Pteropus tokudae (Guam Flying Fox)

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Pteropus tokudae

Pteropus tokudae was endemic to Guam. Only three specimens have been collected, the last being shot by hunters in 1968. Despite intensive field work on the island’s fruit bats, no observations of the Guam Fruit Bat have been recorded since this time.

The species was hunted locally as a food source and this is thought to be the main actor involved in the demise of this species.

[another specialist]

www.iucnredlist.org/search/details.php?species=18763

[another specialist]

some more info on this species is found on this following websites

ecos.fws.gov/species_profile/SpeciesProfile?spcode=A07W

fwie.fw.vt.edu/WWW/esis/lists/e051006.htm

[another specialist]

Little Mariana fruit bat
Pteropus tokudae

The Little Mariana fruit bat (Pteropus tokudae) was endemic to Guam. Only three specimens
have been collected: two by W.F. Coultas for the Whitney South Sea Expedition in 1931, and
one skull by G.S.A. Perez between 1966-1968 [424]. The last confirmed sighting was a
female which was shot by hunters in a mature limestone forest at Tarague Point in Northern
Guam. There was a possible sighting in June 1979 at Ritidian Point

[another specialist]

www.batcon.org/batsmag/images/v12n3m.jpg [/img]

Guam's flying foxes pollinate the brilliant flowers of the coral tree, one of the island's most spectacular plants.

image is from here plus a bit more info on species aswell

www.batcon.org/batsmag/v12n3-5.html

[another specialist]

Guam Fruit Bat, Little Marianas fruit bat, Tokuda's fruit bat

[another specialist]

gap in nature

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This species was discovered when two males was collected on 10 August 1931 on Guam, Southern Marianas Islands. In March 1967 a female and young was caught at Tarague Cliff where it roosted with P.mariannus. Interviews with older hunters 1973 confirmed that the Guam flying fox was very rare if not extinct. There is a possibly sighting at Ritidan Point in June 1974, but none were seen during a 1987 survey.




Source: Mammals of the South-west Pacific and Moluccan Islands by Tim Flannery.

[another specialist]

The Little Mariana fruit bat (Pteropus tokudae) is much smaller than the Mariana fruit bat, measuring 140 to 151 mm, with a wingspan of 650 to 709 mm. The abdomen and wings are brown to dark brown but with few whitish hairs. The mantle and sides of the neck vary from brown to pale gold. The top of the head is grayish to yellowish brown while the throat and chin are dark brown.

Both bats are called "fanini" in Chamorro, a language spoken in Guam and the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI).

www.fws.gov/pacificislands/wesa/marianabatindex.html

[another specialist]

Adult little Mariana fruit bats have body measurements of:
head-body length, 140 to 151 mm; forearm length, 94 to 95 mm;
wingspan, 650 to 709 mm; and body weight, 152 grams (01,02,03). The
abdomen and wings are brown to dark brown but with few whitish hairs
present (01). The mantle and sides of the neck vary from brown to
to light gold. The top of the head is grayish to yellowish brown
while the throat and chin are dark brown.
Pteropus tokudae was first described in 1934 (01). No
additional taxonomic studies of this bat have been made. Tate (01)
believed that the little Mariana fruit bat was closely related to or
perhaps a race of P. insularis from Truk in the Caroline Islands.
P. tokudae has no taxonomic synonyms.
The type and paratype specimens of P. tokudae, along with the
skull of a third animal, are deposited in the American Museum of
Natural History (01,03). No other specimens are known to exist.

Photographs of the skull of one animal are present at the Guam
Division of Aquatic and Wildlife Resources. No other descriptions
are known for this species.
The common name "little Marianas fruit bat" is frequently used
in scientific reports (04,05,06). "Fanihi" is the local Chamorro
name for the fruit bat. This bat is also refered to by the IUCN
Red List of Threatened Animals as the "Guam flying fox". Other
common names used are, Tokuda's fruit bat and Tokuda's flying fox.

fwie.fw.vt.edu/WWW/esis/lists/e051006.htm

[another specialist]

COMMENTS ON STATUS -
UNAPPROVED PLAN:
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1987. Recovery Plan for the Marianas
Fruit Bat and Little Marianas Fruit Bat on Guam. Tech. Draft. U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service, Portland, OR. 107 pp.

Excessive hunting and other disturbance by humans has led to the
precipitious decline of the fruit bats throughout the populous
islands of the Marianas. The recovery plan for the little Mariana
fruit bat states that "until the little Marianas fruit bat has been
found to be extant, no goals are appropriate at this time. Surveys
will be undertaken to determine status and gather useful biological
data that will be used to determine appropriate recovery goals..."
Planned recovery actions for the Marianas fruit bat should benefit
the little Mariana fruit bat. These actions include: (1) control of
illegal hunting of fruit bats through law enforcement; (2) preventing
predation by the exotic brown tree snake (if, indeed, this is a
problem) first through research, then through application of control
measures; (3) determining the effects of trade in fruit bats on
Guam's fruit bat population; (4) continuing research on autecology
of fruit bats; (5) legally securing and protecting essential forest
ecosystems; (6) managing essential forest ecosystems for the benefit
of the fruit bat by limiting human disturbance (development), limiting
forest clearing (maintaining later successional stages), and by
determining the impact of alien plants and animals (livestock and
exotic) on fruit bat habitat; (7) monitoring the status of fruit bats
on Guam; (8) promoting conservation of fruit bats in the Northern
Marianas and developing a regional program for managing fruit bats;
(9) developing a public awareness program; (10) if necessary
augmenting existing populations of fruit bats on Guam through captive
breeding and/or transplanting wild individuals.
Recovery actions completed or ongoing include: (1) ongoing
autecological studies and censuses of the Mariana fruit bat; (2)
ongoing law enforcement; (3) designated conservation reserves on
1700 ha of territorial land and on ca. 500 ha of Air Force and Navy
lands; (4) ongoing research on the Brown Tree Snake; and (5) a
public information program, now discontinued.

fwie.fw.vt.edu/WWW/esis/lists/e051006.htm

[another specialist]

COMMENTS ON HABITAT ASSOCIATIONS -
Only a single reference exists on the habitat used by Little
Mariana fruit bats. Nine vegetative types have been described for
Guam (09,10). An animal killed by hunters in 1968 was taken
at Tarague Point (02) in an area of mature limestone forest (04).
This forest is characterized by sparse undergrowth, a canopy 8 to
15 m high, and scattered taller emergent trees. Common species
include Ficus prolixa, Aglaia mariannensis, Guamia mariannae, Cycas
circinalis, Neisosperma oppositifolia, Mammea odorata, Macaranga
thompsonii, Pisonia grandis, Artocarpus mariannensis, Eleaocarpus
joga, and Triphasia trifolia. Secondary growth limestone
forest is shorter and has dense undergrowth. Many of the same
species are present in lower abundance as well as Pandanus
tectorius, P. dubius, Hibiscus tiliaceus, Morinda citrifolia, Carica
papaya and Cestrum diurnum. Large stands of limestone forest occur
in northern Guam, especially along clifflines. Soils in these areas
tend to be thin and rocky. Limestone rock outcrops are a common
feature.
In the past, when P. tokudae was common, it may have used a
wider range of habitat.

LIFE HISTORY

FOOD HABITS:
No information exists on the food habits of Pteropus tokudae.
The diet probably consists of fruits and flowers of trees found
in limestone forest.

HOME RANGE/TERRITORY:
No information exist on the home range or territorial behavior
of this species.

PERIODICITY:
No information exists on the activity of this species.

MIGRATION PATTERNS:
No information exists on the migration patterns of this species.

COVER/SHELTER REQUIREMENTS:
No information exists on the cover requirements of this species.

REPRODUCTIVE SITE REQUIREMENTS:
No information exists on the reproductive site requirements of
this species.

REPRODUCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS:
The only information on breeding in P. tokudae was gathered
from a single female shot by hunters on 5 June 1968 (02,11). This
animal was with a juvenile that was able to fly away.

PARENTAL CARE:
The only information on breeding in P. tokudae was gathered
from a single female shot by hunters on 5 June 1968 (02,11). This
animal was associating with or perhaps carrying a juvenile that was
old enough to fly away. This may indicate that mothers care for
their young for at least several months.

POPULATION BIOLOGY:
No information exists on the population biology of this species.

SPECIES INTERRELATIONSHIPS:
No information exists on the species interrelationships of this
bat.

OTHER LIFE HISTORY DESCRIPTORS:
None.

COMMENTS ON MANAGEMENT PRACTICES -
Little is known about the causes of decline for the little
Mariana fruit bat (Pteropus tokudae.). This species has always been
considered rare on Guam by hunters, elderly residents and scientific
collectors (01,07). No documentation of its decline exists and,
thus, discussion on the reasons for its disappearance is speculatory.
P. tokudae has probably suffered from overhunting and poaching
as has P. mariannus mariannus, a second, larger species of fruit bat
on Guam (04). Fruit bats are considered a delicacy in the Marianas.
A single report exists of a little Mariana fruit bat being killed by
hunters in 1968 (02). Probably, a major reduction in the numbers of
both species of fruit bats occurred between 1920 and 1945 when
extensive hunting took place (04,07,08). Other possible reasons that
may have caused further declines in P. tokudae after World War II are
habitat destruction (forest clearing, alteration, etc.) and predation
by introduced brown tree snakes (Boiga irregularis) (04).
These factors, plus the occurrence of severe typhoons, threaten
any little Mariana fruit bats presently remaining on the island (04).

fwie.fw.vt.edu/WWW/esis/lists/e051006.htm

[another specialist]

Pteropus tokudae

Author: Tate, 1934.
Citation: Am. Mus. Novit., 713: 1.
Common Name: Guam Flying Fox
Type Locality: Mariana Isls, Guam (USA).
Distribution: Guam (Mariana Isls, USA).
Status: CITES – Appendix II. U.S. ESA – Endangered. IUCN/SSC Action Plan (1992) – Extinct? IUCN 2003 – Extinct.
Comments: pselaphon species group. See Flannery (1995b).

www.bucknell.edu/msw3/browse.asp?s=y&id=13800375

[Melanie]

Scientific Name: Pteropus tokudae
Species Authority
Intra-specific Authority: Tate, 1934
Common Name/s: English – Guam Flying Fox, Guam Fruit Bat
Spanish – Zorro Volador De Tokuda


Assessment Information [top]
Red List Category & Criteria: Extinct ver 3.1
Year Assessed: 2008
Assessor/s Bonaccorso, F., Helgen, K., Allison, A. & Wiles, G.
Evaluator/s: Lamoreux, J. (Global Mammal Assessment Team), Racey, P.A., Medellín, R. & Hutson, A.M. (Chiroptera Red List Authority)
Justification:
Listed as Extinct because it has not been recorded with certainty since 1968, and intensive surveys of fruit bats on Guam in intervening years have failed to locate this species.
History: 1996 - Extinct (IUCN Conservation Monitoring Centre 1986)
1986 - Endangered (IUCN Conservation Monitoring Centre 1986)
1988 - Extinct (IUCN Conservation Monitoring Centre 1986)
1990 - Extinct (IUCN Conservation Monitoring Centre 1986)
1994 - Extinct? (IUCN Conservation Monitoring Centre 1986)


Geographic Range [top]
Range Description: This species was endemic to Guam. Only three specimens were collected, the last being shot by hunters in 1968. Despite intensive field work on the island’s fruit bats, there have been no confirmed records of the Guam Fruit Bat since that time. There was a possible sighting of the species in the late 1970s (G. Wiles pers. comm.).
Countries: Regionally extinct:
Guam

Population [top]
Population: This species is considered extinct; there is no information about former abundance.

Habitat and Ecology [top]
Habitat and Ecology: There appears to be little recorded concerning the natural history of this species.
Systems: Terrestrial

Threats [top]
Major Threat(s): It was hunted locally as a food source, and this is thought to have been the main factor leading to the demise of the species. The introduction of the predatory Brown Tree Snake (Boiga irregularis) to Guam possibly contributed to the extinction of this species

www.redlist.org/details/18763

[Melanie]

Pteropus tokudae
Guam flying fox

Information Classification

2008/10/19 08:15:55.216 GMT-4
By Jeffery Rebitzke

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Chiroptera
Family: Pteropodidae
Genus: Pteropus
Species: Pteropus tokudaeGeographic Range
The Little Marianas Fruit bat, Pteropus tokudae, is native to Guam, located in the Marianas archipelago of the Pacific Ocean. P. tokudae is also thought to be endemic to Guam (Wiles, 1990b). According to a 1996 Endangered Species Information Systems report (Conservation Managment Institute 1996), no information has been uncovered regarding the migration patterns of P. tokudae. In fact, scientists are unsure whether the species, which may be extinct, was migratory.

Biogeographic Regions:
oceanic islands (native ).

Other Geographic Terms:
island endemic .

Habitat
There exists no information concerning nesting, cover, or shelter habitat for P. tokudae. The last recorded sighting of the species occurred in 1968, when hunters killed a female in an area described as a mature limestone forest (Conservation Management Institute 1996). This forest type is characterized by a low density of understory plants and a canopy 8-15 meters high, with scattered emergent trees (Conservation Management Institute 1996). Common plant species in this forest type include: Ficus prolix, Aglaia mariannensis, Guamia mariannae, Cycas circinalis, Neisosperma oppositifolia, Mammea odorata, Macaranga thopsonii, Pisonia grandis, Artocarpus mariannensis, Eleaocarpus joga, and Triphasia trifolia (Conservation Management Institute 1996).

These animals are found in the following types of habitat:
tropical ; terrestrial .

Terrestrial Biomes:
forest .

Physical Description
Mass
152 g (average)
(5.35 oz)


Length
140 to 151 mm; avg. 145 mm
(5.51 to 5.94 in; avg. 5.71 in)


Wingspan
650 to 709 mm; avg. 680 mm
(25.59 to 27.91 in; avg. 26.77 in)

P. tokudae was first discovered in 1931 during an expedition to Guam and was identified and described by G. H. H. Tate in 1934. Tate (1934) first described P. tokudae and documented a body length of 140-151 mm, a wingspan of 650-709 mm, and a body weight of 152 g. He also noted that the species bore a striking resemblance to Pteropus insularis - a fruit bat found in Micronesia - with the exception of <taxon-link name="Pteropus tokudae">P. tokudae <<Pteropus tokudae>>`’s smaller size. Tate even speculated that `P. tokudae</taxon-link> was a race of P. insularis. The abdomen and wings were brown to dark brown with few whitish hairs. The mantle and sides of the neck were brown to light gold. The top of the head was grayish to yellowish brown with prominent ears, and the throat and chin were dark brown.

Some key physical features:
endothermic ; bilateral symmetry .

Reproduction
No information has been discerned about the reproductive pattern of P. tokudae.

Key reproductive features:
gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual .

The only observations regarding parental care were recorded in 1968, when a female was shot by hunters. The female was observed with a single juvenile, which was able to escape hunters. It is unknown if the mother was carrying the young or if the juvenile was flying with the mother, but the presence of a juvenile with its mother may indicate parental care several months after birth (Conservation Management Institute 1996).

Parental investment:
female parental care .

Lifespan/Longevity
.

Food Habits
Little is known about the food preference of the P. tokudae, but a 1996 Endangered Species Information Systems report (Conservation Management Institute 1996) suggested that the species probably foraged on fruits and flowers from evergreen shrubs typical of limestone forest types in the northern part of Guam.

Primary Diet:
herbivore (frugivore ).

Ecosystem Roles
Ecosystem roles are not known, but because of its foraging behavior, P. tokudae undoubtedly contributed to flower pollination and seed dispersal.

Key ways these animals impact their ecosystem:
disperses seeds; pollinates.

Economic Importance for Humans: Positive
P. tokudae is considered a delicacy by the resident Chamorro culture of the Marianas (Wiles, 1990a). Although pollination and seed dispersal cannot be substantiated, its foraging behavior no doubt contributed to some pollination and distribution of seeds.

Ways that people benefit from these animals:
food ; pollinates crops.

Conservation Status
IUCN Red List: :
Extinct.

US Federal List: :
Endangered.

CITES: :
Appendix I.
Data on historical populations are not available, but P. tokudae was always considered rare by hunters, residents, and collectors (Wiles, 1990b). No records of sightings exist after 1968, when a female was shot by hunters at the northern part of Guam (Wiles, 1990b). On August 27, 1984, P. tokudae was officially put on the Endangered Species List, along with seven other species of fauna native to Guam. It is likely, given the lack of records since 1968, that P. tokudae is extinct.

Although it is unclear which factor(s) led to the demise of P. tokudae, introductions of exotic species (Fritts et. al., 1998; Wiles, 1990b), forest alteration and degradation (Wiles, 1990b), and excessive hunting (Conservation Management Institute 1996); Fritts et. al., 1998; Wiles, 1990a; Wiles, 1990b) are all possible contributors.

Much of the native fauna of Guam evolved without the threat of any major predators (Wiles, 1990b). Wiles (1990b) noted that the brown tree snake (Boiga irregularis) was introduced to Guam sometime after 1945 and is implicated in reduction and extinction of several avifauna species. However, Wiles (1990b) could not determine the role of the brown tree snake regarding the decline in P. tokudae, and Fritts and Rodda (Fritts et. al., 1998) believed their loss was not attributable to the brown tree snake.

Habitat alteration, degradation, and destruction also played a role in the decline of native fauna, but it is unclear whether loss of habitat was a major contributor. Wiles (1990b) stated that forest destruction was only a minor factor in the decline of fruit bats (Pteropus spp.). Wiles (1990b) emphasized that fruit bats were already uncommon before forest loss was evident.

Wiles (1990b) and Hilton-Taylor (2000) agree that excessive over-harvesting due to hunting led to the decline of P. tokudae. Fruit bats are considered a delicacy by the resident Chamorro culture of the Marianas (Wiles, 1990a), and the increased use of firearms made harvesting more successful (Wiles, 1990b).

In 1987, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service developed a recovery plan for P. tokudae, but the report clearly stated that developed goals were inappropriate until it was discovered to exist (Conservation Management Institute 1996).

Other Comments
P. tokudae is most frequently referred to as the Little Marianas Fruit bat (Conservation Management Institute 1996). Other common names are Guam flying fox, Tokuda’s fruit bat, Tokuda’s flying fox and, by the Chamorro peoples of Guam, Fanihi (Conservation Management Institute 1996).

Contributors
Jeffery Rebitzke (author), University of Michigan.
Ondrej Podlaha (editor), University of Michigan.

References

Conservation Management Institute, March 14, 1996. "http://fwie.fw.vt.edu/WWW/esis/lists/e051006.htm" (On-line). Accessed October 8, 2001 at fwie.fw.vt.edu/WWW/esis/lists/e051006.htm.


Fritts, T., G. Rodda. 1998. The Role of Introduced Species in the Degradation of Island Ecosystems: A Case History of Guam. Annual Review of Ecology, 29: 113-140.


Hilton-Taylor, C. 2000. 2000 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. United Kingdom: Cambridge.


Tate, G. April 11, 1934. Bats From the Pacific Islands Including a New Fruit Bat From Guam. American Museum Novitates, 713: 1-3.


Wiles, G. 1990. Recovery Plan for the Mariana Fruit Bat and Little Mariana Fruit Bat. USFWS.


Wiles, G. Fall 1990. Giving Flying Foxes a Second Chance. Bats, 8: 3-4.

2008/10/19 08:15:57.008 GMT-4

To cite this page: Rebitzke, J. 2002. "Pteropus tokudae" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed October 22, 2008 at animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Pteropus_tokudae.html.


Disclaimer: The Animal Diversity Web is an educational resource written largely by and for college students. ADW doesn't cover all species in the world, nor does it include all the latest scientific information about organisms we describe. Though we edit our accounts for accuracy, we cannot guarantee all information in those accounts. While ADW staff and contributors provide references to books and websites that we believe are reputable, we cannot necessarily endorse the contents of references beyond our control.

animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Pteropus_tokudae.html

[another specialist]

Australian Mammalogy

[Sebbe]

Taxonomy, distribution, and natural history of flying foxes (Chiroptera, Pteropodidae) in the Mortlock Islands and Chuuk State, Caroline Islands

This interesting paper includes an photograph of the male holotype.

www.pensoft.net/journals/zookeys/article/5840/taxonomy-distribution-and-natural-history-of-flying-foxes-chiroptera-pteropodidae-in-the-mortlock-islands-and-chuuk-stat

[Melanie]

Figure 4. Holotype skin of Pteropus tokudae. AMNH 87117, adult male, from Guam, collected 10 Aug
1931 by W.F. Coultas. Scale bar = 25 mm.

Buden DW, Helgen KM, Wiles GJ (2013) Taxonomy, distribution, and natural history of flying foxes (Chiroptera, Pteropodidae) in the Mortlock Islands and Chuuk State, Caroline Islands. ZooKeys 345: 97–135. doi: 10.3897/zookeys.345.5840

[surroundx]

Perez, Gerald S. A. (1972). Observations on Guam bats. Micronesica. 8: 141-149.

[surroundx]

Wiles, Gary J. (1987a). Current research and future management of Marianas fruit bats (Chiroptera: Pteropodidae) on Guam. Australian Mammalogy 10:93-95.