A new locality record for the bare-backed fruit-bat Dobsonia moluccensis (Quoy and Gaimard 1830)

Abstract

[Extract] The Bare-backed fruit bat Dobsonia moluccensis has previously been found only along the coastal regions of the Cape York Peninsula, east of the Great Dividing Range, and north of Cooktown (Lat. 15030'S). Both rainforest and other well timbered vegetation are known to be utilized by this species (Hall and Richards, 1979; Hall,1984).

On the night of June 1986, a single D. moluccensis was observed in a fruiting 6 m high fig tree in the Chillagoe Caravan Park, Chillagoe (Lat. 17 010'S). This bat was approached to within approximately 4 m and identification, based on the wings originating from the midline of the bat's back, was clearly made. Total observation time was approximately 5 minutes, after which the bat climbed up into the foliage at the top of the tree until it was no longer visible. It was not caught and its sex and reproductive status were not determined. Substantial 'fruit bat' activity was heard on this and the previous two nights, but whether this was a result of Dobsonia activity is not known.