PTEHOPrs RODRICEXSIS. 273 



50. Pteropus rodriceusis, Dohson. 

 Pleropus rodriceusis, Dobsoii, Cat. .Cbir. B. M. p. 30. 



Pteropus rodricensis, Dobson, I. s. c. (1878 : Rodriguez) ; Trouessarf, 

 Rev. ^ Mag. Zool. (3) vi. p. 204 (1879 : Rodriguez) ; Dohson, 

 Rep. Brit. Assoc. 1878, p. 165 (1879 : remarks on habitat) ; J. An- 

 derson, Cat. Mamm. Ind. Mus. pt. i. p. 100 (1881: Rodriguez); 

 Trouessart, Cat. Mamm. i. p. 79 (1897 : Rodriguez). 



Pteropus rodericensis, Dobson, Cat. Chir. B. M. pi. iii. fig. 3 (head) 

 (1878) ; id., Phil. Trans, ckviii. p. 457 (1879 : Rodriguez). 



Pteropus (Spectrum) rodricensis, Matschie, Megachir. p. 30 (1899) ; 

 Trouessart, Cat. Mamm., Suppl. p. 54 (1904). 



Pteropus mascarinus. Mason, Ann. Sr Mag. N. H. (7) xx. p. 220 

 (Sept. 1, 1907 : Round I., nr. Mauritius) ; K. Andersen, torn. 

 cit. p. 351 (Oct. 1907: critical remarks). 



Diagnosis. — Rostrum short, orbits small, mandible scarcely 

 heavier posteriorly than usual, m^, m^, and i^ conspicuously 

 reduced. Ears small, nearly concealed in fur. Fur rather long, 

 silky. Mantle orange-ochraceous, contrasting with uniform dark 

 brownish back and underparts. Forearm 124'5-127 mm. Hah. 

 Rodriguez. 



SkuU. — Deflection of brain-case moderate, alveolar line if pro- 

 jected backward passing through upper points of occipital condyles. 

 Rostrum short, slightly compressed laterally ; distance from tip of 

 postorbital process to gnathion less than from former point to 

 lambda ; front of orbit vertically above front of m'. Sagittal crest 

 well developed but low. Coronoid moderate, coronoid height of 

 mandible less than c-m^. 



Teeth. — Upper canines slightly recurved, cingulum well developed, 

 forming a distinct shelf at inner base of teeth, p' early deciduous, 

 not detectable in any of the individuals examined, some of which 

 are not quite full-grown. Posterior basal ledge of p' and p* well 

 developed, forming a distinct short shelf, the postero-external 

 corner of which (at least in p', as a rule also in p') is raised into a 

 minute pointed cusp ; a similar postero-external cusp generally 

 present in m'. Antero-internal basal portion of p^ rather more 

 differentiated than usual, forming one or two minute tubercles ; 

 corresponding portion of p'' and m' showing traces of similar 

 differentiation, m^ reduced, slightly larger than m^, subequal in 

 crown area to an upper incisor. — i^ conspicuously reduced, one- 

 fourth to one-sixth the bulk of i^, which is of normal size. 

 Cingulum of lower canines well developed, though narrower than 

 in upper ones, p, normal, about once and a half the bulk of i^. 

 Posterior basal ledge of p^, p,, and m^ strongly developed, raised 

 postero-externally into a well differentiated cusp ; indication of a 

 similar cusp generally detectable in m^. m^ reduced, subequal in 

 bulk to i^. 



Palate-ridges (one specimen, B.M. no. 76.3.11.1). — 5-|-5-|-3. 

 First ridge terminating laterally at front of canine ; second at buck 

 of canine ; third at front of p'' ; fourth at back of p' ; fifth at front 



