| Madagascan rousette | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Chiroptera |
| Family: | Pteropodidae |
| Genus: | Rousettus |
| Species: | R. madagascariensis |
| Binomial name | |
| Rousettus madagascariensis G. Grandidier, 1928 | |
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| Madagascan rousette range | |
The Madagascan rousette (Rousettus madagascariensis) or Madagascar rousette, is a species of megabat in the family Pteropodidae endemic to Madagascar. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry forests.
The Madagascan rousette is a small fruit bat, the smallest of the three fruit bats endemic to Madagascar. The upper part of their bodies have a greyish fur while the underparts have a paler grey tinge. Like many other fruit bats, Madagascan rousettes have very dog-like faces with long, pointed snouts, large, wide eyes and largely separated ears. Like some other members of the genus Rousettus, these bats reside within cave roosts, suggesting the use of echolocation. [2] These bats are a part of a larger group of fruit bats within Rousettus which consists of 10 different species. The Madagascan rousette primarily resides on western islands of the Indian Ocean. [3]
The habitat of the Madagascan rousette is generally found to be associated with forests. They will roost well beyond the time of twilight. Many roosts have been found within caves however some bats have been found without a known cave roost, suggesting that the Madagascan rousette may sometimes roost within tree holes or other alternatives. They are observed to be highly mobile within a forest environment. This suggests that these bats could serve a role as pollinators and disperse seeds. The details of their diets are unknown but they have been observed to feed on introduced fruit as well as the fruits and nectar of endemic trees. [1] They have also been found to primarily forage within eucalyptus forests. [4]
Members of the family Pteropodidae have been known to be natural hosts for many different types of viruses emerging within and near the Indian Ocean. Madagascan rousettes have been assayed and found to have antibodies against viruses similar to Hendra, Nipa h, and Tioman, suggesting that these viruses have circulated around Madagascar in the past. The Nipa virus is known to be harmful to humans, causing fevers and other symptoms potentially associated with death. These viruses are associated with the Paramyxoviridae family. These findings represent a potential health concern as Madagascan rousettes are commonly hunted and consumed by humans. However, further studies are needed to determine the extent of these risks. [5]
Though deforestation does occur in the habitat of Madagascan rousettes, it is not well understood how this affects the species. A number of roosting colonies have been observed some distance from forests. More research is needed to clarify the extent to which deforestation affects them. However, efforts to preserve Madagascan rousettes have been made by local laws protecting them and their roosts within nature reserves. [1]
Though not completely understood, Madagascan rousettes have been found in large quantities within the regurgitated pellets of Tyto alba, a type of barn owl native to Madagascar. A study conducted at Antonibe found that roughly four-fifths of the owl's diet consisted of adult rousettes. Previous studies have shown that T. alba does not always prey on large-bodied bats and also shown that they can shift their feeding habits based on food availability. One theory of why T. alba feeds mostly on adults is that the owl preferentially hunts the larger-bodied variant of the bat. Another theory is that the rousettes are not always available as a food resource due to nursing colonies within the bat populations. This theory would also explain the irregular predation of the rousettes. [6]
Tourism is common within the Ankarana National Park where many Madagascan rousettes make day roosts. Evidence has suggested that human disturbances may affect behavior such as increasing alertness and increasing flight times. Research has been conducted examining the effects of approaching the colonies and shining light to better understand what the effects of tourism may be. The greatest effect on the bat was with a 5m-6m approach with light shining directly on the bats. The smallest effect was with a 12m-14m approach with light not directly being shone on the colonies. Colonies that did not see many tourists were significantly more reactive even at the 12m-14m range with light not being shone directly on the colonies. This suggests that rousettes become more desensitized to human visitations the more frequently it occurs. [7]
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. Internal divisions of Pteropodidae have varied since subfamilies were first proposed in 1917. From three subfamilies in the 1917 classification, six are now recognized, along with various tribes. As of 2018, 197 species of megabat had been described.
The red owl is an owl in the barn owl family Tytonidae. It is also known as the Madagascar red owl, Madagascar grass-owl and Soumagne's owl. It is a rare resident of Madagascar that was virtually unknown from its discovery in 1876 to its rediscovery by researchers from the World Wide Fund for Nature in 1993. It is currently listed as vulnerable because of habitat loss, but recent studies have determined it may have a wider range than first believed, though further research in distribution and ecology is required. It has possibly been overlooked because of its close resemblance to the closely related barn owl.
Rousettus is a genus of Old World fruit bats or megabats, referred to as rousette bats. The genus is a member of the family Pteropodidae. The genus consists of seven species that range over most of Africa to southeast Asia, and the islands of the south Pacific. They are among the few megabats capable of echolocation, and the only genus of megabats known to use vocal echolocation.
The Egyptian fruit bat or Egyptian rousette is a species of megabat that is found in Africa, the Middle East, the Mediterranean, and the Indian subcontinent. It is one of three Rousettus species with an African-Malagasy range, though the only species of its genus found on continental Africa. The common ancestor of the three species colonized the region in the late Pliocene or early Pleistocene. The species is traditionally divided into six subspecies. It is considered a medium-sized megabat, with adults weighing 80–170 g (2.8–6.0 oz) and possessing wingspans of approximately 60 cm (24 in). Individuals are dark brown or grayish brown, with their undersides paler than their backs.
Geoffroy's rousette is a species of megabat or Old World fruit bats. It is one of ten species in the genus Rousettus.
Leschenault's rousette is a species of fruit bat. The scientific name of the species was first published by Desmarest in 1820.
The Indiana bat is a medium-sized mouse-eared bat native to North America. It lives primarily in Southern and Midwestern U.S. states and is listed as an endangered species. The Indiana bat is grey, black, or chestnut in color and is 1.2–2.0 in long and weighs 4.5–9.5 g (0.16–0.34 oz). It is similar in appearance to the more common little brown bat, but is distinguished by its feet size, toe hair length, pink lips, and a keel on the calcar.
The black flying fox or black fruit bat is a bat in the family Pteropodidae. It is among the largest bats in the world, but is considerably smaller than the largest species in its genus, Pteropus. The black flying fox is native to Australia, Papua New Guinea, and Indonesia. It is not a threatened species.
Livingstone's fruit bat, also called the Comoro flying fox, is a megabat in the genus Pteropus. It is an Old World fruit bat found only in the Anjouan and Mohéli islands in the Union of the Comoros in the western Indian Ocean.
The Madagascan fruit bat is a species of bat in the family Pteropodidae. It is endemic to Madagascar and is listed as "Vulnerable" by the IUCN because it is hunted as bushmeat.
Peters's dwarf epauletted fruit bat is a species of megabat in the family Pteropodidae. It is found in Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, and Zambia. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and moist savanna.
The little collared fruit bat is a species of megabat in the family Pteropodidae found in Angola, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Republic of the Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Togo, and Uganda. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and moist savanna.
The Indian flying fox, also known as the greater Indian fruit bat, is a species of flying fox native to the Indian subcontinent. It is one of the largest bats in the world. It is of interest as a disease vector, as it is capable of transmitting several viruses to humans. It is nocturnal and feeds mainly on ripe fruits, such as mangoes and bananas, and nectar. This species is often regarded as vermin due to its destructive tendencies towards fruit farms, but the benefits of its pollination and seed propagation often outweigh the impacts of its fruit consumption.
The large flying fox, 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. Despite its scientific name, it feeds exclusively on fruits, nectar, and flowers, like the other flying foxes of the genus Pteropus. It is noted for being one of the largest bats. As with nearly all other Old World fruit bats, it lacks the ability to echolocate but compensates for it with well-developed eyesight.
The Sulawesi rousette or Sulawesi fruit bat is a species of megabat in the family Pteropodidae endemic to Sulawesi, an island in Indonesia. It is presently the only member of the genus Pilonycteris.
The long-haired fruit bat, also known as the long-haired rousette, is a species of megabat in the family Pteropodidae. It is the only member of the genus Stenonycteris. It was formerly classified in the genus Rousettus until a 2013 phylogenetic study found it to belong to its own genus and tribe.
Horsfield's fruit bat is a species of megabat native to South East Asia. It is named for Thomas Horsfield, an American naturalist who presented the type specimen to the British Museum.
The Madagascar free-tailed bat or Malagasy giant mastiff bat is a species of free-tailed bat formerly included as a subspecies of the large-eared free-tailed bat, but that was later considered to be a distinct, Malagasy species. The Madagascar free-tailed bat is endemic to northern, western, and southern Madagascar.
Commerson's roundleaf bat, also known as Commerson's leaf-nosed bat, is a species of bat endemic to Madagascar. It is named after French naturalist Philibert Commerson (1727-1773). Bat populations of Africa or São Tomé and Príncipe formerly considered part of this species are now classified separately as M. gigas, M. thomensis or M. vattatus, while one from Madagascar was split off to become M. cryptovalorona. It was formerly placed in the genus Hipposideros, but moved to the resurrected Macronycteris in 2017 on the basis of molecular evidence.
The Rousettinae are a subfamily of megabats. Taxa within this subfamily include:
