Anthops omatus, Thomas, 1888

Don E. Wilson & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2019, Hipposideridae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 9 Bats, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 227-258 : 235

23.

Solomons Leaf-nosed Bat

Anthops omatus

French: Anthopse des Salomen / German: Blumennasenfledermaus / Spanish: Anthops de Salomon

Other common names: lower-faced Bat

Taxonomy. Anthops omatus Thomas, 1888 ,

“Aola, Guadalcanar [= Guadalcanal Island], Solomon Islands.”

This species is monotypic.

Distribution. Solomon Is (Buka, Bougainville, Choiseul, Santa Isabel, Florida, and Guadacanal).

Descriptive notes. Head—body 46-6— 61 mm, tail 3-6-5 mm, ear 16-5-22 mm, hindfoot 9-5— 11 mm, forearm 48—53 mm; weight 8 g. The Solomons Leaf-nosed Bat has complex noseleaf with two supplementary leaflets and tridentate margin in posterior leaf, which is composed of three projections that rise, forming spherical cups. Tail is short, not reaching half of external border of membrane. On dorsum, base of pelage is black turning to silver and finishing again with black; fur of ventral part is also black-based changing to silver. Dental formula is I 1/2, C 1/1, P 2/2, M 3/3 (x2) = 30.

Habitat. Reported in primary lowland tropical forest as well as around human villages, flying close to buildings and houses. It can occur from sea level up to 200 m.

Food and Feeding. The Solomons Leaf-nosed Bat is thought to be a foliage-gleaning insectivore.

Breeding. Females probably give birth around November, as a female with a neonate was captured in this month.

Activity patterns. The Solomons Leaf-nosed Bat has not yet been encountered roosting in caves, and may be a tree-dweller. Echolocation call frequency is c.75 kHz.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Data Deficient on The IUCNRed List. Population size and trends of the Solomons Leaf-nosed Bat are not yet known. Even so, there is probably not a strong fragmentation of its population. There seem to be no major threats to this species, although it might be increasingly affected by habitat loss. More research is needed to assess and study its population status and ecology.

Bibliography. Bonaccorso (1998), Collen (2012), Hamilton (2008a), Lavery eta/. (2013), Miller (1907).

Figures

1. Arabian Trident Leaf-nosed Bat (Asellia arabica), 2. Somalian Trident Leaf-nosed Bat (Asellia italosomalica), 3. Patrizi’s Trident Leaf-nosed Bat (Asellia patrizii), 4. Geoffroy’s Trident Leaf-nosed Bat (Asellia tridens), 5. Greater Leaf-nosed Bat (Doryrhina camerunensis), 6. Telefomin Leaf-nosed Bat (Doryrhina corynophyllus), 7. Cyclops Leaf-nosed Bat (Doryrhina cyclops), 8. Hill’s Leaf-nosed Bat (Doryrhina edwardshilli), 9. Fly River Leaf-nosed Bat (Doryrhina muscinus), 10. Semon’s Leaf-nosed Bat (Doryrhina semoni), 11. Northern Leaf-nosed Bat (Doryrhina stenotis), 12. Wollaston’s Leaf-nosed Bat (Doryrhina wollastoni), 13. Commerson’s Leaf-nosed Bat (Macronycteris commersonii), 14. Madagascar Cryptic Leaf-nosed Bat (Macronycteris cryptovalorona), 15. Giant Leaf-nosed Bat Macronycteris gigas rench: (Phyllorhine géante), 16. Sao Tome Leaf-nosed Bat Macronycteris thomensis rench: Phyllorhine de (Sao Tomé), 17. Striped Leaf-nosed Bat (Macronycteris vittatus), 18. Dong Bac Trident Bat (Aselliscus dongbacanus), 19. Stoliczka’s Trident Bat (Aselliscus stoliczkanus), 20. Temminck’s Trident Bat (Aselliscus tricuspidatus), 21. East Asian Tailless Leaf-nosed (Bat Coelopsfrithii), 22. Malayan Tailless Leaf-nosed Bat (Coelops robinsoni), 23. Solomons Leaf-nosed Bat (Anthops omatus)

Distribution. Solomon Is (Buka, Bougainville, Choiseul, Santa Isabel, Florida, and Guadacanal).