THESARAWAKMIJSETJM

O T J N AVol. LXI No. 82 (New Series) ISSN. 0375-3050 December 2005

Bats of Mount Penrissen, Padawan Sarawak

ByJayaral Vrjaya Kumaran, Faisal Ali Anwarali Khan and

MT Abdullah

+SARAWAK MUSEUM DEPARTMENT

BATS OF MOUNT PENRISSEN, PADAWAN,SARAWAK

by

JayarajYijaya Kumaran, Faisal Ali Anwarali Khan and M.T. Abdullah

ABSTRACT

e surveyed bats near the Hornbill Golf and Jungle ClubResort in the highland arca of Mount Penrissen ftom 27to 29 January 200r. \We caught 38 individuals of eight

species in ten mist-nets and one harp-trap during two trappingnights. These represent new distributional records for MountPenrissen (Payne et al., 1998).

INTRODUCTION

Bat surveys in the highlands of Borneo are scarce or appear asannotated records by some authors (Burhanuddin et al., 1998;Mustafa et al,, 1999; Payne et al., 1998; Abdullah et a|.,2004; Tuenet al,, 2004). All studies agreed that diversity of mammals decreasedwith increasing elevation. Temperature decreases 5oC for every 1000m in elevation, resulting in different forest types at higher elevations,influencing resources available to the fauna residing there. Resourceavailability has been identified as the main factor affecting species-richness and ecological diversity in bat communities at higherelevations (Findley, I993).Although diversity of faunas at higherelevation is low, montane endemics make the study of such areasinteresting. However, the diversity and distribution of bats in thevicinity of Mount Penrissen has not been studied, although Payneet al. (1998) recorded two specimens from there.

The main objectives of our reconnaissance were to documentthe diversity of bats found on Mount Penrissen and to compare it

BATS OF MOUNT PENRISSEN. PADA'$flAN. SAMWAK264

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MATERIALS AND METHODS

STUDY AREAS

\{ount Penrissen, also called Borneo Heights, is located along

-li''en Borneo Heights, Padawan, Sarawak. Our sampling station was:car the Hornbill Golf and Jungle Club Resort, about 70 km south:f Kuching and about 1000 metres (m) above sea level (a.s.l.) in::imary tropical rainforest. This remote mountain hideaway is locatedie:s-een forest-clad plateaus near the Sarawak-Kalimantan borderFrg. 1). The highland climate, with moderate temperatures ranging::om 18oC to28oC adds to the uniqueness of the flora and fauna in:!e area.

Between 27 and 29 January 2005, we used 10 standard mist=tt and a four-bank harp trap to capture bats on two consecutiver:ghts. Mist nets consist of a fine nylon (50 or 70 denier) thread with=*h consisting of )6 mm squares fitted on a string frame thatjrrides the nets into panels (Nagorsen and Peterson, 1980). \7e;rected nets in spots believed to be flight paths, such as small streams,-,rils. and also near flowering banana trees (Karim et a1.,2004). We::sed a four bank harp-trap to capture microchiroptera because it isnore efficient than two or three bank harp-traps, reducing the chancei bats escaping through the strings (Francis, I98D.rWe placed the

:r.r.rp trap across a small stream near the golf course. \7e checked the:.ers every two hours ftom l73O hrs until 2030 hrs and closed themz:0630 hrs the following day.

SAMPLE PROCESSINC, IDENTIFICATION, AND PRESERVATION

Ifle transferred bats to cloth bags, until they could be weighed:;ing a Pesola spring balance, and measured. Ear length, forearmongth, tibia length, hind-foot length, wingspan, head-body length,

THE SAM\rAK MUSEUM JOURNAL

266 BATS OF MOUNT PENRISSEN. PADA\flAN. SAM\TAK

and tail length were measured in millimetres using a digital caliper(Mitoyo Corporation) and with a stainless steel ruler. Bats wereidentified using keys from Payne et al. (1998). We also preservedtissue samples from selected samples. Thirty milligrams of tissue wasremoved and preserved in 95% ethanol. Samples were then taggedfollowing Nargorsen and Peterson (1980). \)(e were able to age theanimals following Kunz (1988) by observing the epiphyseal-diapphyseal fusion on the third, fourth, and fifth metacarpals.Specimens were then dissected exposing the stomach and intestinefor better preservation and further preserved in75% ethanol.

RESULTS

A total of 38 individuals from six genus and eight differentspecies were caught during the two trap-nights. The 38 bats wecaptured during the two nights were fruit and nectar bats namely,Cynopterus brachyotis, C, horsfieldi, Pentltetor lucai, Megaerops ecaudatus,Auhalops alecto, Eonyoeris spelaea, E, major and Mauoglossus ntinimus.Morphological measurements (Thble 1) of all the individuals capturedwere recorded and used to help identify the species.

Contrary to our expectations, the harp-trap was unsuccessful incapturing bats. All of our captures were from the mist ners.Although perhaps due to placement of the trap, we did catch animalsin mist nets set near the trap.

SPECIES ACCOUNTS

Cynopterus brachyotis (Miieller, 1 838)

This was the most common species in our collection from MountPenrissen. Interestingly, there is no previous record of this speciesfrom Mount Penrissen. Most of the specimens were caught alongsidea banana groove at the Hornbill Golf and Jungle Club Resort andalso some at the stream site. This species was also caught in the forestnear the banana plants. C. bracbyotzi is known from elevarions up to1600 m (Payne et al., 1998; Abdullah et a\.,2004; Tuen et a|.,2004).

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268 BATS OF MOUNT PENRISSEN. PADA\{/AN. SAM\rAK

Cy nopterus horsfie ldi (Gray, 1843)

An adult female was caught in the same net as C. bracbyotis andMacroglossus minimus neat a clump of banana trees on the slope. Tuenet al, (2004) recorded three specimens of this species at MountMurud at 1335 m a.s.l.. and it is known from Mt. Kinabalu at1400 m.

Penthetor lucasi (Dobson, 1880)

Because this species is known to live in almost total darkness,capture of these cave dwelling bats suggest that there are caves nearthe sampling site (Payne et al., 1998). Using binoculars, we sawseveral small caves on top of the Mountain. However according toPayne et al. (1998) this species only has been recorded below 600 ma.s.l. at Mount Mulu. This is a new elevational record for this speciesat 1000 m a.s.l. on Mount Penrissen.

Megaerops ecaadatur (Temminck, 1.837)

All four specimens were captured in a net at the entrance to thejungle beside a bunch of banana plants, which were flowering. Thisspecies was netted in tall forest up to 1100 m a.s.l. at MountKinabalu (Payne et al., 1998). Tuen et al. (2004) recorded it at1335m a.s.l. at Mount Murud.

Aet halops alect o (Thomas, 1923)

This montain species (Payne et al., 1998) was caught along thestream and also near the stand of banana plants. It was found up to2100 m a.s.l. at Mount Kinabalu and confined to montane forestabove 1000 m (Payne et al,, 1998). Tuen et al, (2004) recorded theA. alecto at 2000 m a.s.l. at Mount Murud.

Eonycteris spelaea (Dobson, 1871)

This species was caught on the second night at the entrance ofa jungle trail near a clump of banana trees. This species was notcaptured at Mount Berumput and Mount Murud, suggesting thattheir preferred habitat is in the lowlands.

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This species was captured at the forest entrance of a small trailbelieved to be the flyway used by bats to travel in and out of thejungle to the clump of banana plants. There is no record of thespecies at Mount Berumput (Abdullah et al., 2004) and MountMurud (Tuen et aL,,2004).

Jfacroglossus minimus (E. Geoffroy, 1810)

This species was netted near flowering banana plants on theslope and also at the forest entrance. The long-tongued nectar bat:eeds on nectar and pollen from many sources including mangroveand banana flowers (Payne et al., 1998). This species has beenrecorded from lowland sites such as Bako National Park, Niah\ational Park, Tawau, Kota Kinabalu and highland areas such asKelabit, up to 2000 m at Mount Murud (Tuen et.a1.,2004).

DISCUSSION

It is important to sample tropical montane habitats because the.l:itudinal differences may represent distinct faunal communities.T:re most noticeable change is in the climate, which decreases aboutl=C for every 1000 m increase in altitude (Kitayama et al., I99D.l::. resultant changes in forest type offer different resources to the:.: population. This might explain the low diversity and abundance:i':ats in montane forest. MacKinnon et al, (1996) mentioned that::.:.1 sources aie the main factors affecting distribution and':':rdance of species in the montane forest.

Comparing the data obtained from Mount Penrissen with; '-::'ar research done at Mount Murud and Mount Berumput (Table- s:ggests that bat diversity tends to reduce drastically as the=-=:-'iion increases. However certain species such as A. alecto and M.,;i;;;ys is known to be endemic in this type of montane forest.:--<:: r12000) suggested that the highest diversity of species could:.: -:rained from mid-elevations where lowland and highland::.=:-- or-erlap in their distributions.

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Only two species, Thphozous longiruanus and Hipposideros coxi,were recorded by Payne et al. (1998) at Mount Penrissen, but both

of them were not netted in this survey (Table 2). A parallel

investigation of amphibians carried out simultaneously failed to

observe signs of amphibians in suspected habitats surrounding thegolf course area. However, some amphibians wefe observed at higher

elevations and away from the developed area. Perhaps the usage ofpesticides and insecticides to maintain the golf course at the

sampling site reduces the abundance of insects and the numbers ofspecies that feed on them. However, our sampling was not adequatero covef the whole spectrum of bat habitats available. In addition,

insectivorous bats are known for their echolocation abilities enablingthem to detect and avoid mist nets across flyways (Kunz, 1982;

Abdullah et al.,1995).

Fruit bats were the most common species. observed in thissrudy. This might be due to the availability of food resources at thesampling site. Findley (I99T and Kalko (1994) mentioned that the

diets of fruit bats are mainly fruit, pollen, nectar, flowers and leaves.

The presence of banana plants, jungle, and roosting caves at the

sampling site indicates its suitability as bat habitat.

CONCLUSIONS

All species of bats captured represent new distributional recordsfor Mount Penrissen. \7e suspect that further search for bats in the

caves at Mount Penrissen will reveal more new records, especially of

cave roosting bats. More sampling nights at different sites should becarried out to sample more bats, especially microchiroptera fromthtt area. Future surveys at Mount Penrissen should consideredditional methods such as ultrasonic detector systems (HaIl et al.,f0O2), elevated nets (Francis, 1994), and aerial mist nets on canoPysalkways (Abdullah and Hall, 1997).

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272 BATS OF MOUNT PENRISSEN. PADAWAN. SAMITAK

ACKNOWLEDCEMENT

\We would like to thank the Sarawak Forestry Department forgranting the permit no.04608 to conduct the study in Sarawak; themanagement of Borneo Heights for granting us permission to enterthe resort area for the purpose of this study and UNIMAS forproviding us transport throughout the course of the study. Wewould also like to thank the staff of the resorr for various assistanceprovided throughout our stay at the resort. Finally we would like toshow gratitude to Dr. Don E. \Wilson of Smithsonian Institution andProf. Robert Baker of Texas Tech. University for their valuablecomment and helping in preparing this article. This study wassupported by IRPA Grant 09-02-09-1022-A8001 to M.T.Abdullah, Yuzine Esa and Dr. Awang Ahmad Sallehin.

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THE SAM\TAK MUSEUM JOURNAT

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