75.

New Caledonian Wattled Bat

Chalinolobus neocaledonicus

French: Chalinolobe de Nouvelle-Calédonie / German: Neukaledonien-Lappenfledermaus / Spanish: Calinolobo de Nueva Caledonia

Taxonomy. Chalinolobus neocaledonicus Revilliod in Sarasin & Roux, 1914,

Canala, North Province, New Caledonia.

Chalinolobus neocaledonicus is often considered a subspecies or synonym of C. gould, but is tentatively recognized as a distinct species here. Studies by C. R. Tidemann in 1986 concluded that the species could not be distinguished based on cranial measurements, but T. F. Flannery in 1995 retained C. neocaledonicus as a species because ofits distinguishing external features; its status as a species needs further testing using morphometrics and genetic data. Monotypic.

Distribution. New Caledonia (Grande Terre), with acoustic records across much of the island; also one from the nearby Loyalty Is (Lifou), but presence there needs confirmation.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 50-5 mm (holotype), tail 33-43-9 mm, ear 12 mm (holotype), hindfoot 6-1-9-6 mm, forearm 35-3-39-9 mm; weight 8:3-9-7 g (10-8-14-8 g in pregnant females). Muzzle is short and face is short and flat, with large nasal swellings on either side of rostrum. Pelageis long, soft, and silky; dorsum is uniformly dark brown with slight reddish hue, with a tuft of brighter brown hair behind each ear; ventral pelageis lighter ashy yellowish-brown, grading from darkest and brownest on chest to almost completely yellow in anal region at base of uropatagium. Membranes, digits, ears, and face are dark brown. Ears are short and broad, with ribbing on inner surface and small fleshy lobes on lower margin close to lips; tragus is pointed inward, rounded, and stubby. Fleshy lobe at corner of mouth is well developed, and extends onto lower lip. Uropatagium extendsto tip oftail. Skull is very similar (nearly indistinguishable) to that of Gould’s Wattled Bat (C. gould).

Habitat. Preferences are not known, but the three known roosts are all in buildings, and holotype was collected in a house. The New Caledonian Wattled Bat was not found while mist netting in forest, and it may prefer more open habitats.

Food and Feeding. New Caledonian Wattled Bats appear to forage for insects in open habitats.

Breeding. Pregnant females were captured in October and November; births probably occur in late November and December.

Activity patterns. The New Caledonian roosts have been located in the roofs of buildings in North and South provinces. Call shapeis a steep FM/QCF sweep with the following parameters recorded: average maximum frequency 46-3 kHz, peak frequency 34-6 kHz, minimum frequency 33-1 kHz, and call duration 10 milliseconds (all during foraging in open areas). Calls emitted by released individuals had average maximum frequency of 76-1 kHz, peak frequency 39-5 kHz, minimum frequency 28-8 kHz, and call duration 2 milliseconds.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Known roosts harbor 200-500 bats.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Endangered on The IUCN Red List. The New Caledonian Wattled Bat is considered rare and is only known from six localities, with roosts located in three towns: Hiengheéne (North Province), and Paita and Sarraméa (South Province). They are known from few specimens and several attempts to locate the species in the 1990s failed to find any individuals. However, three colonies roosting in buildings were subsequently discovered in 2002 in Hienghene, 2004 in Paita, and 2005 in Sarraméa. With 200-500 individuals per roost, a maximum population of 1500 individuals has been estimated, although this may rise with the potential discovery of more roosts. The species seems to be able to cohabit with humansas roosts were found in buildings. Current threats to the species are uncertain, but may include habitat loss, roost disturbance, and direct persecution by humans. They could be viewed as a pest because they roost in roofs.

Bibliography. Brescia (2008e), Flannery (1995a), Hand & Grant-Mackie (2012), Kirsch et al. (2002), Tidemann (1986).