Lesser short-nosed fruit bat
Lesser short-nosed fruit bat | |
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C. brachyotis on branch | |
Close-up of face | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | Chiroptera |
Family: | Pteropodidae |
Genus: | Cynopterus |
Species: | C. brachyotis
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Binomial name | |
Cynopterus brachyotis (Müller, 1838)
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Lesser short-nosed fruit bat range |
The lesser short-nosed fruit bat (Cynopterus brachyotis) is a species of
Description
Lesser short-nosed fruit bats are generally brown to yellowish brown with a brighter collar. Adult males have dark orange collars whereas adult females have yellowish collars. An indistinct collar is observed in some immature bats. The edges of the ears and the wing bones are usually white. Individuals have two pairs of lower incisors, a fox-like face and large dark eyes.[5] The head and body length is 7–8 cm (2.8–3.1 in), the forearm length is 6–7 cm (2.4–2.8 in), tail length is 0.8–1.0 cm (0.31–0.39 in), and ear length is 1.4–1.6 cm (0.55–0.63 in).
There are nine subspecies of lesser short-nosed fruit bat.[6] Corbet and Hill listed 19 alternate names of C. brachyotis, which include: Pachysoma brachyotis, P. duvaucelii, P. brevicaudatum, P. luzoniense, C. grandidieri, C. marginatus var. scherzeri, C. marginatus var. ceylonensis, C. marginatus var. philippensis, C. marginatus var. cuminggii, C. marginatus var. andamanensis, C. brachyoma, C. montanoi, C. minutus, C. minor, C. babi, C. archipelagus and C. nusatenggara. Kitchener and Maharadatunkamsi considered luzoniensis and minutus as separate species while Hill and Thonglongya[7] transferred angulatus to C. sphinx.
The lifespan of the lesser short-nosed fruit bat is approximately 20 to 30 years.[8]
Similar species
The greater short-nosed fruit bat is similar to the lesser short-nosed fruit bat but has generally longer forearms, longer ears and a much longer skull. P. lucasi has only one pair of lower incisors, a lack of white edges to the ears and a usually greyer color. C. horsfieldi is larger, with heavily cusped molars. M. ecaudatus usually has a more upturned nose, lacks a bright collar and tail, and has only one pair of lower incisors.[4]
Diet
Lesser short-nosed fruit bats are
Reproduction
The mating system of lesser short-nosed fruit bats is
Behavior
Lesser short-nosed fruit bats prefer to roost in small groups in trees, under leaves, and in caves. Young males may roost alone. It is common for one male to roost with up to four females. Females may gather in groups of up to 20.[11] To feed, the bats bite off the center part of palm fruit clusters, leaving a hollow for hanging, which is also the method they use to construct a shelter. Males may spend more than two months chewing the veins of leaves and palm fronds until they fall to form a shelter.[5] Individuals use tactile, visual, and acoustic stimuli to communicate. They forage with their acute sense of smell and navigate with their keen vision.[8]
Distribution and habitat
The lesser short-nosed fruit bat
They are widely distributed in
Ecological and economic importance
Lesser short-nosed fruit bats are free of terrestrial predation because of their ability to fly. Some human cultures consume them as a delicacy.[5] They play important roles in plant pollination. Plants such as bananas, avocados, dates, mangoes and peaches depend on them for seed dispersal. The bats are considered to be crop pests since they consume and damage fruit.[17]
Conservation status
Lesser short-nosed fruit bats are designated a least-concern species by the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN) because the population is widely distributed, stable and still abundant. Possible threats may be habitat loss due to development, dams, and deforestation. The animals are being hunted for medical purposes, as reported in ICZN 2006.[18]
References
- . Retrieved 19 November 2021.
- OCLC 62265494.
- ^ "Cynopterus brachyotis lesser short-nosed fruit bat". Animal Diversity Web.
- ^ a b c d Payne, J., C. M. Francis, and K. Phillips. (1985). A Field Guide to The Mammals Of Borneo. Malaysia: The Sabah Society. p.173.
- ^ a b c d Nowak, R. (1997). Cynopterus Archived 2013-10-27 at the Wayback Machine. (On-line). Walker's Mammals of the World Online. Accessed January 09, 2009.
- ^ a b Mickleburg, S. P., A. M. Hutson, and P. A. Racey. 1992. Old world fruit bats: an action plan for their conservation. IUCN/FFPS/ZSL/WWF/JWPT/NWF/Sultanate of Oman.
- ^ Hill JE, Thonglongya K. 1972. Bats from Thailand and Cambodia. Bulletin British Museum of Natural History (Zoology) 22:171–196.
- ^ a b c d Crichton, E. and P. Krutzsch. (2000). Reproductive Biology of Bats. San Diego, CA: Academic Press.
- ^ a b Lekagul B. and J. A. McNeely. 1977. Mammals of Thailand. Sahankarnbhat, Bangkok.
- ^ Nowak, R.(1999). Walker’s Mammals of the World (6th Ed.).Vol. 1. Baltimore and London: The Johns University Press. pp.286–287.
- ^ Richarz, K. and A. Limbrunner. (1993). The World of Bats. Neptune City, NJ: TFH Publications, Inc.
- ^ animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu
- ^ Medway, L. 1978. The Wild Mammals of Malaya (Peninsular Malaysia) and Singapore. Oxford University Press, Kuala Lumpur.
- ^ Bergmans, W. and F. G. Rozendaal. 1988. Notes on collections of fruit bats from Sulawesi and some off-lying islands (Mammalia, Megachiroptera). Zoologische Verhandelingen 248:1–74.
- ^ Corbet, G. B. and J. E. Hill. 1992. The Mammals of the Indomalayan Region: A Systematic Review. Oxford University Press.
- ^ Peterson, A. T. and L. R. Heaney. 1993. Genetic differentiation in Philippines bats of the genera Cynopterus and Haplonycteris. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 49:203–218.
- ^ Schultes, D. 2003. The Malaysian Fruit Bat. (On-line). Animals at the Fort Worth Zoo. Accessed January 09, 2009.
- ^ Duan'erQuanfu. Cynopterus brachyotis, Lesser Short-nosed Fruit Bat. Accessed January 09, 2009.
External links
- Data related to Cynopterus brachyotis at Wikispecies
Media related to Cynopterus brachyotis at Wikimedia Commons