Pteralopex pulchra
The Montane Monkey-faced Bat is a rare megabat found only on Guadalcanal Island within the Solomon Islands. This animal is the smallest in its genus, with one recorded individual weighing 280 g and measuring 161.8 mm from head to body. It is recognized by its distinct red eyes and a blackish face and back. The bat has black and white flight membranes and yellowish fur on its underside. Its wings connect near the spine, and it possesses large canine teeth. White fur grows at the bottom of its short, black ears.
Researchers believe this species lives in high-elevation forests more than 1,200 m above sea level. These bats evolved to fill ecological roles that large mammals usually occupy on continents. As frugivores, they perform the vital task of seed dispersal to maintain local biodiversity. Because the only specimen found was a lactating female captured in May, very little is known about their breeding habits. They are thought to live in small, isolated groups, perhaps consisting of fewer than 50 adults.
Finding these bats is difficult due to their specific and remote habitat. The primary threat to their survival is the clearing of forests in the montane regions of the Solomon Islands. Such deforestation puts any remaining populations at high risk of disappearing forever. Because they may depend heavily on resources found only in certain areas, their ability to recover from population losses is very limited. Despite several surveys, no new individuals have been documented since the first one was collected in 1990.
Written from the English Wikipedia article Montane monkey-faced bat (CC BY-SA 4.0).
These are open occurrence records, so they show where people looked for and recorded the Montane Monkey-faced Bat as much as where it lives. Cells are up to 25 km across, and every location is generalised to its cell.
Where and when you can expect to see Montane Monkey-faced Bat is calculated from observation density. No zones have been computed for this species yet.