Haplonycteris fischeri

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:

Haplonycteris fischeri

Species Authority:

Lawrence, 1939

Common Name/s:

English

–

Fischer's Pygmy Fruit Bat, Philippine Pygmy Fruit Bat

Taxonomic Notes:

Allozyme variation was studied by Peterson and Heaney (1993) and Heaney et al. (2005). Substantial geographic mtDNA variation is evident in this species (Trina Roberts 2005 PhD thesis). In this account we include Sibuyan population within this species, although it was listed separately by Heaney et al. (1998).

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Least Concern ver 3.1

Year Assessed:

2008

Assessor/s:

Ong, P., Rosell-Ambal, G. & Tabaranza, B. & Heaney, L., Duya, P., Gonzalez, J.C., Balete, D. & Ramayla, S.

Reviewer/s:

Hutson, A.M., Racey, P.A. (Chiroptera Red List Authority) & Stuart, S.N. (Global Mammal Assessment Team)

Justification:
H. fischeri is assessed as Least Concern as it is common and widespread at higher elevations where threats to the species are minimal. It is tolerant of degraded habitats and occurs in a number of protected areas; its population is unlikely to be significantly declining.

History:

1996	–	Vulnerable
1994	–	Vulnerable (Groombridge 1994)

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	Haplonycteris fischeri is endemic to the Philippines. It is widespread through most of the country, excluding the Camiguin, Palawan, and Batanes/Babuyan faunal regions. It has been recorded from Biliran, Bohol, Catanduanes, Cebu (Cebu Cloud Forest Reserve) Dinagat, Leyte, Luzon (Albay, Aurora, Bataan, Cagayan, Camarines Sur, Isabela, Laguna, Quezon, Quirino, Tarlac, and Zambales provinces), Marinduque, Mindanao (Agusan del Norte, Bukidnon, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Davao Oriental, Lanao del Norte (R. Pamaong pers. comm. 2006), Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, South Cotabato, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Zamboanga del Norte, and Zamboanga del Sur provinces), Mindoro, Negros, Panay, Palaui, and Samar (J.C. Gonzalez pers. comm. 2006) (Heaney et al. 1998). The record from Palawan reported by Kock (1969) is probably erroneous, which is supported by recent failure to record this species on Palawan Island despite extensive netting there (Esselstyn et al. 2004; L. Heaney pers. comm. 2006). Records are from 150-2,250 m (Heaney et al. 1998).
Countries:	Native: Philippines
Range Map:	(click map to view full version)

Population [top]

Population:	This is one of the most common fruit bats in primary forest, especially at middle elevations; H. fischeri is often moderately common in secondary forest, and is also present in mixed agricultural habitats and second-growth forest (Heaney et al. 1998). Within forest the species abundance usually increases with elevation up to about 1,200-1,500 m asl, and then declines (Heaney et al. 1989, 1991, 1998, 2006; Heideman and Heaney 1989, Rickart et al. 1993). Patterns of abundance on Luzon are similar to those on other islands, but they are less abundant there overall. In a 2003 mist net survey on Mount Apo, Mindanao, Haplonycteris fischeri was common at lower elevation mossy-montane forest that had been subjected to habitat alteration (Godfrey et al. unpublished report).
Population Trend:	Stable

Population:

This is one of the most common fruit bats in primary forest, especially at middle elevations; H. fischeri is often moderately common in secondary forest, and is also present in mixed agricultural habitats and second-growth forest (Heaney et al. 1998). Within forest the species abundance usually increases with elevation up to about 1,200-1,500 m asl, and then declines (Heaney et al. 1989, 1991, 1998, 2006; Heideman and Heaney 1989, Rickart et al. 1993). Patterns of abundance on Luzon are similar to those on other islands, but they are less abundant there overall. In a 2003 mist net survey on Mount Apo, Mindanao, Haplonycteris fischeri was common at lower elevation mossy-montane forest that had been subjected to habitat alteration (Godfrey et al. unpublished report).

Population Trend:

Stable

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	The Philippine pygmy fruit bat inhabits lowland and montane, primary and secondary habitats, including mossy forest, and mixed agricultural habitats and second-growth forest. It exhibits an eight month delay in embryo development which gives a gestation period of 11.5 months, the longest known in bats (Heideman 1989). Females can become pregnant at the age of three to five months (Heideman 1989). The species is an important seed distributer.
Systems:	Terrestrial

Habitat and Ecology:

The Philippine pygmy fruit bat inhabits lowland and montane, primary and secondary habitats, including mossy forest, and mixed agricultural habitats and second-growth forest. It exhibits an eight month delay in embryo development which gives a gestation period of 11.5 months, the longest known in bats (Heideman 1989). Females can become pregnant at the age of three to five months (Heideman 1989). The species is an important seed distributer.

Systems:

Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	There are no major threats to H. fischeri, although populations, particularly those in the lowlands, have declined in recent decades as a result of habitat destruction by logging, and conversion to intensive agriculture, whereas highland populations have not been so badly affected (L. Heaney pers. comm. 2006).

Major Threat(s):

There are no major threats to H. fischeri, although populations, particularly those in the lowlands, have declined in recent decades as a result of habitat destruction by logging, and conversion to intensive agriculture, whereas highland populations have not been so badly affected (L. Heaney pers. comm. 2006).

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	H. fischeri occurs in a number of protected areas.

Conservation Actions:

H. fischeri occurs in a number of protected areas.

Bibliography [top]

	Esselstyn, J. A., Widmann, P. and Heaney, L. R. 2004. The mammals of Palawan Island, Philippines. Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington 117: 271-302. Heaney, L. R., Balete, D. S., Dolar, M. L., Alcala, A. C., Dans, A. T. L., Gonzales, P. C., Ingle, N. R., Lepiten, M. V., Oliver, W. L. R., Ong, P. S., Rickart, E. A., Tabaranza Jr., B. R. and Utzurrum, R. C. B. 1998. A synopsis of the Mammalian Fauna of the Philippine Islands. Fieldiana: Zoology 88: 1-61. Heaney, L. R., Gonzales, P. C., Utzurrum, R. C. B. and Rickart, E. A. 1991. The mammals of Cataduanes Island: Implications for the biogeography of small land-bridge islands in the Philippines. Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington 104(2): 399-415. Heaney, L. R., Heideman, P. D., Rickart, E. A., Utzurrum, R. B. and Klompen, J. S. H. 1989. Elevational zonation of mammals in the central Philippines. Journal of Tropical Ecology 5: 259-280. Heaney, L. R., Tabaranza Jr., B., Rickart, E. A., Balete, D. S. and Ingle, N. R. 2006. The Mammals of Mt. Kitanglad Nature Park, Mindanao, Philippines. Fieldiana: Zoology 112: 1-63. Heaney, L. R., Walsh Jr., J. S. and Peterson, A. T. 2005. The roles of geological history and colonization abilities in genetic differentiation between mammalian populations in the Phillipine archipelago. Journal of Biology 32: 229-247. Heideman, P. D. 1989. Delayed development in Fischer's pygmy fruit bat, Haplonycteris fischeri, in the Philippines. Journal of Reproduction and Fertility 85: 363-382. Heideman, P. D. and Heaney, L. R. 1989. Population biology and estimates of abundance of fruit bats (Pteropodidae) in Philippine submontane rainforest. Journal of Zoology (London) 218: 565-586. Kock, D. 1969. Dyacopterus spadiceus (Thomas 1890) auf den Philippinen (Mammalia, Chiroptera). Senckenbergiana Biologica 50: 1-7. Peterson, A. T. and Heaney, L. R. 1993. Genetic differentiation in Philippine bats of the genera Cynopterus and Haplonycteris. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 49: 203-218. Rickart, E. A. 1993. Diversity patterns of mammals along elevational and disturbance gradients in the Philippines: Implications for conservation. Asia Life Sciences 2: 251-260. Rickart, E. A., Heaney, L. R., Heidman, P. D. and Utzurrum, R. C. B. 1993. The distribution and ecology of mammals on Leyte, Biliran, and Maripipi islands, Philippines. Fieldiana: Zoology 72: 1-62.

Esselstyn, J. A., Widmann, P. and Heaney, L. R. 2004. The mammals of Palawan Island, Philippines. Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington 117: 271-302.

Heaney, L. R., Balete, D. S., Dolar, M. L., Alcala, A. C., Dans, A. T. L., Gonzales, P. C., Ingle, N. R., Lepiten, M. V., Oliver, W. L. R., Ong, P. S., Rickart, E. A., Tabaranza Jr., B. R. and Utzurrum, R. C. B. 1998. A synopsis of the Mammalian Fauna of the Philippine Islands. Fieldiana: Zoology 88: 1-61.

Heaney, L. R., Gonzales, P. C., Utzurrum, R. C. B. and Rickart, E. A. 1991. The mammals of Cataduanes Island: Implications for the biogeography of small land-bridge islands in the Philippines. Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington 104(2): 399-415.

Heaney, L. R., Heideman, P. D., Rickart, E. A., Utzurrum, R. B. and Klompen, J. S. H. 1989. Elevational zonation of mammals in the central Philippines. Journal of Tropical Ecology 5: 259-280.

Heaney, L. R., Tabaranza Jr., B., Rickart, E. A., Balete, D. S. and Ingle, N. R. 2006. The Mammals of Mt. Kitanglad Nature Park, Mindanao, Philippines. Fieldiana: Zoology 112: 1-63.

Heaney, L. R., Walsh Jr., J. S. and Peterson, A. T. 2005. The roles of geological history and colonization abilities in genetic differentiation between mammalian populations in the Phillipine archipelago. Journal of Biology 32: 229-247.

Heideman, P. D. 1989. Delayed development in Fischer's pygmy fruit bat, Haplonycteris fischeri, in the Philippines. Journal of Reproduction and Fertility 85: 363-382.

Heideman, P. D. and Heaney, L. R. 1989. Population biology and estimates of abundance of fruit bats (Pteropodidae) in Philippine submontane rainforest. Journal of Zoology (London) 218: 565-586.

Kock, D. 1969. Dyacopterus spadiceus (Thomas 1890) auf den Philippinen (Mammalia, Chiroptera). Senckenbergiana Biologica 50: 1-7.

Peterson, A. T. and Heaney, L. R. 1993. Genetic differentiation in Philippine bats of the genera Cynopterus and Haplonycteris. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 49: 203-218.

Rickart, E. A. 1993. Diversity patterns of mammals along elevational and disturbance gradients in the Philippines: Implications for conservation. Asia Life Sciences 2: 251-260.

Rickart, E. A., Heaney, L. R., Heidman, P. D. and Utzurrum, R. C. B. 1993. The distribution and ecology of mammals on Leyte, Biliran, and Maripipi islands, Philippines. Fieldiana: Zoology 72: 1-62.

Citation:	Ong, P., Rosell-Ambal, G. & Tabaranza, B. & Heaney, L., Duya, P., Gonzalez, J.C., Balete, D. & Ramayla, S. 2008. Haplonycteris fischeri. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 10 February 2012.
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