Observations on the Foraging Behavior of a Tent Roosting Megachiropteran Bat <i>Cynopterus sphinx</i>

Marimuthu, G.; Rajan, Koilmani Emmanuvel; Koilraj, A. J.; Isaac, Susan; Balasingh, J.

doi:10.1111/j.1744-7429.1998.tb00066.x

Cited by 29 publications

(25 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…Orii's flyingfoxes were occasionally observed to eat large fruits at feeding roosts. In this study, the seed dispersal distance by mouth-carrying of Orii's flying-foxes was smaller than that by the New World fruit bats, as shown in other studies (Morrison 1978;Phua and Corlett 1989;Bhat 1994;Funakoshi and Zubaid 1997;Marimuthu et al 1998). However, this may be an advantage for the plants bearing large fruits in terms of being transported far away from a parent tree.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 42%

The role of Orii's flying‐fox (Pteropus dasymallus inopinatus) as a pollinator and a seed disperser on Okinawa‐jima Island, the Ryukyu Archipelago, Japan

Nakamoto¹,

Kinjo²,

Izawa³

2008

Ecological Research

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The role of the Orii's flying-fox (Pteropus dasymallus inopinatus) as a pollinator and a seed disperser on Okinawa-jima Island was investigated by direct observations and radio-tracking from October 2001 until January 2006. We found that Orii's flying-fox potentially pollinated seven native plant species. Its feeding behavior and plant morphological traits suggested that this species is an important pollinator of Schima wallichii liukiuensis and Mucuna macrocarpa. The flying-fox also dispersed the seeds of 20 native plant species. The seeds of all plants eaten by the flying-fox were usually dropped beneath the parent tree, although large fruits of four plant species were occasionally brought to the feeding roosts in the mouth, with the maximum dispersal distance-for Terminalia catappa-estimated to be 126 m. Small seeds of 11 species (mostly Ficus species) were dispersed around other trees, during the subsequent feeding session, through the digestive tracts, with the mean dispersal distance for ingested seeds estimated at 150 ± 230.3 m (±SD); the maximum dispersal distance was 1833 m. A comparison of the seed dispersal of available fruits according to the size of flying-foxes and other frugivores suggested that the seed dispersal of eight plant species producing large fruits mostly depended on Orii's flying-fox. On Okinawa-jima Island, the Orii's flying-fox plays an important role as a pollinator of two native plants and as a long-distance seed disperser of Ficus species, and it functions as a limited agent of seed dispersal for plants producing large fruits on Okinawa-jima Island.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 42%

The role of Orii's flying‐fox (Pteropus dasymallus inopinatus) as a pollinator and a seed disperser on Okinawa‐jima Island, the Ryukyu Archipelago, Japan

Nakamoto¹,

Kinjo²,

Izawa³

2008

Ecological Research

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“…Because large seeds are discarded by fruit bats during feeding, these seeds are only transported as far as the feeding perch before being dropped to the ground. The distance a bat may travel to reach a feeding perch is likely to depend on many factors, but can range from a few meters to 0.25 km (Phua & Corlett 1989, Bhat 1994, Funakoshi & Zubaid 1997, Marimuthu et al 1998; however, because individual bats often use the same feeding perch repeatedly, this perch can sometimes provide a focal point for the accumulation of large piles of seeds and rejected fruit parts. Hence, the food handling behavior of small fruit bats is likely to result in a restricted and often clumped pattern of dispersal for large seeds.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fruit Bats (Chiroptera: Pteropodidae) as Seed Dispersers and Pollinators in a Lowland Malaysian Rain Forest1

Hodgkison

Balding

Zubaid

et al. 2003

Biotrop

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“…In fruit bats, roost emergence and return times of adult males often differ compared with other reproductive categories, especially during the breeding period. For example, adult males of Old World tentmaking (e.g., Cynopterus sphinx) and cavity roosting fruit bats (e.g., Balionycteris maculata) spend less time away from the roost for aging and more time at the roost (Balasingh et al 1995;Marimuthu et al 1998;Hodgkison et al 2003). Adult male Rousettus aegyptiacus and Pteropus tonganus emerge after adult females (Korine et al 1994;Banack and Grant 2003).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Timing of Cave Emergence and Return in the Dawn Bat (Eonycteris spelaea, Chiroptera: Pteropodidae) in Southern Thailand

et al. 2015

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Observations on the Foraging Behavior of a Tent Roosting Megachiropteran Bat Cynopterus sphinx

Cited by 29 publications

References 10 publications

The role of Orii's flying‐fox (Pteropus dasymallus inopinatus) as a pollinator and a seed disperser on Okinawa‐jima Island, the Ryukyu Archipelago, Japan

The role of Orii's flying‐fox (Pteropus dasymallus inopinatus) as a pollinator and a seed disperser on Okinawa‐jima Island, the Ryukyu Archipelago, Japan

Fruit Bats (Chiroptera: Pteropodidae) as Seed Dispersers and Pollinators in a Lowland Malaysian Rain Forest1

Timing of Cave Emergence and Return in the Dawn Bat (Eonycteris spelaea, Chiroptera: Pteropodidae) in Southern Thailand

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