44.

Lesser Papuan Pipistrelle

Pipistrellus papuanus

French: Pipistrelle papoue / German: Kleine Papua-Zwergfledermaus / Spanish: Pipistrela pequena de Papua

Other common names: Papuan Pipistrelle

Taxonomy. Vesperugo papuanus Peters & Doria, 1881,

“Salawati [Island],” West Papua, Indonesia.

Pipistrellus papuanus has been included under P. tenuis but is considered a distinct species based on morphology. Monotypic.

Distribution. E New Guinea, Seram, Ambon, Batanta, Salawati, Biak-Supiori, Dolak, New Ireland, and New Britain Is as well as Kai, Aru, Fergusson, and Samarai Is.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 33.-9-50 mm, tail 22-35 mm, ear 7-5-1383 mm, hindfoot 4-5-9 mm, forearm 27-32-2 mm; weight 3-9-5-8 g. Dorsal pelage of the Lesser Papuan Pipistrelle is dark brown; ventral pelage is pale brown, with some whitish hairs intermixed. Skin on face, ears, arms, and wing membranes are medium brown. Uropatagium is lightly furred, with cinnamon brown hair along venation; forearm is lightly furred under humerus. Ears are narrow and subtriangular, with rounded tips; basal lobe of tragus is not as developed as in the Forest Pipistrelle (P. adamst), but the rest of tragus is like that of latter species. Uropatagium stretches nearly to end of tail (only extreme tip is free), and postcalcarial lobe is elongated. Glans penis is similar to that of the Forest Pipistrelle but with shorter and broader distal projecting lobe and very reduced dorsal distal fold. Baculum is short, with broad base, relatively broad uncurved shaft, and bifurcated tip (for last 10-20% of baculum). Skull is small, fragile, flat, and generally similar to the Northern Pipistrelle ( P. westralis) in most aspects; I” is usually less than the height of posterior cusp of I* and does not extrude from tooth row; P* is less than one-half the height of P* and slightly extrudes from tooth row; and lower molars are nyctalodont.

Habitat. Generally associated with towns, villages, and gardens (particularly in lowland areas) and undisturbed lowland forests from sea level up to elevations of ¢. 1300 m.

Food and Feeding. The Lesser Papuan Pipistrelle is insectivorous.

Breeding. Pregnant and lactating Lesser Papuan Pipistrelles have been captured in two major peaks in Papua New Guinea: March-April and August-September. Maternity colonies have been observed in August. In Wau, eastern Papua New Guinea, they appear to breed continuously year-round, with pregnant and lactating females and immature individuals being captured year-round. Wau does not vary in temperature and precipitation throughout the year, as do some other regions of New Guinea, which might allow continuous breeding.

Activity patterns. Lesser Papuan Pipistrelles emerge shortly before dusk to forage in urban areas and plantations. They roost in buildings and hollows in trees. Call shape is very steep FM.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Lesser Papuan Pipistrelles commonly roost in colonies of several hundred individuals. Colonies of 40-50 individuals have frequently been reported in cavities in coconut trees. It seems to form maternity colonies with hundreds of individuals.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. The Lesser Papuan Pipistrelle has a wide distribution,is tolerant to habitat modification, has a presumably large population, and does not seem to face any major threats. It appears to tolerate humans and might have extended its distribution as humans spread through the region.

Bibliography. Aplin & Opiang (2009), Bonaccorso (1998), Bonaccorso & Reardon (2008g), Flannery (1995a, 1995b), Grinnell & Hagiwara (1972), Hill & Harrison (1987), Kitchener et al. (1986), Woolley & Allison (1996).