Cave nectar bat

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Cave nectar bat
Eonycteris spelea.png
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Chiroptera
Family: Pteropodidae
Subfamily: Rousettinae
Tribe: Eonycterini
Genus: Eonycteris
Species:
E. spelaea
Binomial name
Eonycteris spelaea
(Dobson, 1871)
Cave Nectar Bat area.png
Cave nectar bat range
Synonyms [1]
  • Eonycteris bernsteini Tate, 1942
  • Macroglossus spelaeus Dobson, 1871

The cave nectar bat, dawn bat, common dawn bat, common nectar bat or lesser dawn bat (Eonycteris spelaea) [1] is a species of megabat within the genus Eonycteris . The scientific name of the species was first published by Dobson in 1871.

Contents

Description

The upper parts of the cave nectar bat are grey-brown to dark brown to black. The underparts are paler and the neck is sometimes yellowish brown. The muzzle of this bat is elongated, and particularly adapted for drinking nectar. The species has as well an external tail. The head and body length measures 8.5–11 cm (3.3–4.3 in), the tail length is about 1.5–1.8 cm (0.59–0.71 in) and the forearm length measures 6–7 cm (2.4–2.8 in) [2]

Habits and habitat

The cave nectar bat is found in primary forests and in disturbed and agricultural areas. It roosts in caves, in larger groups, with some roosts exceeding 50,000 individuals, and it sometimes roosts with other bat species. In some places, this species seems to have adapted well to leafy, semi-urban habitats. Due to its large roosting size it has an IUCN status of "least concerned" however, only limited data is available on population size and trends. E. spelaea travels many kilometres each night in search of the nectar of flowering trees and shrubs. Because of that, this bat species is a very important pollinator of fruit trees, such as durians, [2] notably Durio zibethinus and Durio graveolens . [3] [4] [5] It also feeds on and pollinates other commercially important crops such as banana ( Musa spp.) and jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus). [6] In addition to pollinating these plants, the cave nectar bat is an important pollinator for major crops, including up to 55 species of plants. Their tendencies to pollinate certain plants is determined by the proximity of their living quarters. There are at least thirteen plant taxa that the cave nectar bat feeds upon. The dependence on the proximity of the plants explain the variation of which plants that the cave nectar bats pollinate and feed upon. [7] For this reason, E. spelaea is seen as an important species for pollination in disturbed areas bordering on urban and agricultural farms.

Distribution

E. spelaea lives in Bangladesh, [8] Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia (Java, Kalimantan, Sumatra, Sulawesi and some other small islands), Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, China, India and Timor-Leste. [2] It had been previously recorded from Gomantong Caves, Sukau, Segama, and Madai in Sabah; Niah, Sungai Tinjar, and Kuching in Sarawak; and Sungai Tengah and Kutai in Kalimantan. [9] [10] [11] [12]

Conservation

This species is killed for bushmeat in Cambodia, Myanmar and the Philippines. [13]

Research

The genome of Eonycteris spelaea was recently sequenced using PacBio long-read sequencing. [14] As a small, frugivorous, specialist nectar-feeding bat with good flight potential and that can breed 1–2 times a year, [15] it is an ideal species as an animal model for bats. Recent evidence has shown this species can carry multiple viruses such as filoviruses, [16] [17] coronaviruses, [18] astrovirus, [19] picornavirus, [20] lyssavirus, [21] pteropine orthoreovirus [22] and flavivirus, [23] all without obvious signs of disease.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Megabat</span> Family of fruit bats

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.

<i>Heliconia</i> Genus of plants

Heliconia is a genus of flowering plants in the monotypic family Heliconiaceae. Most of the ca 194 known species are native to the tropical Americas, but a few are indigenous to certain islands of the western Pacific and Maluku in Indonesia. Many species of Heliconia are found in the tropical forests of these regions. Most species are listed as either vulnerable or data deficient by the IUCN Red List of threatened species. Several species are widely cultivated as ornamentals, and a few are naturalized in Florida, Gambia, and Thailand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leaf-nosed bat</span> Family of bats

The New World leaf-nosed bats (Phyllostomidae) are bats found from southern North America to South America, specifically from the Southwest United States to northern Argentina. They are ecologically the most varied and diverse family within the order Chiroptera. Most species are insectivorous, but the phyllostomid bats include within their number true predatory species and frugivores. For example, the spectral bat, the largest bat in the Americas, eats vertebrate prey, including small, dove-sized birds. Members of this family have evolved to use food groups such as fruit, nectar, pollen, insects, frogs, other bats, and small vertebrates, and in the case of the vampire bats, even blood.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lesser long-nosed bat</span> Species of bat

The lesser long-nosed bat is a medium-sized bat found in Central and North America. It is sometimes known as Sanborn's long-nosed bat or the Mexican long-nosed bat, though the latter name is better avoided since it is also used for the entire genus Leptonycteris and for one of the other species in it, the greater long-nosed bat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zoophily</span> Pollination by animals

Zoophily, or zoogamy, is a form of pollination whereby pollen is transferred by animals, usually by invertebrates but in some cases vertebrates, particularly birds and bats, but also by other animals. Zoophilous species frequently have evolved mechanisms to make themselves more appealing to the particular type of pollinator, e.g. brightly colored or scented flowers, nectar, and appealing shapes and patterns. These plant-animal relationships are often mutually beneficial because of the food source provided in exchange for pollination.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Egyptian fruit bat</span> Species of bat

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.

<i>Eonycteris</i> Genus of bats

Eonycteris is a genus of megabats found in Asia. They are the only members of the tribe Eonycterini. Species within this genus are:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pallid bat</span> Species of bat

The pallid bat is a species of bat that ranges from western Canada to central Mexico. It is the sole species of its genus and is closely related to Van Gelder's bat, which is sometimes included in Antrozous. Although it has in the past been placed in its own subfamily (Antrozoinae) or even family (Antrozoidae), it is now considered part of the subfamily Vespertilioninae and the tribe Antrozoini.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dark long-tongued bat</span> Species of mammal belonging to the New World leaf-nosed bat family

The dark long-tongued bat is a species of bat from South and Central America. It was formerly considered the only species within the genus Lichonycteris, but is now recognized as one of two species in that genus, along with the pale brown long-nosed bat. It is small species of bat, with adults weighing 6–11 g (0.21–0.39 oz) and having a total length of 46–63 mm (1.8–2.5 in).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dekeyser's nectar bat</span> Species of bat

Dekeyser's nectar bat is a bat species found in Brazil and Bolivia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pale spear-nosed bat</span> Species of bat

The pale spear-nosed bat is a species of phyllostomid bat from South and Central America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mauritian flying fox</span> Species of bat

The Mauritian flying fox, also known as Greater Mascarene flying fox or Mauritius fruit bat is a large megabat species endemic to Mauritius and La Réunion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ussuri tube-nosed bat</span> Species of bat

The Ussuri tube-nosed bat is a species of vesper bat in the family Vespertilionidae. It is threatened by habitat loss. It is the only species of bat that hibernates in snowbanks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mexican long-tongued bat</span> Species of bat

The Mexican long-tongued bat is a species of bat in the family Phyllostomidae. It is the only species within the genus Choeronycteris. The species is found in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southern long-nosed bat</span> Species of bat

The southern long-nosed bat is a South American species of bat in the family Phyllostomidae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indian flying fox</span> Species of mammal

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Madagascan rousette</span> Species of bat

The Madagascan rousette or Madagascar rousette, is a species of megabat in the family Pteropodidae endemic to Madagascar. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry forests.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greater nectar bat</span> Species of bat

The greater nectar bat or greater dawn bat is a species of megabat within the genus Eonycteris. It is found in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines. Its range is limited and includes Luzon to Maripipi in the Philippines and scattered parts of Borneo including Tuaran and Ranau in Sabah; Bau, Kuching and Bintulu in Sarawak.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bat</span> Order of flying mammals

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References

  1. 1 2 3 Waldien, D.L.; Adleson, S.; Wilson, Z. (2020). "Eonycteris spelaea". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2020: e.T7787A22128326. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T7787A22128326.en . Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 Shepherd, Chris R.; Shepherd, Loretta Ann (2012). A Naturalist's Guide to the Mammals of Southeast Asia. Wiltshire, UK: John Beaufoy Publishing. p. 22. ISBN   978-1-906780-71-5.
  3. ↑ Soepadmo, Engkik; Eow, BK (31 August 1977). Mabberley, DJ; Lan, Chang Kiaw (eds.). "The Reproductive Biology of Durio zibethinus Murr" (pdf). The Gardens' Bulletin, Singapore. 29: 25–33. ISSN   2382-5812. OCLC   918436212 . Retrieved 12 November 2017.
  4. ↑ Start, A.N.; Marshall, A.G. (1976). "Nectarivorous Bats as Pollinators of Trees in West Malaysia". In Burley, J.; Styles, B.T. (eds.). Tropical Trees: Variation, Breeding and Conservation. Linnean Society Symposium Series. Vol. 2. London, UK: Academic Press. pp. 141–159. ISBN   978-0121451509. OCLC   476102040.
  5. ↑ Brown, Michael J. (1997). Arora, R.K.; Ramanatha Rao, V.; Rao, A.N. (eds.). Durio, a Bibliographic Review (PDF). New Delhi, India: International Plant Genetic Resource Institute. p. 13. ISBN   9789290433187. OCLC   38754437 . Retrieved 11 November 2017.
  6. ↑ Lim, Voon-Ching; Ramli, Rosli; Bhassu, Subha; Wilson, John-James (2018-03-26). "Pollination implications of the diverse diet of tropical nectar-feeding bats roosting in an urban cave". PeerJ. 6: e4572. doi: 10.7717/peerj.4572 . ISSN   2167-8359. PMC   5875395 . PMID   29607265.
  7. ↑ Thavry, H.; Cappelle, J.; Bumrungsri, S.; Thona, L.; Furey, N. M. (2017). "The diet of the cave nectar bat (Eonycteris spelaea, Dobson) suggests it pollinates economically and ecologically significant plants in Southern Cambodia". Zoological Studies. 56 (56): e17. doi:10.6620/ZS.2017.56-17. PMC   6517731 . PMID   31966216.
  8. ↑ Red List of Bangladesh Volume 2: Mammals (PDF). IUCN, International Union for Conservation of Nature, Bangladesh Country Office. 2015. ISBN   978-984-34-0735-1 . Retrieved 18 March 2022– via Portals.iucn.org.
  9. ↑ J. Payne; C. M. Francis; K. Phillipps (1985). A field guide to the mammals of Borneo. Kota Kinabalu, Sabah: The Sabah Society. ISBN   978-967-99947-1-1.
  10. ↑ Ghanem, Simon J.; Voigt, Christian C. (2012), "Increasing Awareness of Ecosystem Services Provided by Bats", Advances in the Study of Behavior, Elsevier, pp. 279–302, doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-394288-3.00007-1, ISBN   9780123942883
  11. ↑ SHAO, W. W.; HUA, P. Y.; ZHOU, S. Y.; ZHANG, S. Y.; CHEN, J. P. (May 2008). "Characterization of microsatellite loci in the lesser dawn bat (Eonycteris spelaea)". Molecular Ecology Resources. 8 (3): 695–697. doi:10.1111/j.1471-8286.2007.02051.x. ISSN   1755-098X. PMID   21585874. S2CID   10081806.
  12. ↑ Esselstyn, Jacob A. (2010-02-23). "At Long Last, an Authoritative Guide to the Mammals of Indochina". Journal of Mammalian Evolution. 17 (3): 215–216. doi:10.1007/s10914-010-9132-z. ISSN   1064-7554. S2CID   37160888.
  13. ↑ Mickleburgh, S.; Waylen, K.; Racey, P. (2009). "Bats as bushmeat: a global review". Oryx. 43 (2): 217–234. doi: 10.1017/s0030605308000938 .
  14. ↑ Wen, Ming; Ng, Justin H J; Zhu, Feng; Chionh, Yok Teng; Chia, Wan Ni; Mendenhall, Ian H; Lee, Benjamin PY-H; Irving, Aaron T; Wang, Lin-Fa (2018-10-01). "Exploring the genome and transcriptome of the cave nectar bat Eonycteris spelaea with PacBio long-read sequencing". GigaScience. 7 (10). doi:10.1093/gigascience/giy116. ISSN   2047-217X. PMC   6177735 . PMID   30247613.
  15. ↑ Nowak, Ronald M. (1999). Walker's mammals of the world. The Johns Hopkins University Press. ISBN   0801857899. OCLC   444327317.
  16. ↑ Laing, Eric D.; Mendenhall, Ian H.; Linster, Martin; Low, Dolyce H. W.; Chen, Yihui; Yan, Lianying; Sterling, Spencer L.; Borthwick, Sophie; Neves, Erica Sena (January 2018). "Serologic Evidence of Fruit Bat Exposure to Filoviruses, Singapore, 2011–2016". Emerging Infectious Diseases. 24 (1): 114–117. doi:10.3201/eid2401.170401. ISSN   1080-6040. PMC   5749470 . PMID   29260678.
  17. ↑ Yang, Xing-Lou; Zhang, Yun-Zhi; Jiang, Ren-Di; Guo, Hua; Zhang, Wei; Li, Bei; Wang, Ning; Wang, Li; Waruhiu, Cecilia (March 2017). "Genetically Diverse Filoviruses in Rousettus and Eonycteris spp. Bats, China, 2009 and 2015". Emerging Infectious Diseases. 23 (3): 482–486. doi:10.3201/eid2302.161119. ISSN   1080-6040. PMC   5382765 . PMID   28221123.
  18. ↑ Mendenhall, I. H.; Borthwick, S.; Neves, E. S.; Low, D.; Linster, M.; Liang, B.; Skiles, M.; Jayakumar, J.; Han, H. (2016-09-16). "Identification of a Lineage D Betacoronavirus in Cave Nectar Bats (Eonycteris spelaea) in Singapore and an Overview of Lineage D Reservoir Ecology in SE Asian Bats". Transboundary and Emerging Diseases. 64 (6): 1790–1800. doi:10.1111/tbed.12568. ISSN   1865-1674. PMC   7159162 . PMID   27637887.
  19. ↑ Mendenhall, Ian H.; Skiles, Maggie M.; Neves, Erica Sena; Borthwick, Sophie A.; Low, Dolyce H.W.; Liang, Benjamin; Lee, Benjamin P.Y.-H.; Su, Yvonne C.F.; Smith, Gavin J.D. (December 2017). "Influence of age and body condition on astrovirus infection of bats in Singapore: An evolutionary and epidemiological analysis". One Health. 4: 27–33. doi:10.1016/j.onehlt.2017.10.001. ISSN   2352-7714. PMC   5678831 . PMID   29159263.
  20. ↑ Kapoor, A.; Simmonds, P.; Lipkin, W. I.; Zaidi, S.; Delwart, E. (2010-07-28). "Use of Nucleotide Composition Analysis To Infer Hosts for Three Novel Picorna-Like Viruses". Journal of Virology. 84 (19): 10322–10328. doi:10.1128/jvi.00601-10. ISSN   0022-538X. PMC   2937767 . PMID   20668077.
  21. ↑ Lumlertdacha, Boonlert; Boongird, Kalyanee; Wanghongsa, Sawai; Wacharapluesadee, Supaporn; Chanhome, Lawan; Khawplod, Pkamatz; Hemachudha, Thiravat; Kuzmin, Ivan; Rupprecht, Charles E. (February 2005). "Survey for Bat Lyssaviruses, Thailand". Emerging Infectious Diseases. 11 (2): 232–236. doi:10.3201/eid1102.040691. ISSN   1080-6040. PMC   3320458 . PMID   15752440.
  22. ↑ Taniguchi, Satoshi; Maeda, Ken; Horimoto, Taisuke; Masangkay, Joseph S.; Puentespina, Roberto; Alvarez, James; Eres, Eduardo; Cosico, Edison; Nagata, Noriyo (2017-02-11). "First isolation and characterization of pteropine orthoreoviruses in fruit bats in the Philippines". Archives of Virology. 162 (6): 1529–1539. doi:10.1007/s00705-017-3251-2. ISSN   0304-8608. PMID   28190201. S2CID   26357185.
  23. ↑ Varelas-Wesley, Irene; Calisher, Charles H. (1982-11-01). "Antigenic Relationships of Flaviviruses with Undetermined Arthropod-Borne Status *". The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. 31 (6): 1273–1284. doi:10.4269/ajtmh.1982.31.1273. ISSN   0002-9637. PMID   6293325.
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