Horsfield short-nosed bat
| Horsfield short-nosed bat | ||||||||||||
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| Cynopterus horsfieldii | ||||||||||||
| ( Gray , 1843) |
The Horsfield short-nosed bat ( Cynopterus horsfieldii ) is a short-nosed bat of the genus Cynopterus that is common in Southeast Asia .
The species is named after Thomas Horsfield , who gave the holotype to the British Museum on behalf of the Dutch East India Company .
features
The Horsfield short-nosed bat is a medium-sized flying fox with large eyes and ears with no tragus . The fur is dense and short. Adult animals have a yellow-grayish or brown coat color, while the fur of young animals is dull yellow-brown or gray. Breeding animals have a reddish or orange collar. In males, the fur on the shoulders and throat is often more colorful than in females, whereby the collar can cover the entire abdomen during the mating season. With an average weight of 59.7 g, females are significantly larger than the males with 56.7 g (sexual dimorphism ).
The Horsfield short-nosed bat has relatively short and wide wings, which enables it to fly relatively slowly. However, this species is unlikely to fly long distances.
distribution and habitat
The Horsfield short-nosed bat occurs in Malaysia , Brunei and Indonesia , as well as locally in Thailand . Thanks to its widespread use, the IUCN classifies its population as safe.
Way of life
The Horsfield short-nosed bat is found in a wide variety of habitats, both in primary forest and in parks and open landscapes. It is relatively common, but a little less common than its sister species, the Indian short-nosed bat ( C. sphinx ) and the common short-nosed bat ( Cynopterus brachyotis ).
The Horsfield short-nosed bat feeds mainly on fruits, but also eats pollen from various plant species during the dry season, when fruits are less available. Fruits are mostly carried away and eaten in a neighboring tree, which makes this species an important seed disperser. It was also shown that fig seeds that are excreted by the animals in the feces, sprout twice as well as seeds that have not previously passed through the digestive tract of fruit bats.
The Horsfield short-nosed bat inhabits modified palm and banana leaves, crevices and caves in small groups. Among other things, banana leaves are gnawed along the central rib so that a V-shaped tent is formed. The groups usually consist of a male and up to 5 females and their young. Females have several reproductive cycles per year. Reproduction is not synchronized, so pregnant females can be found all year round. However, most females are pregnant in February and March, as well as in July and August.
literature
- P. Campbell, TH Kunz: Cynopterus horsfieldii. Mammalian Species, No. 802, 2006, pp. 1-5.