Fruit dispersal by the lesser dog-faced fruit bat Cynopterus brachyotis (Muller) (Chiroptera: Pteropodidae)

Tan K.H., . and Zubaid A., . and Kunz T.H., . Fruit dispersal by the lesser dog-faced fruit bat Cynopterus brachyotis (Muller) (Chiroptera: Pteropodidae). pp. 57-62. ISSN 0025-1291

The lesser dog-faced fruit bat Cynopterus brachyotis becomes active shortly after sunset and flies directly to fruiting trees. Individual bats make one to several flights around fruiting trees before removing fruits. Feeding roosts and day roosts are located 2-2000m from fruiting trees. Our observations of partially eaten fruit from different species of plants dropped beneath feeding and day roosts suggests that C. brachyotis eats several different types of fruits each night. During the principal fruiting season C. brachyotis preferentially feeds in the forest rather than in nearby urban areas indicating that this species has distinct food preferences when nerby alternative food sources are avilable. These results also support the hypothesis that Old-World fruit bats including C. brachyotis are 'sequential specialists'. Tree species which bear fruit throughout the year or have prolonged fruiting seasons may be of major importance for the maintenance of stable populations of C. brachyotis. The tendency for C. brachyotis to consume fruits away from source trees at both feeding and day roosts has important consequences for seed dispersal.

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Abstract

The lesser dog-faced fruit bat Cynopterus brachyotis becomes active shortly after sunset and flies directly to fruiting trees. Individual bats make one to several flights around fruiting trees before removing fruits. Feeding roosts and day roosts are located 2-2000m from fruiting trees. Our observations of partially eaten fruit from different species of plants dropped beneath feeding and day roosts suggests that C. brachyotis eats several different types of fruits each night. During the principal fruiting season C. brachyotis preferentially feeds in the forest rather than in nearby urban areas indicating that this species has distinct food preferences when nerby alternative food sources are avilable. These results also support the hypothesis that Old-World fruit bats including C. brachyotis are 'sequential specialists'. Tree species which bear fruit throughout the year or have prolonged fruiting seasons may be of major importance for the maintenance of stable populations of C. brachyotis. The tendency for C. brachyotis to consume fruits away from source trees at both feeding and day roosts has important consequences for seed dispersal.

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Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	Summary (En)
AGROVOC Term:	CHIROPTERA
AGROVOC Term:	SEED DISPERSAL
AGROVOC Term:	FEEDING HABITS
AGROVOC Term:	FRUITS
AGROVOC Term:	FLOWERS
AGROVOC Term:	FORESTS
AGROVOC Term:	DIPTEROCARPACEAE
AGROVOC Term:	PENINSULAR MALAYSIA CHIROPTERA
AGROVOC Term:	DISEMINACION DE SEMILLAS
AGROVOC Term:	HABITOS ALIMENTARIOS
Depositing User:	Ms. Norfaezah Khomsan
Last Modified:	24 Apr 2025 05:52
URI:	http://webagris.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/17878

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