Spatial and Temporal Movement Patterns of the Flying Fox, Pteropus tonganus, in American Samoa

2002 ◽  
Vol 66 (4) ◽  
pp. 1154 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandra Anne Banack ◽  
Gilbert S. Grant
Keyword(s):  
Movement Patterns ◽  
American Samoa ◽  
Pteropus Tonganus ◽  
Flying Fox

Effects of Cyclone Waka on flying foxes (Pteropus tonganus) in the Vava'u Islands of Tonga

2004 ◽  
Vol 20 (5) ◽  
pp. 555-561 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kim R. McConkey ◽  
Donald R. Drake ◽  
Janet Franklin ◽  
Filipe Tonga
Keyword(s):  
Secondary Forest ◽  
Vegetation Type ◽  
Cocos Nucifera ◽  
Absolute Number ◽  
Food Sources ◽  
Primary Forest ◽  
Flying Foxes ◽  
Pteropus Tonganus ◽  
Potential Food ◽  
Flying Fox

Severe tropical cyclones are a major cause of episodic mortality for Pacific Island flying foxes (large fruit bats). Many flying foxes starve after forests are stripped of food sources, and hunting by humans may also increase in the post-cyclone period. In December 2001, Cyclone Waka passed directly over the Vava'u Islands in the Kingdom of Tonga, western Polynesia. We visited the islands 6 mo later to survey the flying fox (Pteropus tonganus) population and assess availability of potential food items (fruit and flower) in primary, secondary and plantation forests. Less than 20% of the pre-cyclone bat population (surveyed in 1999–2001) remained 6 mo after the storm. The density of potential food trees in flower or fruit at this time was only 15% of pre-cyclone density, and the main species available were different in the two time periods. The highest density of potential food trees occurred in secondary forest (26 flowering or fruiting trees ha−1) and plantations (23 ha−1); primary forest offered the least food (18 ha−1). Since 65–70% of the land area has been converted to agricultural plantations, this vegetation type had the highest absolute number of food-bearing trees – almost seven times that of primary forest. Flowering coconuts (Cocos nucifera) were the most abundant food source overall and we suggest that this species may be important in sustaining flying foxes following severe storms.

scholarly journals Diurnal activity in the Samoan flying fox, Pteropus samoensis

1998 ◽  
Vol 353 (1375) ◽  
pp. 1595-1606 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. C. Thomson ◽  
A. P. Brooke ◽  
J. R. Speakman
Keyword(s):  
American Samoa ◽  
Time Of Day ◽  
Flight Activity ◽  
Biophysical Model ◽  
Data Sets ◽  
Activity Count ◽  
Study Sites ◽  
Increasing Temperature ◽  
Pteropus Samoensis ◽  
Flying Fox

Speakman and co–workers suggested the diurnal Samoan flying fox, Pteropus samoensis , may be at risk of hyperthermia when flying during the day, particularly at high levels of insolation. We monitored activity of this bat and climate simultaneously at two different sites and four times of year in American Samoa. Flight activity varied significantly with time of day, between days, study sites and seasons. Out of the six data sets collected, the four with the highest mean levels of insolation showed a significant decrease in bat numbers with increasing temperature and sunlight. When each individual activity count was directly compared to the predictions of Speakman and co–workers' biophysical model, 85 to 95% of bat flight activity was found to be in conditions the model suggested would not pose a risk of hyperthermia. This supports the suggestion that in extreme conditions the animals would not fly as they risked overheating. The 5 to 15% of counts in which animals were seen to fly in conditions the model predicted they should not may be explained by erroneous assumptions underlying the model predictions.

Harem Structure and Reproductive Behaviour of Pteropus tonganus In American Samoa.

1999 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 111
Author(s):  
G.S. Grant ◽  
S.A. Banack
Keyword(s):  
Mating System ◽  
Reproductive Biology ◽  
Post Partum ◽  
Reproductive Behaviour ◽  
American Samoa ◽  
Reproductive Status ◽  
Resource Defense ◽  
Resource Defense Polygyny ◽  
Female Defense Polygyny ◽  
Pteropus Tonganus

We studied the reproductive biology of Pteropus tonganus on Tutuila, American Samoa from 1992 to 1994. Pteropus tonganus typically roosts in colonies consisting of harem groups averaging 5.3 females per male and peripheral single males and groups of males. The mating system appeared to have elements of both female defense polygyny and resource defense polygyny. The reproductive status of females within harems varied throughout the year so that some females appeared non-pregnant while others were pregnant or nursed large young (up to about 3/4 the length of the female). Post-partum mating was frequent, especially with females that had small dependent young. Mating, pregnancy, birthing, and young of all sizes occurred year-round. However, some evidence of bimodal peaks occurred during January and June- August.

Predation on Pteropus tonganus By A Barn Owl in American Samoa.

1995 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 77 ◽  
Author(s):  
G.S. Grant ◽  
S.A. Banack
Keyword(s):  
American Samoa ◽  
Barn Owl ◽  
Pteropus Tonganus

NA

Electrophoretic studies of the systematic and biogeographic relationships of the Fijian bat genera Pteropus, Pteralopex, Chaerephon and Notopteris.

2003 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 13 ◽  
Author(s):  
S Ingleby ◽  
D Colgan
Keyword(s):  
New Caledonia ◽  
Solomon Islands ◽  
New Guinea ◽  
Single Species ◽  
Distinct Species ◽  
Allozyme Variation ◽  
The One ◽  
Pteropus Samoensis ◽  
Pteropus Tonganus ◽  
Flying Fox

Allozyme variation at 24 - 29 presumptive loci was used to examine the systematic relationships between Fijian bats and those from neighbouring areas such as Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, New Caledonia, New Guinea and Australia. Genetic data indicate that the Fijian bat fauna contains highly divergent taxa as well as some populations that are virtually indistinguishable electrophoretically from conspecifics in neighbouring islands groups, particularly species shared with Vanuatu. The endemic Fijian monkey-faced bat Pteralopex acrodonta, had a level of distinctiveness from two of its congeners in the Solomon Islands comparable to that between different genera. There was also considerable electrophoretic variation within what is generally considered a single species, the northern freetail-bat Chaerephon jobensis. The Australian form, C. j. colonicus, shows levels of divergence from the Fiji/Vanuatu subspecies, C. j. bregullae, consistent with that of a distinct species. C. j. solomonis from the Solomon Islands appears to represent a third species within this group. Moderate levels of divergence were found within the one subspecies of long-tailed flying-fox Notopteris macdonaldii sampled from Fiji and Vanuatu. In contrast to Pteralopex and Chaerephon, close affinities were found between and within several other southwest Pacific bat species, in particular, the two different subspecies of insular flying-fox Pteropus tonganus from Fiji, Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands. Low levels of genetic divergence were also found between P. tonganus and the morphologially similar spectacled flying-fox P. conspicillatus from Australia and New Guinea. The Samoan flying-fox Pteropus samoensis appeared to be most closely allied to the Temotu flying-fox Pteropus nitendiensis, from the Solomon Islands.

Cycloviruses, gemycircularviruses and other novel replication-associated protein encoding circular viruses in Pacific flying fox (Pteropus tonganus) faeces

2016 ◽  
Vol 39 ◽  
pp. 279-292 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maketalena F. Male ◽  
Simona Kraberger ◽  
Daisy Stainton ◽  
Viliami Kami ◽  
Arvind Varsani
Keyword(s):  
Protein Encoding ◽  
Pteropus Tonganus ◽  
Flying Fox

Seasonal roosts and foraging movements of the black flying fox (Pteropus alecto) in the Northern Territory: resource tracking in a landscape mosaic

1999 ◽  
Vol 26 (6) ◽  
pp. 823 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carol Palmer ◽  
J. C. Z. Woinarski
Keyword(s):  
Land Tenure ◽  
Radio Telemetry ◽  
Movement Patterns ◽  
Northern Territory ◽  
Foraging Habitat ◽  
Wet Season ◽  
Total Distance ◽  
Straight Line ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Flying Fox

Radio-telemetry was used to investigate roosting and movement patterns of the black flying fox (Pteropus alecto) in the seasonal tropics of the Northern Territory. Sixteen P. alecto were tracked during a 12-month period to 34 roosts and were recorded at 49 foraging sites. Pteropus alecto moved roosts seasonally, from bamboo and mangrove habitats in the dry season to rainforest in the wet season. All radio-collared male and female P. alecto roosted in rainforest during the major part of the wet season. Climatic influences may be responsible for this behaviour, with rainforest perhaps providing stable temperatures and shelter from the monsoonal rains. There was a significant seasonal difference in the distances moved by females between successive roosts. There was an association between roosting and foraging habitat: P. alecto roosting in bamboo and mangroves foraged predominantly in woodland, P. alecto roosting in rainforest foraged in Melaleucaspp. and rainforest habitat. Females covered greater distances from roosts to foraging locations than did males. Distances from roosts to foraging sites were reduced for males and females during the build- up season (September to November) and wet season (December to April). Seasonally, foraging habitat shifted both floristically and spatially with no significant difference between the sexes. The movements of one female P. alecto were recorded at hourly intervals over three consecutive nights at the beginning of the wet season. Movement patterns were very similar between nights and over these three nights she foraged in at least 7 distinct locations. The total distance moved per night was 15.5–19.9 km, including return distance to the roost, assuming straight-line movements between hourly fixes. Most foraging was done less than 6 km from the roost. The ratio of total distance moved in a night to the mean distance of forage sites from roosts was similar between nights (3.1–4.3), suggesting that a single roost site to forage site distance recorded during this study can provide an index of total foraging distance. Land tenure status identified for foraging and roosting positions recorded for P. alecto emphasises the lack of protection for habitats used by this species. Only 3% of foraging or roosting positions were recorded in any type of conservation reserve.

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