Cynopterus brachyotis
(LESSER SHORT NOSED FRUIT BAT )
Phylum: Chordata
Sub-phylum: Vertebrata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Chiroptera
• Lesser short nosed fruit bats are generally brown to yellowish brown with brightened colour.
• Adult males have dark orange colours; adult females have yellowish colour.
• They occur most frequently in forest, gardens, mangroves and vegetation on beaches.
• They are frugivorous and prefer aromatic fruit especially mangoes.
• They feeds mainly on small fruits by sucking out the juice and the soft pulp they also eat necter and pollen.
• They play important role in plant pollination. Many plants such as bananas, mangoes depend on them for seed dispersal.
• Bats are considered to be crop pest since they consume and damage fruits.
• For orientation and navigation, they depend more on sight and smell and less on echo-location.
• Ability of echo-location for horning and navigation avoid collision on with obstacle during flight.
• Emission of high frequency orientation sounds from large pharynx specialised auditory apparatus and both for perception and analysis of complex sounds and reflexing echoes.