The little red flying-fox (''Pteropus scapulatus'') is a
megachiropteran bat native to northern and eastern
Australia. The species weighs about half a kilogram, one
US pound, and is the smallest species of ''
Pteropus
''Pteropus'' (suborder Yinpterochiroptera) is a genus of megabats which are among the largest bats in the world. They are commonly known as fruit bats or flying foxes, among other colloquial names.
They live in South Asia, Southeast Asia, Aust ...
'' in mainland Australia. ''P. scapulatus'' occurs at the coast and further inland, camping and flying to the tropical to temperate regions that provide them with an annual source of nectar. They exhibit an unusual method of obtaining drinking water during dry periods, skimming a stream's surface to gather it onto their fur while they are in flight.
Taxonomy
The first description was published by
Wilhelm Peters
Wilhelm Karl Hartwich (or Hartwig) Peters (22 April 1815 in Koldenbüttel – 20 April 1883) was a German naturalist and explorer.
He was assistant to the anatomist Johannes Peter Müller and later became curator of the Berlin Zoological Muse ...
in 1862, as a 'new species of ''flederhund'' from
New Holland'.
The type specimen was collected at
Cape York peninsula
Cape York Peninsula is a large peninsula located in Far North Queensland, Australia. It is the largest unspoiled wilderness in northern Australia.Mittermeier, R.E. et al. (2002). Wilderness: Earth’s last wild places. Mexico City: Agrupació ...
. The population gives its name to the ''scapulatus'' species group', as recognised by authors in the late twentieth century.
''Pteropus scapulatus'' is well known and referred to by many names, these include the 'collared' flying-fox or fruit-bat, the reddish fruit-bat and little reds.
Description
A flying mammal of the
pteropodid family,
frugivorous
A frugivore is an animal that thrives mostly on raw fruits or succulent fruit-like produce of plants such as roots, shoots, nuts and seeds. Approximately 20% of mammalian herbivores eat fruit. Frugivores are highly dependent on the abundance an ...
bats with simple dog-like heads, often found roosting closely together in large numbers. The characteristic absence of a tail distinguishes these 'flying-foxes' from other bats in Australia.
The wing is extended with a forearm measuring 120 to 150 millimetres in length, the head and body combined is 125 to 200 mm. The length from the tip to base of the ear is 29 to 40 mm, and these are quite prominent for an Australian 'flying-fox'.
A measured weight range of 300 to 600 grams, gives the species an average mass of 450 grams.
The colour of the
pelage
Fur is a thick growth of hair that covers the skin of mammals. It consists of a combination of oily guard hair on top and thick underfur beneath. The guard hair keeps moisture from reaching the skin; the underfur acts as an insulating blanket ...
is reddish brown, the short fur appearing over most of the body and more sparsely at the lower part of the leg. The fur at the head is a dark to light shade of grey. Creamy-white hair may appear at the shoulders, or a pale yellowish patch found between these.
The
patagium of the wing is a pale brown colour, and somewhat translucent while the bat is in flight.
''Pteropus scapulatus'' emits an abrupt 'yap' sound, accompanied by a variety of screeches, squeals and twittering noises, voiced at a high-pitch. They resemble other species found in Australia, the bare legs, reddish fur colour, and the paler near-transparent wings distinguish it from the grey-headed species ''
Pteropus poliocephalus
The grey-headed flying fox (''Pteropus poliocephalus'') is a megabat native to Australia. The species shares mainland Australia with three other members of the genus ''Pteropus'': the little red '' P. scapulatus'', spectacled '' P. conspicilla ...
'', and the larger and black fruit-bat ''
Pteropus alecto
The black flying fox or black fruit bat (''Pteropus alecto'') is a bat in the family Pteropodidae. It is among the largest bats in the world, but is considerably smaller than the largest species in its genus, ''Pteropus''. The black flying fox ...
''. Their appearance closely resembles ''
Pteropus macrotis'', which occurs at and north of
Boigu Island
Boigu Island (also known as Malu Kiyay or Malu Kiwai) is the most northerly inhabited island of Queensland and of Australia. It is part of the Top Western group of the Torres Strait Islands, which lie in the Torres Strait separating Cape York Pe ...
.
Behaviour
The largest range of all the species, extending further inland than the others of the family, ''Pteropus scapulatus'' will also decamp and roam widely to increase their food availability.
The primary source of food for this species is obtained from ''
Eucalyptus
''Eucalyptus'' () is a genus of over seven hundred species of flowering trees, shrubs or mallees in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. Along with several other genera in the tribe Eucalypteae, including '' Corymbia'', they are commonly known as e ...
'' and ''
Corymbia'' blossoms.
Their diet consists of nectar and pollen of these
eucalypt
Eucalypt is a descriptive name for woody plants with capsule fruiting bodies belonging to seven closely related genera (of the tribe Eucalypteae) found across Australasia:
''Eucalyptus'', ''Corymbia'', ''Angophora'', '' Stockwellia'', ''Allosyn ...
s and is responsible for the much of their
pollination
Pollination is the transfer of pollen from an anther of a plant to the stigma of a plant, later enabling fertilisation and the production of seeds, most often by an animal or by wind. Pollinating agents can be animals such as insects, birds, a ...
, the irregular flowering periods induce the camps to forage in new areas.
The nectar of ''
Melaleuca'' species is also favoured, and they are attracted to other native and cultivated fruiting trees.
''P. scapulatus'' camps may become large groups of tens of thousands, with records of some colonies of over one hundred thousand individuals.
This species gives birth 6 months later than the other mainland flying fox species, in April and May,
this may be to avoid exposing a newborn to the high temperatures of the northern austral summer.
The populous and conspicuous camps of ''P. scapulatus'' attract a number of larger predators. including both terrestrial and aerial hunters.
The sea eagle ''
Haliaeetus leucogaster
The white-bellied sea eagle (''Haliaeetus leucogaster''), also known as the white-breasted sea eagle, is a large diurnal bird of prey in the family Accipitridae. Originally described by Johann Friedrich Gmelin in 1788, it is closely related t ...
'' will capture these bats in flight as they leave their roosts.
The snake species ''
Morelia spilota
''Morelia spilota'', commonly referred to as the carpet python, is a large snake of the family Pythonidae found in Australia, New Guinea (Indonesia and Papua New Guinea), Bismarck Archipelago, and the northern Solomon Islands. Many subspecies are ...
'' is frequently found as a resident at these camps, lazily selecting an individual from the apparently unconcerned group at a branch. The bat is seized in the jaws and encircled by the python's body, then swallowed head first to be digested over the next week.
The arid climate in parts of the range will prompt the species to seek water in the late afternoon, and this provides an opportunity for freshwater crocodile species ''
Crocodylus johnstoni'' found across the
Top End
The Top End of Australia's Northern Territory is a geographical region encompassing the northernmost section of the Northern Territory, which aside from the Cape York Peninsula is the northernmost part of the Australian continent. It covers a ra ...
and northern parts of the continent.
A
National Geographic Channel special program (''World's Weirdest: Flying Foxes'') documents that the little red flying fox will skim the surface of rivers, then lap the water from their fur; this can put them in within reach of the crocodiles snapping in the air.
The 'freshies', as these crocodilians are locally known, will also place themselves beneath the overhanging roosts of this species, and employ a strategy of thrashing at the shoreline to induce panic and aerial collisions.
The species are quick and adept swimmers, presumably due to the advantages in surviving and escaping immersion in water.
Larger camps are formed during the breeding period, around October to November, and reduce in size as the birthing period approaches, during March to April.
Females start to form separate maternity colonies as gestation advances, and they may join other ''Pteropus species'' at their roosts, the births occur in April to May after the dispersal of the larger camp. When the camp regroups later in the year the juveniles gather at their own roosts, joining the breeding camp at the next season when they have become sexually mature.
The habitat of roost sites is often composed of wet understorey which provides a temperate
microclimate
A microclimate (or micro-climate) is a local set of atmospheric conditions that differ from those in the surrounding areas, often with a slight difference but sometimes with a substantial one. The term may refer to areas as small as a few squ ...
. The 'little reds' will seek to roost closely with others, their combined weight may break branches as they join the camp at a tree. The species is susceptible to
heat stroke
Heat stroke or heatstroke, also known as sun stroke, is a severe heat illness that results in a body temperature greater than , along with red skin, headache, dizziness, and confusion. Sweating is generally present in exertional heatstroke, ...
, and many individuals die when suitable roost sites are unavailable. The disturbance to camps by human intervention during hot weather may cause the deaths of thousands of these bats.
Distribution and habitat
''Pteropus scapulatus'' has a wide distribution range across the north and east of Australia, occupying coastal and sub-coastal regions. The western extent is restricted to coastal areas of
northwest Australia, as far south as
Shark Bay, and through the tropical and subtropical areas of the north and east to New South Wales and Victoria. The species is only occasionally found extending their range to the southeast of South Australia.
The appearance of ''P. scapulatus'' in New Zealand is regarded as accidental.
The range of the Australian
pteropodid bats is bounded by areas of lower rainfall and more temperate climate, this species and the other flying-foxes are absent from the south and west of the continent.
The camps of ''P. scapulatus'' are found close to streams, they leave these at night to forage in woodland and forests in temperate to tropical regions.
A well known colony exists at the
Mataranka Hot Springs
Elsey is a national park in the Northern Territory of Australia, extending from 2 km to 19 km east of Mataranka and 378 km southeast of Darwin.
Features of the park include Mataranka Falls, and the “Mataranka Thermal Pools” ...
, an attraction that has also been discouraged from inhabiting the site for the odour of their camps.
Colonies of ''P. scapulatus'' are recognised as important contributors to woodland ecology, acting as a major pollinator of trees that provide nectar at night.
The
eucalypt
Eucalypt is a descriptive name for woody plants with capsule fruiting bodies belonging to seven closely related genera (of the tribe Eucalypteae) found across Australasia:
''Eucalyptus'', ''Corymbia'', ''Angophora'', '' Stockwellia'', ''Allosyn ...
s and other trees of riparian zones in the
Murray Darling Basin will also be visited in productive seasons.
During the austral summer, colonies join the diverse species of bats around the Brisbane cityscape to feed on the blossoms of the pink bloodwood ''
Corymbia intermedia
''Corymbia intermedia'', commonly known as the pink bloodwood, is a species of medium to tall tree that is endemic to north-eastern Australia. It has rough, tessellated bark on the trunk and branches, flower buds in groups of seven, white flow ...
''.
Along the
Brisbane River they share many roost sites with the grey-headed fruit-bat, ''P. poliocephalus'', most notable of these is the
Indooroopilly Island, known to be an old bat campsite, whose occupants are seen flying around the area after dusk. They also occupy a well established colony at
Ipswich, Queensland, close to that state's capital.
Public perception
![Little Red Flying Foxes](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/52/Little_Red_Flying_Foxes.jpg)
This species of flying fox hangs in a different way from other mainland species. The larger species tend to hang an arm's length apart, but the little reds tend to clump together so they may hang in groups of 20 or more animals on an individual branch. So, these animals are associated with significant canopy and branch damage in camps where they reside. They also tend to appear in very large numbers (20,000 or more) and the footprint of a camp can expand rapidly for the several weeks or months they remain at a site. Their large numbers and the damage they cause to a camp site mean they are not very popular animals.
The opportunity presented by cultivated fruit trees to wandering little reds may encourage them to return in large numbers if the regular foods are not available, resulting in damage to fruit and trees; for this reason they have been perceived as a pest species by orchardists.
Negative public perception of the species has intensified with the discovery of three recently emerged zoonotic viruses that are potentially fatal to humans:
Hendra virus
Hendra virus (HeV), scientific name ''Hendra henipavirus'', is a bat-borne virus that is associated with a highly fatal infection in horses and humans. Numerous disease outbreaks in Australia among horses have been caused by Hendra virus. The Hend ...
,
Australian bat lyssavirus
''Australian bat lyssavirus'' (''ABLV''), originally named ''Pteropid lyssavirus'' (''PLV''), is a zoonotic virus closely related to the rabies virus. It was first identified in a 5-month-old juvenile black flying fox ('' Pteropus alecto'') col ...
(ABLV), and
Menangle virus
''Menangle pararubulavirus'', also called Menangle virus, is a virus that infects pigs, humans and bats.
History
Menangle virus was first identified in 1997 after a piggery in Menangle near Sydney, NSW, Australia experienced a high number o ...
. There are few records of human fatality resulting from interaction with bats, limited to the rare and deadly incidence of ABLV, and their parasites find human hosts unsuitable.
Conservation
![Little Red Flying-fox, Pteropus scapulatus Pengo](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1e/Little_Red_Flying-fox%2C_Pteropus_scapulatus_Pengo.jpg)
The animals are nomadic and difficult to track, as they tend not to live in urban areas. No accurate method in use currently can estimate the population to determine if it is stable or in decline. The species is very likely to be affected by the same factors that have seen the grey-headed flying fox and spectacled flying fox listed as threatened, that is, the destruction of foraging areas and roosting habitat.
"Little red flying-fox" accessed 3 July 2011
/ref>
A new bridge built near Noosa Heads
Noosa Heads is a coastal town and suburb in the Shire of Noosa, Queensland, Australia. In the , the suburb of Noosa Heads had a population of 4,484 people. It is a popular holiday destination.
Geography
The suburb is bounded to the west by We ...
was skirted over by the species leaving a nearby roost, resulting in fatal collisions with motor vehicles travelling across it; a sign warning motorists at the Monks Bridge displays an image of the bat and has subsequently reduced the number of incidents.
References
Further reading
* Speare, Rick, et al. (1997). "Australian bat lyssavirus infection in three fruit bats from north Queensland." ''Comm Dis Intell'' 1997; 21:117–120. Downloadable pdf at
External links
*ARKive
images and movies of the little red flying fox ''(Pteropus scapulatus)''
{{Taxonbar, from=Q559965
Bats of Australia
Mammals of Western Australia
Mammals of South Australia
Mammals of the Northern Territory
Mammals of Queensland
Mammals of New South Wales
Mammals of Victoria (Australia)
Pteropus
Mammals described in 1862
Taxa named by Wilhelm Peters