Remarks.—Nyctimene albiventer minor closely resembles N. albiventer bougainville, differing from the latter mostly in size. Although adults of minor average only slightly smaller than adults of bougainville (see [Table 3]), there is only slight overlap (about 0.2 at most) in most minimum dimensions of external and cranial features of bougainville and corresponding maximum dimensions of externals and crania of minor. The difference in size is clearly shown in Figs. [13] and [14].
Four specimens of Nyctimene albiventer from Fauro herein are considered to be intergrades between N. a. bougainville and N. a. minor. As shown in [Table 3], the specimens from Fauro average slightly larger than those of minor from Choiseul and Santa Ysabel and slightly smaller than specimens of bougainville from Kolombangara and Guadalcanal. I have assigned the specimens from Fauro to N. a. minor because they generally are closer to minor in size (see [Fig. 13]).
Specimens examined (five males and four females; seven in alcohol; seven crania extracted and cleaned).—Choiseul in February and March, 23636 (holotype), 23631, 23540, 23646; Santa Ysabel in February, 23539; Fauro in April, 23742, 23743, 23763, 23764.
One specimen of Nyctimene from Malaita Island is smaller than Nyctimene major, which is known from Shortland, Alu, Florida, New Georgia, Guadalcanal, Choiseul, and Malapa (see [Fig. 15]) and is larger than either of the two subspecies of Nyctimene albiventer known from Bougainville, Fauro, Kolombangara, Guadalcanal, Choiseul, and Santa Ysabel. This specimen represents a previously unknown species and may be named and described as follows:
Nyctimene malaitensis, new species
Type.—Adult female, skin and skull, in good condition (originally stored in alcohol for about one year), no. BSIP 24103, Bernice P. Bishop Museum; from Malaita Island, British Solomon Islands Protectorate; obtained on 1 July 1964, by Peter Shanahan, original no. unknown.
Distribution.—Known only from Malaita (see [Fig. 16]).
Diagnosis.—Size average for genus but larger than closest relative, Nyctimene albiventer; wing membranes brown with scattered yellow spots (dried specimen); uropatagium, ears, and feet brown; dorsal surface of tibia set with hair, ventral surface bare; dorsal surface of uropatagium sparsely set with hair, ventral surface having few, scattered hairs; dorsal surface of trailing edge of wing membrane sparsely set with hairs, ventral surface bare; proximal third of upper- and under-surface of forearm set with hair; pelage of back luxuriant and soft (about 10 long); hair on crown and nape shorter than on back (4 to 8); well-defined black dorsal stripe from shoulders to rump (about 2 wide); basal half of most hairs on dorsum Deep Mouse Gray, distal half Light Buff, tips Ochraceous-Tawny; some hairs on back entirely Light Buff; hairs of crown Light Ochraceous Buff tipped with Ochraceous-Tawny; hair on throat and along sides of abdomen Light Ochraceous Buff; hairs of ventral midline Smoke Gray; braincase narrow; zygomatic breadth relatively narrow; well-developed lambdoidal crest in female; rostrum short, wide; upper canines slanted posteriorly; upper incisors large; foramen ovale large (see [Fig. 14]).