Records of the Western Australian Museum 17: 61-67 (1995). 
Morphological variation in Pteropus lombocensis (Chiroptera: 
Pteropodidae) in Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia 
D.J. Kitchener 1 , W.C. Packer 1 and Maharadatunkamsi 2 
'Western Australian Museum, Francis Street, Perth, Western Australia 6000 
'Museum Zoologicum Bogoriense, LIPI, Jalan Ir. H. Juanda 9, Bogor, Indonesia 16122 
Abstract - Recent terrestrial vertebrate faunal surveys in Nusa Tenggara, 
Indonesia, collected specimens of Pteropus lombocensis from islands from 
which the species had not previously been reported (Sumbawa, Lembata and 
Pantar), as well as from Lombok, Fiores and Alor Islands. 
A univariate and multivariate statistical analysis of 28 morphological (skull 
dentary, dental and external) characters showed that adult P. lombocensis was 
not sexually dimorphic, but that significant variation occurred, particularly 
in dental characters, between the island populations. 
Two subspecies are recognised in P. lombocensis. These are the western 
form, P. 1. lombocensis Dobson, 1878 (Lombok and Sumbawa Islands), and the 
eastern form, P. 1. Iteudei Matschie, 1899 (Flores, Lembata, Pantar and Alor). 
INTRODUCTION 
Andersen (1912) stated that the members of the 
Pteropus lombocensis group were characterised by 
their small size (forearm length 94-127 mm); short 
and broad rostrum; conspicuously reduced M y M 2 
and I ( ; I y one-quarter to one-sixth the bulk of I 2 ; 
ears moderate or short; tibia furred dorsally, 
except in the species from the Caroline Islands; hair 
pale or dark brown dorsally with a buffy mantle, 
except in the Caroline Islands species which is a 
darker brown. 
Andersen (1912) recognised two species from the 
P. lombocensis group in Indonesia; these were both 
restricted to Nusa Tenggara. They were P. 
lombocensis Dobson, 1978 (Lombok Island - the 
type locality and Flores Island) and P. solitarius K. 
Andersen, 1908 (Alor Island). The form P. heudei 
Matschie, 1899 from Flores Island, was originally 
described by Heude (1896) as P. tricolor but this 
name was preoccupied. Andersen (1912) and Hill 
in Corbet and Hill (1992) considered P. heudei 
synonymous with P. lombocensis. Hill (op cit.) also 
considered P. solitarius a subspecies of P. 
lombocensis. 
A series of terrestrial vertebrate surveys 
throughout islands in southern Indonesia between 
1987 and 1993 by staff from both the Western 
Australian Museum and Museum Zoologicum 
Bogoriense, resulted in the collection of a series of 
P. lombocensis from Lombok, Sumbawa, Flores, 
Lembata, Pantar and Alor islands. This is a much 
more extensive series of specimens than was 
hitherto available for study. They are also the first 
records of the species from Sumbawa, Lembata 
and Pantar islands. 
This paper reports on an examination of mor¬ 
phological variation among island populations 
of P. lombocensis and evaluates this variation in the 
context of their subspecific taxonomy. 
MATERIALS AND METHODS 
A total of 30 adult specimens (listed in specimens 
examined section) was examined. These were from 
Lombok Island (88 8, 32 2); Flores Island (18,12); 
Lembata Island (288, 62 2); Pantar Island (42 2) 
and Alor Island (28 8, 32 2). Additionally four 
subadult specimens were examined from Sumbawa 
Island. The localities of these specimens are shown 
in Figure 1. All specimens are currently lodged in 
the Western Australian Museum. 
Eighteen measurements of skull, dentary and 
dental characters and 10 of external body charac¬ 
ters (all in mm) were recorded from adult speci¬ 
mens. 
The measurements recorded were GSL, greatest 
skull length; CBL, condylobasal length; PL, palatal 
length; MFW, mesopterygoid fossa breadth; RL, 
rostrum length, from anteriormost internal margin 
of orbit to posterior margin of nares; IOB, 
minimum interorbital breadth; ZW, zygomatic 
width; BB, braincase breadth above zygoma; DL, 
dentary length; OC 1 , width across C' to C from 
the labial side at alveoli; P'P\ palatal breadth 
measured between posterior upper premolars; 
M‘M‘, width across M 1 to M 1 from the labial side at 
alveoli; C'M 2 , upper maxillary tooth row length; 
CjM,, lower canine to M 3 length; PL, middle upper 
premolar crown length; P 3 B; middle upper 
premolar crown breadth; M’L, first upper premolar 
