altricial altricial
• pre-fertilization
  • provisioning
  • protecting
    • female
• pre-hatching/birth
  • provisioning
    • female
  • protecting
    • female
• pre-weaning/fledging
  • provisioning
    • female
  • protecting
    • female

Lifespan/Longevity

There is very little information known about the longevity of Comoro black flying foxes in either captivity or in the wild. Other Pteropus species are known to live up to 30 years in captivity, and around 10 years or more in the wild.

Behavior

Comoro black flying foxes form small roosting groups which are called harems. They have very slow wing beats and often glide instead of flying. They use updrafts of warm air to help extend their gliding distance. Like other pteropodids , Comoro black flying foxes are active in the evening and at night when foraging for fruit. They roost and forage in groups. Comoro black flying foxes do not migrate.

• Key Behaviors
• flies
• nocturnal nocturnal
• crepuscular crepuscular
• motile motile
• sedentary sedentary
• social social

Home Range

There is no available information on the home range of Comoro black flying foxes.

Communication and Perception

In general, Pteropus species use olfaction to find fruiting trees and determine if fruit is ripe enough to eat. They have good vision and often use vocalizations to communicate. Like most mammal, chemoreception is important in communicating sexual receptiveness.

• Communication Channels
• visual visual
• tactile tactile
• acoustic acoustic
• chemical chemical

• Perception Channels
• visual visual
• tactile tactile
• acoustic acoustic
• chemical chemical

Food Habits

Comoro black flying foxes are frugivorous. In the dry season they tend to be much more selective on what and where they feed, preferring fig trees. A very important tree for P. livingstonii and P. seychellensis is the giant-leaved fig tree ( Ficus lutea ). This tree is chosen over many other fig trees. In the rainy season Comoro black flying foxes feed on a larger variety of fruits because more are available.

• Primary Diet
• herbivore herbivore
  • frugivore frugivore

• Plant Foods
• fruit
• flowers

Predation

Humans are primary predators of P. livingstonii , both for food and as a secondary result of forest destruction. Other predators have not been documented, but large arboreal snakes and raptors make take young and adults.

Ecosystem Roles

Members of the genus Pteropus are important in the dispersal of seeds in the forests they inhabit. They are often seen as keystone species because they maintain forest regeneration patterns.

• Ecosystem Impact
• disperses seeds
• pollinates

Economic Importance for Humans: Positive

Comoro black flying foxes are sometimes food for humans. They are also important members of their native ecosystems, helping to disperse fruiting tree species and sometimes pollinate plants.

• Positive Impacts
• food food
• pollinates crops

Economic Importance for Humans: Negative

There are no adverse effects of Comoro black flying foxes on humans.

Conservation Status

Comoro black flying foxes are one of the most critically endangered bat species, with an estimated population size of 400 individuals. Rapid destruction of the forest habitats they rely on indicates these flying foxes may become extinct within 10 years.

Additional Links

Encyclopedia of Life

Contributors

Tanya Dewey (author, editor), Animal Diversity Web, Jess Long (author), University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, Chris Yahnke (editor, instructor), University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.

References

Dechmann, D. 2005. Studying Communication in Bats. Cognition, Brain, Behavior , 9: 4, 9. Accessed November 01, 2006 at http://www.zool.unizh.ch/Research/AnimalBehaviour/Koenig/Researchgroups/BatResearch/Vespertilio/Articol11.pdf .

Emanoil, M., J. Edward, D. Kasinec. 1994. Comoro black flying fox. Pp. 62-63 in Encyclopedia of Endangered species , Vol. 1, 1 Edition. Detroit, MI: Gale Research Inc..

Gould, E., N. Woolf, D. Turner. 1973. Double-note Communication Calls in Bats: Occurrence in Three Families. Journal of Mammology , 54: 1000. Accessed November 01, 2006 at http://www.jstor.org/view/00222372/ap050221/05a00300/2?frame=noframe&userID=8fec23ca@uwsp.edu/01cc99332800501b041a7&dpi=3&config=jstor .

Hutchins, M., D. Kleiman, V. Geist. 2003. Species Account: Livingstone's fruit bat. Pp. 327 in Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia , Vol. 12-16, 2nd Edition. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale Group.

Sewall, B. 2008. "Fruit bat foraging strategies on the island of Anjouan (Comoros Islands)." (On-line). ESA 2002 Annual Meeting. Accessed October 31, 2006 at http://abstracts.co.allenpress.com/pweb/esa2002/document/?ID=4545 .