SYCOXYCTERIS. 771 



31. SYCONYCTERIS, Matsrhie. 



J/aci-oglossus (pt.), Dobsou, Cat. Ohir. E. M. p. 95. 



Type. 

 1899. Syconj-cteris (subgenus of Macron/fossils), Matschie, 



Megachir. pp, 94, 98 S. austialis. 



Maci-oglossus Cpt.), Peters, MB. Ak. Berlin, 1867, p. 13, footnote 

 {Syconycteris ai(stralis) ; id., t. c. p. 870 (=M(ivroylussus-\-)Syco- 

 nycteris) ; Dobsou, Cat. Chir. B. M. p. 9o (187a: aa Peters); 

 Trouessart, Cat. Mamm. i. p. 90 (1897 : as Dobsou). 



Carponycteris (pt.), Thomas, Nov. Zool. ii. p. 10^5 (1895 : Sycony- 

 cteris crassu). 



Kiodotus (pt.), Trouessart, Cat. Mamm. ii. p. 1278 (1899 : Macro- 

 fftosstts-]- Syconycteris). 



Syconycteris, Matschie, I. c. (1899) ; Jejitink, Notes Leyd. Mus. 

 xxiii. p. 131 (1902: genericallj' distinct from Macror/lossus ■, 

 revision) ; Trouessart, Cat, Mamm., Suppl. p. 65 (1904 : sub- 

 genus of Carponycteris) ; Milier, Fain. •Si- Gen. Bats, p. 72 (1907 : 

 genus ; cbaraeters) ; AT. Andersen, Ann. •$• May. N. H. (8) vii. 

 p. G42 (1911 : revision of genus). 



Dlarpiosis. — Similar to Macroglossus, but upper incisors much 

 larger, outer lower incisor once and a lialf to twice the size of 

 inner, nv and m^ small (two species) or absent (one species); inter- 

 feraoral reduced to a narrow rim along tibia, calcar rudimentarj'. 

 Forearm ;j9-49 mm. [Three species, seven recognizable forms. 

 Hah. Austro-Malaya, south to Queensland.] 



The remarkable contrast in size between i^ and i^ is by itself suffi- 

 cient to distinguish Syconycteris from all other ilacroglossine genera. 

 From Macro: ilossus, to which it bears great resemblance externally 

 and with which it occurs together over the whole of its distribu- 

 tional area except (jueonsland, it is easily discriminated by any of 

 the characters given in the diagnosis (in dried skins the characters 

 of tlie interfemoral and calcar are often obscured by shrinkage) as 

 well as by having the lower incisors placed in a continuous row (in 

 Mucroylonsus a wide diastema between i, — ij, Syconycteris is the 

 only Macroglossine genus kno-svn to extend to Australia. 



Shall (fig. 7;3). — Essentially as in the eastern races of Macro- 

 fjlossus Idi/ochihis, but with rather heavier rostrum and shorter 

 infraorbital canal. Deflection of basicranial axis as in Mucroi/lossus 

 or slightly less, alveolar line if projected backward passing through 

 brain-case near upper extremity of interparietal, llostrum from 

 orbit to nares somewhat less than one-third of total length of skull, 

 slightly broader and deeper tlian in M. larjochilus (much more so 

 than in M. mininnis sohrinuR, fig. 70, p. 748) ; front of orbit above 

 m'^ Premaxillai proclivous to the same degree as in Macrotjlossn.s 

 and, as in that genus, solidly uuited anteriorly. Infraorbital canal 

 short (as in Eonycteris and Me</alo;/lossr(s), infraorbital foramen 

 vertically below front of orbit. i'ostorbital foramina jiresont. 

 Foramen ovale and rotundum coufluent or separated by only a 

 very thin bridge. Tympanies unmodified. Temporal ridges as a 



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