Small Mauritian flying fox

The small Mauritian flying fox or dark flying fox (Pteropus subniger), known as a rougette to early French travelers, is an extinct species of megabat. It lived on the islands of Réunion and Mauritius in the Mascarene Islands of the Indian Ocean.

The junior synonym Pteropus rubricollis was widely used for flying foxes in general in the 19th century, which has caused some confusion.

Behaviour and ecology

File:Pteropus subniger.png

Engraving from 1763

It was abundant, with up to 400 sometimes crowding together at a single roost in a cave or in an ancient, hollow tree, while most other fruit bats prefer to roost in the branches of large trees. Local people believed there was only one male per roost, which may indicate the sexes roosted separately and the large roosts were maternity colonies. This flying fox was nocturnal and had delicate teeth, so it probably fed on nectar and possibly soft fruit.

A description from 1772 states: Template:Quotation

Extinction

File:Pteropus subniger Matschie1899.png

Drawings of the head and dentition from 1899

As it roosted in old trees and caves, it was vulnerable to forest clearance and hunting. It probably vanished in the 19th century. There are specimens in museums in Paris, London, Berlin, and Sydney.