Nature Atlas

How Nature Works
Sign In
Text size
100%
Theme
Specy

Large Samoan flying fox

Mammals

The large Samoan flying fox (Pteropus coxi) is a fruit-eating megabat whose type specimen was collected in Samoa in 1856 but was not identified as a new species until 2009. The only known specimen was collected by an American expedition to Samoa in 1838 to 1842, and the Smithsonian mammalogist Kristofer Helgen rediscovered it preserved in alcohol. It was the largest known bat from Polynesia. Because the type specimen is dead and no other examples of the species are known, it is believed to be extinct, and the Wikipedia list of pteropodids gives its IUCN status as extinct.

Facts
Classification
Living or Extinct
No 1
Conservation Status
Extinct 2
Connections

Child Taxon Of

Pteropodidae, Taxa
Source Large Samoan flying fox (Wikipedia)
In the Other Atlases

Found In

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Source Large Samoan flying fox (Wikipedia)Article text, distribution
Quote, Article text, distribution
The large Samoan flying fox (Pteropus coxi) is a species of fruit-eating megabat whose type specimen was originally collected in Samoa in 1856, but was not identified as a new species until 2009.
Sources
1. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF): GBIF species 8253428: species profile of Pteropus coxi
Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)speciesProfiles
Quote, speciesProfiles
"extinct": true
View the Source
2. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF): GBIF species 8253428: IUCN Red List category of Pteropus coxi
Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)iucnRedListCategory
Quote, iucnRedListCategory
"category": "EXTINCT"
View the Source
Large Samoan flying fox (Wikipedia)
  • Child Taxon Of: Pteropodidae, Lead
    The large Samoan flying fox (Pteropus coxi) is a species of fruit-eating megabat whose type specimen was originally collected in Samoa in 1856, but was not identified as a new species until 2009.
  • In Group: Bats (Chiroptera), Lead
    The large Samoan flying fox (Pteropus coxi) is a species of fruit-eating megabat whose type specimen was originally collected in Samoa in 1856, but was not identified as a new species until 2009.
View the Source
Comments (0)
No comments yet. Be the first to share a thought.
Reader Challenges (0)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.