Horsfield's fruit bat

Cynopterus horsfieldii is a short-faced fruit bat of the genus Cynopterus, which is prevalent in Southeast Asia.

The species is named after Thomas Horsfield, which the British Museum presented the holotype on behalf of the Dutch East India Company.

Description

Cynopterus horsfieldii is a medium sized flying fox with big eyes and ears without tragus. The coat is dense and short. Adult animals have a grayish or yellow- brown coat color, while the coat 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 the throat is often color- rich than in females, the collar during the mating season may cover the whole abdomen. Females are significantly larger than males with 56.7 g (sexual dimorphism ) with an average weight of 59.7 g. Cynopterus horsfieldii has relatively short and broad wings, which enables him to fly relatively slowly. However, this type is unlikely to fly long distances.

Way of life

Cynopterus horsfieldii occurs in a variety of habitats, both in primary forest as well as in parks and open spaces. Cynopterus horsfieldii is relatively common, but somewhat less common than its sister species, the Indian short-faced fruit bat (C. sphinx ) and C. brachyotis. Cynopterus horsfieldii feeds mainly on fruits, but eats during the dry season to the fruit less available are also pollen of various plant species. Fruits are mostly carried away and eaten in a neighboring tree, which makes this kind of an important seed dispersers. In addition, it was shown that fig seeds which are excreted with the feces of Cynopterus horsfieldii twice as good to drive as seeds which have not previously been through the digestive tract of fruit bats.

Cynopterus horsfieldii lived in small groups, modified palm and banana leaves, crevices and caves. Among other things banana leaves are chewed along the midrib that forms a V-shaped tent. The groups usually consist of one male and up to 5 females and their young. Females have several reproductive cycles per year. The reproduction is not synchronized, so you can find gravid females throughout the year. However, most females in February and March, and in July and August are pregnant.

Distribution and habitat

Cynopterus horsfieldii comes in Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia, as well as locally in Thailand before. Your stock is classified by the IUCN due to the widespread than safely.