Fig. 14. Dorsal and ventral views of skulls of (A) Nyctimene albiventer minor [specimen 23631 ♂, (B) N. a. bougainville [specimen 23381 ♂], and (C) N. malaitensis [specimen 24103 ♀].
Comparisons.—From Nyctimene major scitulus, the largest kind of Nyctimene in the Solomons, malaitensis differs as follows: smaller in all dimensions (forearm 65 as opposed to 73.5); greatest length of skull 32.4 as opposed to 37.0; length of maxillary tooth-row 10.5 as opposed to 13.0; length of mandibular tooth-row 11.8 as opposed to 14.2.
From nine adults of Nyctimene albiventer bougainville from Bougainville, Kolombangara, and Guadalcanal, malaitensis differs as follows: larger in all dimensions: forearm 65 as opposed to 57.9; greatest length of skull 32.4 as opposed to 29.7; zygomatic breadth 20.4 as opposed to 19.2; and length of maxillary tooth-row 10.5 as opposed to 9.5; length of mandibular tooth-row 11.8 as opposed to 11.1.
From five adults of Nyctimene albiventer minor, from Choiseul and Santa Ysabel, malaitensis differs in the same ways it differs from N. a. bougainville, but the contrast is even greater when malaitensis and minor are compared.
From Nyctimene sanctacrucis, known only from the Santa Cruz Islands, malaitensis differs in being smaller in all dimensions: forearm 65 as opposed to 75; greatest length of skull 32.4 as opposed to 34.5; and length of maxillary tooth-row 10.5 as opposed to 12.9.
Measurements of the holotype.—Length of head and body, 118; tail vertebrae, 23.0; hind foot, 16.0; ear, 14.0; length of forearm, 65.0; 2nd metacarpal, 33.2; 3rd metacarpal, 46.4; 4th metacarpal, 44.3; 5th metacarpal, 46.0; greatest length of skull, 32.4; condylobasal length, 30.6; palatal length, 13.0; breadth of braincase, 12.5; zygomatic breadth, 20.4; interorbital breadth, 5.5; breadth across first upper molars, 9.5; length of maxillary tooth-row, 10.5; length of mandibular tooth-row, 11.8.
