The little red flying-fox (''Pteropus scapulatus'') is a
megachiropteran bat native to northern and eastern
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...
. 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 – 20 April 1883) was a German natural history, naturalist and explorer.
He was assistant to the anatomist Johannes Peter Müller and later became curator of the Natural History Museum, ...
in 1862, as a 'new species of ''flederhund'' from
New Holland'.
The type specimen was collected at
Cape York Peninsula
The Cape York Peninsula is a peninsula located in Far North Queensland, Australia. It is the largest wilderness in northern Australia.Mittermeier, R.E. et al. (2002). Wilderness: Earth's last wild places. Mexico City: Agrupación Sierra Madre, ...
. 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 ...
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
A fur is a soft, thick growth of hair that covers the skin of almost all 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 ...
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
The patagium (: patagia) is a membranous body part that assists an animal in obtaining lift when gliding or flying. The structure is found in extant and extinct groups of flying and gliding animals including bats, theropod dinosaurs (inclu ...
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'', 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.
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 more than 700 species of flowering plants in the family Myrtaceae. Most species of ''Eucalyptus'' are trees, often Mallee (habit), mallees, and a few are shrubs. Along with several other genera in the tribe Eucalyp ...
'' and ''
Corymbia
''Corymbia'', commonly known as bloodwoods, is a genus of about one hundred species of tree that, along with ''Eucalyptus'', '' Angophora'' and several smaller groups, are referred to as eucalypts. Until 1990, corymbias were included in the g ...
'' blossoms.
Their diet consists of nectar and pollen of these
eucalypt
Eucalypt is any woody plant with Capsule (fruit), capsule fruiting bodies belonging to one of seven closely related genera (of the tribe Eucalypteae) found across Australia:
''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 (botany), stigma of a plant, later enabling fertilisation and the production of seeds. Pollinating agents can be animals such as insects, for example bees, beetles or bu ...
, the irregular flowering periods induce the camps to forage in new areas.
The nectar of ''
Melaleuca
''Melaleuca'' () is a genus of nearly 300 species of plants in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae, commonly known as paperbarks, honey-myrtles, bottlebrushes or tea-trees (although the last name is also applied to species of '' Leptospermum''). They ...
'' 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 (''Icthyophaga 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 ...
'' will capture these bats in flight as they leave their roosts.
The snake species ''
Morelia spilota
''Morelia spilota'', commonly known 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 recog ...
'' 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 ...
and northern parts of the continent.
A
National Geographic Channel
National Geographic (formerly National Geographic Channel; abbreviated and trademarked as Nat Geo or Nat Geo TV) is an American pay television network and flagship channel owned by the National Geographic Global Networks unit of Disney Enter ...
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 atmosphere of Earth, atmospheric conditions that differ from those in the surrounding areas, often slightly but sometimes substantially. The term may refer to areas as small as a few square m ...
. 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 heatstro ...
, 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
Shark Bay () is a World Heritage Site in the Gascoyne region of Western Australia. The area is located approximately north of Perth, on the westernmost point of the Australian continent.
UNESCO's listing of Shark Bay as a World Heritage S ...
, 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, 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 any woody plant with Capsule (fruit), capsule fruiting bodies belonging to one of seven closely related genera (of the tribe Eucalypteae) found across Australia:
''Eucalyptus'', ''Corymbia'', ''Angophora'', ''Stockwellia'', ''Allosyn ...
s and other trees of riparian zones in the
Murray Darling Basin
Murray may refer to:
Businesses
* Murray (bicycle company), an American bicycle manufacturer
* Murray Motor Car Company, an American car manufacturer
* Murrays, an Australian bus company
* Murray International Trust, a Scottish investment trus ...
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 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 flowers ...
''.
Along the
Brisbane River
The Brisbane River (Turrbal language, Turrbal: ) is the longest river in South East Queensland, Australia. It flows through the city of Brisbane, before emptying into Moreton Bay on the Coral Sea. John Oxley, the first European to explore the ...
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
Ipswich () is an urban centre within the City of Ipswich in South East Queensland, Australia. Situated on the Bremer River (Queensland), Bremer River, it is approximately 40 km (25 mi) west of the Brisbane central business district. Ipswich is ...
, close to that state's capital.
Public perception

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 (''Henipavirus hendraense'') is a zoonotic virus found solely in Australia. First isolated in 1994, the virus has since been connected to numerous outbreaks of disease in domestic horses and seven human cases. Hendra virus belongs to ...
,
Australian bat lyssavirus
Australian bat lyssavirus (ABLV) is a enzootic virus closely related to the rabies virus. It was first identified in a 5-month-old juvenile black flying fox (''Pteropus alecto'') collected near Ballina, New South Wales, Ballina in northern New ...
(ABLV), and
Menangle virus. 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
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 Suburbs and localities (Australia), suburb in the Shire of Noosa, Queensland, Australia. It is a popular holiday destination. In the , the suburb of Noosa Heads had a population of 5,120 people.
Geography
...
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 (state)
Pteropus
Mammals described in 1862
Taxa named by Wilhelm Peters