Melonycteris melanops

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

Bibliography

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	MAMMALIA	CHIROPTERA	PTEROPODIDAE

Scientific Name:

Melonycteris melanops

Species Authority:

Dobson, 1877

Common Name/s:

English

–

Black-bellied Blossom Bat, Bismarck Blossom Bat, Black-bellied Fruit Bat

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Least Concern ver 3.1

Year Assessed:

2008

Assessor/s:

Bonaccorso, F., Helgen, K., Allison, A. & Hamilton, S.

Reviewer/s:

Lamoreux, J. (Global Mammal Assessment Team), Racey, P.A., Medellín, R. & Hutson, A.M. (Chiroptera Red List Authority)

Justification:
This species is listed as Least Concern in view of its presumed large population, its tolerance of degraded habitat, and because it is unlikely to be declining at nearly the rate required to qualify for listing in a threatened category.

History:

1996

–

Lower Risk/least concern (Baillie and Groombridge 1996)

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	This species is endemic to Papua New Guinea where it has been recorded from the islands of Duke of York, Mioko, New Britain, Tolokiwa, Umboi, Dyal, and New Ireland (Bonaccorso 1998; Flannery 1995). It is found from sea level up to 1,600 m asl. It may also occur on Sakar and Lavongai.
Countries:	Native: Papua New Guinea
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	It is a common and widespread species.
Population Trend:	Stable

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	This species has been recorded from disturbed forest and gardens (including stands of banana trees) and cocoa plantations. It "thrives in close association with humans where cultivated bananas occur in much higher density than do wild bananas in primary forest" (Bonaccorso et al. 2005). It appears to be rare in primary tropical forest. The species roosts primarily in foliage, but also on rocky outcrops. Individuals have home ranges of about 5 hectares and are highly territorial (Bonnacorso et al. 2005). It probably has two litters of a single young annually (Bonaccorso 1998; Flannery 1995).
Systems:	Terrestrial

Habitat and Ecology:

This species has been recorded from disturbed forest and gardens (including stands of banana trees) and cocoa plantations. It "thrives in close association with humans where cultivated bananas occur in much higher density than do wild bananas in primary forest" (Bonaccorso et al. 2005). It appears to be rare in primary tropical forest. The species roosts primarily in foliage, but also on rocky outcrops. Individuals have home ranges of about 5 hectares and are highly territorial (Bonnacorso et al. 2005). It probably has two litters of a single young annually (Bonaccorso 1998; Flannery 1995).

Systems:

Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	There appear to be no major threats to this species.

Major Threat(s):

There appear to be no major threats to this species.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	There are no recommended conservation measures for this species.

Conservation Actions:

There are no recommended conservation measures for this species.

Bibliography [top]

	Bonaccorso, F. 1998. Bats of Papua New Guinea. Conservation International, Washington, DC, USA. Bonaccorso, F. J., Winkelmann, J. R. and Byrnes, D. G. P. 2005. Home range, territoriality, and flight time budgets in the black-bellied fruit bat, Melonycteris melanops (Pteropodidae). Journal of Mammalogy 86(5): 931-936. Flannery, T. F. 1995. Mammals of the South-West Pacific and Moluccan Islands. Comstock/Cornell, Ithaca, Ny, USA.

Bonaccorso, F. 1998. Bats of Papua New Guinea. Conservation International, Washington, DC, USA.

Bonaccorso, F. J., Winkelmann, J. R. and Byrnes, D. G. P. 2005. Home range, territoriality, and flight time budgets in the black-bellied fruit bat, Melonycteris melanops (Pteropodidae). Journal of Mammalogy 86(5): 931-936.

Flannery, T. F. 1995. Mammals of the South-West Pacific and Moluccan Islands. Comstock/Cornell, Ithaca, Ny, USA.

Citation:	Bonaccorso, F., Helgen, K., Allison, A. & Hamilton, S. 2008. Melonycteris melanops. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 10 February 2012.
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