Miller, 1902
Nicobar Flying fox
External characters (Table 5)
This is a much smaller species than P. giganteus and P. m. melanotus , with an average forearm length of 113 mm (110-116 mm). The hind feet are also small. The ears are of moderate size and according to Miller, 1902 they are a "triangular-pointed" shape. This is quite distinct from those of P. hypomelanus (Fig. 7) and P. melanotus . The anterior border of each ear is nearly straight from the base to the middle, then after a faint convexity again nearly straight to the tip. The tip is very narrowly rounded. The posterior border is nearly straight from the tip to a little above the middle, then abruptly convex and then straight again to slightly above a small but distinct antitragal lobe. The pelage on the crown of the head and mantle is noticeably soft and long, greatly exceeding that of P. hypomelanus in length. It is grey-brown speckled with white on the crown tending towards a more russet brown on the mantle. The dorsal pelage between the wings is flattened against the skin but is considerably more luxuriant than that of either P. giganteus or P. melanotus . It is a dark brownish black, intermixed with some white hairs; it is paler on the rump. The ventral surface is a uniform grey-chestnut brown, with some pale hair tips from the chin to the vent.
Cranial characters
The skull is relatively small with a condylobasal length of 48.6 mm. The rostrum is narrow with a palatal width (taken across M1-M1) of 14.8 mm; in local examples of P. hypomelanus it exceeds 17 mm. It is also short. The rostral length of specimen BM.6.4.13.1 from Car Nicobar (measured from the the anterior part of the orbit to the alveolar margin of the anterior incisors) is 20.3 mm, in P. hypomelanus and P. melanotus the respective figures are in excess of 23.5 mm and 27.0 mm. The mandible is relatively delicate with the anterior edge of the coronoid process less backwardly slanted than that of P. giganteus .
Dentition
The dentition is similar to that of P. hypomelanus (Fig. 14) but smaller, with an average upper toothrow length (C-M2) of 19.1 mm (19.0-19.2 mm). It is distinctly smaller than that of P. melanotus .
Variation
To date, all specimens are referred to C. f. faunulus . There is considerable individual variation in pelage colour amongst the three specimens in the Natural History Museum, London with the subadult specimen BM.34.7.2.18 from Car Nicobar being relatively pale in comparison to the other two. The crown of the head and mantle are a light buffy brown whilst the pelage on the dorsum is light brown, intermixed with paler hairs; it is noticeably luxuriant.
Taxonomic remarks
Hill, 1967 suggested that P. faunulus may prove to be a subspecies of P. hypomelanus as it is closely similar to P. h. enganus . However, comparison of the two taxa suggest that although externally they are essentially similar in size and colour, the pelage of P. faunulus is softer and longer whilst the skull and dentition are distinctly smaller.