Observations on the timing of reproduction in the congeneric Comoro Island fruit bats, Pteropus livingstonii and P. seychellensis comorensis

Pteropus livingstonii (Gray 1866) is a highly endangered fruit bat of the Comoro Islands (Western Indian Ocean). Limited information on the bats’ population biology is hampering conservation measures. During an expedition in 1992, observations were made on the timing of reproduction of P. livingstonii and the congeneric P. seychellensis comorensis (Nicoll, 1908): P. livingstonii breeds two months earlier than P. s. comorensis. These observations are discussed in relation to what is known about reproduction in Pteropus, and past observations on the Comorien Pteropus species.