Albinism in Admiralty Flying-fox (‘paimat’) Pteropus admiralitatum Thomas 1894 (Chiroptera: Pteropodidae)

Pigmentation anomalies are rare among wild mammals, including bats. Most documented cases originate from a few cave-roosting, colony-forming chiropteran families. In contrast, such conditions are rarely reported in Old World fruit bats (Pteropodidae), particularly within the Australasian region. Here, we document the first confirmed case of albinism in the Admiralty Flying-fox, Pteropus admiralitatum from Papua New Guinea, based on observation. To rule out potential misidentification, we compared the reported individual with sympatric pteropodid species occurring on Purdy Island, which type locality of P. admiralitatum, as well as nearby New Ireland and New Britain. We also outline current and emerging threats to Manus Island’s bat communities, highlighting conservation relevance for potentially vulnerable island populations.