r54 



MACKOGLOSSUS. 



Odontonycteris. — A bat obtained by Dr. A. B. Meyer in the 

 Sanghir Islands and similar to Macro<jlossus in all respects but for 

 the presence of an " m' '"' on either side of the jaw, was described 

 by Jentink, in 1902 {I. c), as a new genus and species, Odonto- 

 nycteris meijeri ; the genus was accepted by Miller (1905 and 1907, 

 II. c), who had seen a second specimen (from Cagayan Sulu). If 

 the character were normal and constant, Odontonycteris would be 

 the only known Fruit-bat with three upper molars. But there 

 cannot, in the opinion of the writer, be the slightest doubt that 

 Odontonycteris was based on an individual with abnormal dentition. 

 In no other genus of Megachiroptera are dental anomalies of so 

 frequent occurrence as in Macroglossus, and on no point of the jaws 

 are these anomalies in Macroglossus so often met with as on that 

 occupied by the molar series. About seventy skulls have been 

 examined (representing all the forms recognized in this Catalogue), 

 and of these no less than eight exhibit anomalies in the number of 

 molars *, as follows (added, two instances from literature) : — 



cheek-teeth (instead of the normal formula, "^g) : — M. in. minimus, <$ ad., 

 Kangean Is., 10.4.6.15 ; m- on both sides and mj on right side absent. 



: — Specimen mentioned and figured by Temminck, Mon. Mamni. i. p. 192, 

 pi. XV. fig. 27; upper molars normal, in right mandible one molar 

 absent, in left mandible a supernumei-ary molar (" m^ ') present. 



: — 3/. I. nanus, ad., Aru Is., 10.3.3.3 ; an additional molar (" m4") in left 

 mandible. 



; — (1) M. m. minimus, 2 subad., Madura, 10.4.7.4 ; an additional molar 

 ( " m , ") in both halves of the mandible (it looks as if m, had been 

 divided into two separate teeth). 



(2) M. I. nanus, ad., Aru Is., 10.3.2.2 ; same anomaly. 



(3) M. sp., Temminck, Mon. Mamm. i. p. 192, pi. sv. fig. 26; same 

 anomaly. 



* Other dental anomalies observed (apart from those of the molars) : — 

 i' redoubled on both sides (3-3 upper incisors) : M, m. sobrinus, § ad., 



Patani, 3.2.6.17. 

 Eight i' and left i- abnormally broad and sharply bilobate at tips 



(beginning splitting of teeth; compare foregoing) : M.m. sobrinus, $ ad., 



Perak 98.11,29,1. 



