Nyctimene albiventer
common tube-nosed fruit bat

Nyctimene albiventer occurs in the Halmahera Islands, Banda and Aru Islands, Bismarck Archipelago, Moluccas, New Guinea, Admiralty and Solomon Islands and the Cape York peninsula of Australia (Nowak, 1999; Boitani, 1982).

Known to inhabit primary and secondary rainforest, primary montane forest, sago swamp, and areas surrounding native gardens (Nowak, 1999).

N. albiventer is a medium-sized, yet robust fruit bat with a large, rounded head. These bats have large eyes, long, tubular nostrils that extend sideways from the face, and a short tail. The fur is soft and long, grayish brown above, but darker along mid-back and on the spinal stripe. The underparts are usually yellowish-white. The neck and sides are tinged with yellow-orange. The ears and wings are splattered with irregular yellow spots. This mottled fur may help them to remain concealed while hanging in their resting position (Nowak, 1999). The length of head and body about 8-9 cm. The forearm is 5.5-6 cm (2.2-2.4 in) long. These bats weigh up to 45 g (1.6 oz). (Boitani, 1982)

The lifespan of these bats has not been documented.

By day these bats roost singly on tree trunks or hanging from branches, well concealed by their protective coloration. The spots on the wings and ears look like splattered enamel paint and are sometimes chartreuse, a color common to tropical vegetation. At night tube-nosed bats feed on soft fruits and nectar, while either hovering in front of the blossoms or climbing among flower clusters (Boitani, 1982).

Although not much is know about how N. albiventer communicates, it is known to emmit high whistling calls in mid flight. Their peculiar nostrils may be an adaptation to their feeding habits or may function in sound production. The nasal tubes stretch and vibrate when the bat utters its high whistling call in flight (Boitani, 1982).

N. albiventer is known to mainly be a frugivore. However, Vestjens and Hall (1977) reported that the stomachs of three N. albiventer individuals contained insects. Most other stomachs contained fruit or vegetable matter. Earlier observations indicated that captive individuals prefer soft, juicy fruits and would not take insects that were offered.

In order to eat, the animal hangs horizontally or obliquely in a fruit bush with its thumbs inserted into the fruit. It turns its lips up on the fruit and bites off pieces with its lower jaw. The upper teeth aid the lips in supporting the lower jaw. The bat shoves the bitten pieces toward its breast and the belly with its muzzle, then vhews them up to extract the juice. A fringe of fleshy lobes on the inner edge of the lips seems to assist the bat in this processing. Captives that fed on guavas were not observed to bite into the inside of the fruit, and the nostrils did not come in contact with the fruit at any time. The pulp of young coconuts is also eaten (Nowak, 1999).

Foods eaten include: soft fruit, nectar and some insects.

Predation upon these bats has not been reported. However, it is thought that the mottled pattern on the fur may help them to remain concealed while they are in their resting position (Nowak, 1999).

Since N. albiventer is a frugivore, it may play an essential role in seed dispersal for many of the local plant species.

These bats are not known to have a negative impact on human economies.

There are no known positive interactions between these bats and humans.

These bats have no special conservation status. However, several members of the genus are near threatened, vulnerable, or critically endangered according to the IUCN. Habitat destruction seems to be the principle threat to the genus, and it is likely that deforestation could eventually affect N. albiventer as well as its close relatives.

There appears to be considerable active debate regarding the taxonomy of this genus of bats. Authorities sometimes split populations on different islands into different species or subspecies. Other authorities lump various island populations together as a single species. It is likely that these problems of taxonomy affect whether species are viewed as threatened or endangered (Nowak, 1999).