Moluccan Naked-backed Fruit Bat
Dobsonia moluccensis
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassMammalia (Mammals)
- OrderChiroptera (Bats)
- FamilyPteropodidae (Old World Fruit Bats)
- GenusDobsonia (Naked-backed Fruit Bats)
- SpeciesDobsonia moluccensis (Moluccan Naked-backed Fruit Bat)
About the Moluccan Naked-backed Fruit Bat
The bare-backed fruit bat or Moluccan naked-backed fruit bat (Dobsonia moluccensis) is a fruit bat in the family Pteropodidae. It was described as a new species in 1830 by Jean René Constant Quoy and Joseph Paul Gaimard who placed it in the now-defunct bat genus Hypoderma, with the scientific name H. moluccensis. Its relationship with Dobsonia magna requires further investigation. Its species name "moluccensis" means "belonging to the Moluccas," which is where the species is found.
Its fur is brown and its feet have distinctive white claws. It is smaller than the New Guinea naked-backed fruit bat. Males weigh 380–500 g (0.84–1.10 lb) while females weigh 325–525 g (0.717–1.157 lb). Its ears are pointed, and its second digits lack claws, unlike flying foxes. Its wings attach at the back along the spine rather than along the sides of the body.
The bare-backed fruit bat is a seasonal breeder, with the mating season from April to June. Females give birth from mid-August through November. It is found in Indonesia, East Timor, Papua New Guinea, and Australia. It has been documented from 0–2,700 m (0–8,858 ft) above sea... Wikipedia →
Closest Relatives at Raja Ampat
Beaufort's Naked-backed Fruit Bat
Dobsonia beauforti
Spectacled Flying Fox
Pteropus conspicillatus
Lesser Long-tongued Fruit Bat
Macroglossus minimus
Broad-striped Tube-nosed Fruit Bat
Nyctimene aello
Big-eared Flying Fox
Pteropus macrotis
Dark Sheath-tailed Bat
Mosia nigrescens
Diadem Roundleaf Bat
Hipposideros diadema
Raffray's sheath-tailed bat
Emballonura raffrayana
broad-eared horseshoe bat
Rhinolophus euryotis
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Raja Ampat | 🇮🇩 Indonesia |
More parks will be added in future updates.
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Moluccan Naked-backed Fruit Bat in Raja Ampat?
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Moluccan Naked-backed Fruit Bat sighting in Raja Ampat, based on 9 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Moluccan Naked-backed Fruit Bat in Raja Ampat?
June has the highest sighting rate for Moluccan Naked-backed Fruit Bat in Raja Ampat in our monthly data.