Fig. 15. Distribution of Nyctimene malaitensis (
) and N. major scitulus (
). For names of islands see [Fig. 2].
Remarks.—In size, Nyctimene malaitensis is intermediate between N. albiventer and N. major. Because the type of malaitensis is brown and not pale gray, as are females of major, N. malaitensis most likely is more closely related to N. albiventer, in which the females are brown. The teeth of the holotype and only known specimen of malaitensis are too worn to be useful in determining the relationships between these species.
When more specimens are available, N. malaitensis may prove to be a subspecies of N. albiventer. At present, malaitensis is accorded specific rank in order not to obscure the apparent relationships of N. albiventer bougainville and N. a. minor. Additionally, N. malaitensis is given specific rank because (1) it is larger (especially in external dimensions) than the largest subspecies of N. albiventer (compare above measurements with those in [Table 3]), and (2) malaitensis does not form a cline with either of the two subspecies of N. albiventer.
Specimen examined (one female).—Malaita in July, 24103 (holotype).
Nyctimene major
This large species of tube-nosed bat has at least four subspecies, one of which (N. major scitulus) is endemic to the Solomons. The species occurs throughout eastern New Guinea and on many of the islands adjacent to the eastern coast of New Guinea, including the Trobriand Islands, the Bismarck Archipelago, and the Solomons (see Laurie and Hill, 1954:47). The geographic distribution of the species generally is the same as that of N. albiventer.