Resultado da Busca
Megabat - Wikipedia. Megabats constitute the family Pteropodidae of the order Chiroptera ( bats ). They are also called fruit bats, Old World fruit bats, or—especially the genera Acerodon and Pteropus — flying foxes. They are the only member of the superfamily Pteropodoidea, which is one of two superfamilies in the suborder Yinpterochiroptera.
- Hammer-headed bat
The hammer-headed bat (Hypsignathus monstrosus), also known...
- Hammer-headed bat
Pteropus (suborder Yinpterochiroptera) is a genus of megabats which are among the largest bats in the world. They are commonly known as fruit bats or flying foxes, among other colloquial names. They live in South Asia, Southeast Asia, Australia, East Africa, and some oceanic islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. [3] .
- Taxonomy and Etymology
- Description
- Biology and Ecology
- Range and Habitat
- Interactions with Humans
- External Links
The hammer-headed bat was described as a new species in 1861 by American scientist Harrison Allen. Allen placed the species into a newly-created genus, Hypsignathus. The holotype had been collected by French-American zoologist Paul Du Chaillu in Gabon. The genus name Hypsignathus comes from the Ancient Greek húpsos, meaning "high", and gnáthos, mea...
The hammer-headed bat is the largest bat in mainland Africa. Males have wingspans up to 90.1 cm (2.96 ft), and all individuals have forearm lengths exceeding 112 mm (4.4 in). It has pronounced sexual dimorphism, more so than any other bat species in the world, with males up to twice as heavy as females. The average weight of males is 420 g (15 oz),...
Diet and foraging
Hammer-headed bats are frugivores. Figs make up much of their diet, but mangos, bananas and guavas may also be consumed. There are some complications inherent in a fruit diet such as insufficient protein intake. It is suggested that fruit bats compensate for this by possessing a proportionally longer intestine compared to insectivorousspecies. Males and females rely on different strategies for foraging. Females use trap-lining, in which they travel an established route with dependable and pre...
Reproduction
Little is known about reproduction in hammer-headed bats. In some populations, breeding is thought to take place semi-annually during the dry seasons. The timing of the dry season varies depending on the locality, but in general the first breeding season is from June to August and the second is from December to February. Females may become pregnant up to twice per year, giving birth after five or six months gestation to one offspring at a time, though twins have been reported. Newborns weigh...
Behavior
During the day, the hammer-headed bat roosts in trees, typically 20–30 m (66–98 ft) above the ground in the forest canopy. Various trees are used for roosting, with no preference for a particular species. It has low fidelity to its roost and will move to a new roost after 5–9 days. It relies on camouflage to hide from predators. It displays a mix of solitary and social behavior. Individuals of both sexes are frequently found roosting alone, though they may roost in small groups of around four...
The hammer-headed bat is a lowland species, always occurring below 1,800 m (5,900 ft) above sea level. Most records of this species occur in rainforest habitat, including lowland rainforest, swamp forest, riverine forests, and mosaics of forest and grassland. While it has been documented in savanna habitats, these records are rare, and it has been ...
As pests and bushmeat
As a frugivorous species, the hammer-headed bat is sometimes considered a pest of fruit crops. Its ability to produce extremely loud vocalizations means that some consider it one of Africa's most significant nocturnal pests. Humans hunt this large bat and consume it as bushmeat. It is eaten in Nigeria, as well as seasonally in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Disease transmission
The hammer-headed bat has been investigated as a potential reservoir of the Ebola virus. Some individuals have tested seropositive for the virus, meaning that they had antibodies against the virus, though the virus itself was not detected. Additionally, nucleic acid sequences associated with the virus have been isolated from its tissues. However, the natural reservoirs of ebolaviruses are still unknown as of 2019. Megabats like the hammer-headed bat tend to be over-sampled relative to other p...
Conservation
As of 2016[update], the hammer-headed bat is evaluated as a least-concern species by the IUCN—its lowest conservation priority. It meets the criteria for this classification because it has a wide geographic range; its population is presumably large; and it is not thought to be experiencing rapid population decline. It is not a common bat species in captivity, though it is kept at the Wrocław Zoo in Poland as of 2020, and was kept at the Bronx Zoo and San Diego Zoo Safari Parkin the 1970s and...
A preserved megabat showing how the skeleton fits inside its skin. The head and teeth shape of bats can vary by species. In general, megabats have longer snouts, larger eye sockets and smaller ears, giving them a more dog-like appearance, which is the source of their nickname of "flying foxes".
The large flying fox (Pteropus vampyrus, formerly Pteropus giganteus), also known as the greater flying fox, Malayan flying fox, Malaysian flying fox, large fruit bat, kalang, or kalong, is a southeast Asian species of megabat in the family Pteropodidae.
Megabat is the common name for any of the largely herbivorous Old World bats comprising the suborder Megachiroptera of the order Chiroptera (bats), characterized by true wings and flight (as with all bats), large and prominent eyes, claws generally on the second digits supporting the wings, and an excellent sense of smell.
The giant golden-crowned flying fox (Acerodon jubatus), also known as the golden-capped fruit bat, is a species of megabat endemic to the Philippines. Since its description in 1831, three subspecies of the giant golden-crowned flying fox have been recognized, one of which is extinct.
