Fossil and subfossil fruit bats from the mountains of New Guinea

Abstract

Examination of man-made deposits of fossil bones spanning more than 10,000 years in the New Guinea highlands revealed extensive accumulation of the remains of fruit bats. Of three species represented in the deposit, one is described as belonging to a new genus and species, a second is Dobsonia moluccensis and the third is Rousettus stresemanni. The last two are compared with modern examples of these two species in New Guinea and comments are made on the relative proportions of the three species through the deposit.