Aru flying fox Aru flying fox The Aru flying fox ("Pteropus aruensis") is a Critically Endangered species of megabat found in the Aru Islands in Indonesia. It was described by Wilhelm Peters in 1867. It was formerly considered a subspecies of the black-bearded flying fox. The species is poorly known, and has not been encountered since the 19th century. It is classified as critically endangered by the IUCN and is listed on CITES appendix II. As the Pteropus genus is quite speciose, it is further divided into species groups. The Aru flying fox is placed in the "livingstonii" species group.Other members of this
Aru flying fox species group include: There is ongoing debate about whether the Aru flying fox is a distinct species. Some believe that it is a subspecies of the black-bearded flying fox, while others believe that it is distinct enough to be considered a species. They are similar in appearance to the black-bearded flying fox. The fronts of their heads are a combination of gray, black, and yellowish-white. The backs of their heads are rust-colored, and their chins are a deep red. Their necks are rust or rust-brown in color, creating the appearance of a chestnut collar. Their backs are glossy, yellowish-white, with