Cynopterus
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Cynopterus brachyotis |
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| Cuvier , 1893 |
Cynopterus is a genus of the short-nosed bat found in Southeast Asia .
description
Species of the genus Cynopterus vary greatly in size, with a weight range of 30 to 100 g and a head-torso length of 70 to 127 mm. The fur is dense and mostly olive-brown, the color of which differs from species to species. Flying foxes of this genus have conspicuous, almost tubular nostrils, and the upper lip is divided by a vertical furrow.
Way of life
Cynopterus species can be found both in dense forests and in more open areas up to an altitude of 1850 m above sea level. M. Cynopterus is the only genus in the Old World known for building their own hanging places. The palm leaves are gnawed in such a way that a cavity is created in which they can find protection. Alternatively, caves, mines and houses are used as sleeping places. Some species fly up to 113 km in one night in search of fruit. The food spectrum includes palm fruits , figs , bananas , guava , mangoes and the flowers of trumpet trees such as Oroxylum indicum . The animals seem to feed mainly on the juice of the fruit and less on the pulp. Often the fruits are picked and eaten in another place, which makes the genus an important seed disperser.
Types and distribution
- Common short-nosed bat ( Cynopterus brachyotis ): Southern India and Sri Lanka , Bangladesh and Vietnam along the coastal regions to Malaysia and Brunei . Probably extinct in Palawan .
- Horsfield short-nosed bat ( Cynopterus horsfieldii ): Malaysia, Brunei, and Indonesia , local to Thailand .
- Peters short-nosed bat ( Cynopterus luzoniensis ): In the Philippines and Sulawesi (Indonesia).
- Dwarf short-nosed bat ( Cynopterus minutus ): On Borneo , Java , Sumatra and Sulawesi.
- Nusa Tenggarra short-nosed bat ( Cynopterus nusatenggara ): On the Lesser Sunda Islands .
- Indian short-nosed bat or great short-nosed bat ( Cynopterus sphinx ): Pakistan to Indonesia.
- Indonesian short-nosed bat ( Cynopterus titthaecheilus ): On Java and Sumatra, as well as in East Timor .
Distribution area of C. brachyotis
Distribution area of C. horsfieldii
Distribution area of C. luzoniensis
Distribution area of C. minutus
Distribution area of C. nusatenggara
Distribution area of the Indian short-nosed bat ( Cynopterus sphinx )
Distribution area of C. titthaecheilus
Taxonomic Notes
There is great uncertainty as to how C. sphinx differs from C. brachyotis . C. scherzeri, which was previously regarded as an independent species, is classified as C. sphinx or C. brachyotis , depending on the source . The latest molecular methods show that C. sphinx from C. brachyotis are separate species and that this could also be the case for C. scherzeri . The same discussion exists for some subspecies of C. sphinx , which alternatively could already be separate species or which belong to C. brachyotis . C. titthaecheilus was temporarily regarded as a subspecies of C. sphinx , but has had species status again since 1983.
Danger from humans
Although all species in the genus Cynopterus are classified as safe by the IUCN , many populations are in decline. This is due to both the destruction of the habitat and the direct hunt for the animals. In northern Thailand , the fruit bats are sold in markets for medicinal purposes, and in parts of China the animals are also considered to be fortifying. Due to their food preference, they are also considered pests in many parts, as they also feed on fruits in plantations.
literature
- RM Nowak: Walker's Bats of the World
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ JF Storz, TH Kunz (1999) Cynopterus sphinx , Mammalian Species, No. 613: pp. 1-8