). For names of islands see [Fig. 2].
1931. Pteropus mahaganus Sanborn, Publ. Field Mus. Nat. Hist., Zool. Ser., 18:19, February 12, type from Santa Ysabel, also reported from Bougainville; 1954, Laurie and Hill, List of land mammals of New Guinea, Celebes and adjacent islands, p. 39, June 30.
Specimens examined (one male and two females; one in alcohol).—Bougainville, in August and October, USNM 276972, USNM 277104-5.
Measurements.—Measurements of one male and two females are, respectively, as follows: Length of head and body, 180, 204, 198; hind foot, 42, 38, 44; ear, 25, 23, 22; length of forearm, 134, 138, 140. Measurements of the skull of the male and one female are, respectively, as follows: Greatest length of skull, 52.5, 55.8; condylobasal length, 50.9, 54.3; palatal length, 24.1, 26.0; zygomatic breadth, 28.9, 32.5; breadth across first upper molars, 14.4, 15.0; width of M1, 2.2, 2.2; length of maxillary tooth-row, 17.4, 18.4; length of mandibular tooth-row, 20.1, 21.4.
Remarks.—Sanborn (1931:19-21) described Pteropus mahaganus on basis of six specimens, five from Santa Ysabel and one from Bougainville. The latter was in poor condition and only provisionally allocated to this species. The specimens examined by me (listed above) confirm the occurrence of P. mahaganus on Bougainville.
Sanborn (1931:20) described mahaganus as "similar to and about the size of [Pteropus scapulatus] from Australia, but lighter in color," and considered it, along with P. woodfordi, a member of the Pteropus scapulatus group of Andersen (1912:402) and Tate (1942:336). I would judge, however, that P. mahaganus and P. woodfordi are much more closely related to one another than to P. scapulatus of Australia. The only significant characteristic that the latter has in common with the two species from the Solomons is small cheek-teeth. In fact, teeth of scapulatus are relatively smaller than teeth of either mahaganus or woodfordi. Also, in scapulatus the upper canines are widely separated due to lateral expansion of the palate at that point, whereas in mahaganus and woodfordi the width across the upper canines is relatively much less.
Dobsonia Palmer
1898. Dobsonia Palmer, Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington, 12:114, April 30.
1810. Cephalotes (part) É. Geoffroy, Ann. du Mus. d'Hist. Nat., 15:104.