The implications of sympatry in the spectacled and grey headed flying-fox, Pteropus conspicillatus and P. poliocephalus (Chiroptera: Pteropodidae)

Sympatry in flying-foxes is common and it occurs throughout coastal Australia, however Pteropus conspicillatus and P. poliocephalus are thought to have allopatric populations. We examine the distribution of these two flying-fox species and report on the first flying-fox camp (day roost) with all four species of Australian mainland Pteropus co-occurring. Climatic models were developed from previous records to determine if the location of this new camp is climatically suitable for these species. We found that this location is climatically suitable to some degree for both P. conspicillatus and P. poliocephalus but that the latter had a higher climatic suitability at this site. Historical records exist for P. poliocephalus close to this location but not for P. conspicillatus. The location of this mixed-species flying-fox camp is the most southerly distribution for P. conspicillatus, being 500 km further south than previous records. This area of overlap creates potential opportunities for interbreeding between P. conspicillatus and P. poliocephalus. Therefore, monitoring of this region for the location of further mixed-species camps and the degree of panmixia at those locations is highly desirable