Specimens examined (20 males and 21 females; all in alcohol; ten crania extracted and cleaned).—Guadalcanal in May, 23863, 23915; Fauro in April, 23804-5; Malaita in June, 24079; Choiseul in March, 23563-4, 23616, 23627, 23630, 23632-3, 23642, 23658, 23663-4, 23680, 23692-3, 23713, 23722; Kolombangara in January and February, 23343, 23366, 23382-4, 23389-90, 23408-9, 23424, 23455, 23471-4, 23501.
Measurements.—Average and extreme external measurements of 13 males and 18 females are, respectively, as follows: Length of head and body, 104.4 (99-118), 108.6 (104-117); tail vertebrae, 16.8 (13-19), 17.6 (15-24); hind foot, 18.0 (16-19), 16.2 (12-18); ear, 15.9 (15-17), 15.0 (14-16); length of forearm, 70.1 (66.0-74.1), 68.1 (65.0-69.1). Average and extreme measurements of skulls of five males and five females are, respectively, as follows: Greatest length of skull, 33.2 (33.0-33.7), 31.5 (30.9-32.1); condylobasal length, 31.3 (30.9-31.9), 30.1 (29.3-30.8); palatal length, 14.0 (13.3-14.8), 13.3 (13.0-13.7); zygomatic breadth, 20.8 (19.8-21.8), 19.4 (18.7-20.8); length of maxillary tooth-row, 11.0 (10.9-11.3), 10.3 (10.1-10.6); length of mandibular tooth-row, 12.6 (12.4-12.9), 11.8 (11.7-12.2).
Remarks.—The specimens from Choiseul, Kolombangara, and Malaita islands provide new records of distribution for Rousettus amplexicaudatus hedigeri ([Fig. 3]). It was described as smaller than R. a. brachyotis Dobson, which is known from New Guinea, Amboina, and the Bismarck Archipelago (Pohle, 1953:127-128). Andersen (1912:809) gave the range of length of forearm in R. a. brachyotis as 73-81, whereas Pohle (1953:127) gave the length of forearm of the type specimen of R. a. hedigeri (adult male) as 67. Measurements of specimens examined by me indicate that hedigeri occurs throughout the Solomon Islands. Cranial measurements of my specimens and Pohle's type are less than those of R. a. brachyotis (see Andersen, 1912:48).
Sanborn (1931:11) noted that the forearms of three males examined by him were longer than that of a female. Mean and range for length of forearm of males and females listed herein, respectively, are 70.1 (66.0-74.1) and 68.1 (65.0-69.1). Also, each of seven cranial measurements taken by me averaged more in males than in females. Sagittal and lambdoidal crests are more prominent in males than in females.
Table 1. A Summary of Breeding Data for Females of Rousettus amplexicaudatus hedigeri Collected December to June.
| Month | Total number collected | Number adult ♀ ♀ collected | Number lactating | Number of immature individuals |
| December | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| January | 11 | 11 | 8 | 0 |
| February | 6 | 0 | — | 1 |
| March | 16 | 1 | 0 | 9 |
| April | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| June | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
As shown in [Table 1], adult females obtained in December and January were lactating when captured whereas those obtained in March, April, and June were not. More than half of the individuals collected in March were immature (judging from small size, unfused epiphyses, and lack of wear on teeth). The immature individuals probably had been nursing in December and January.
Pteralopex Thomas
1888. Pteralopex Thomas, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., ser. 6, 1:155, February 1.
1762. Pteropus Brisson, Regnum animale ..., ed. 2, p. 153.