Habitat comparison of Cynopterus fruit bats at Lampung, Sumatra, Indonesia

Abstract

Indonesia is home to at least 205 species of bats, over a fifth of the world's total. Chiroptera in the Indonesian island chain belong to nine families and 52 genera. Most of these bats are insectivores but the Pteropodidae of sub-Order Yinpterochiroptera are frugivores and nectarivores and, hence, important pollinators of economically significant plants such as petai (Parkia speciosa), durian (Durio zibethinus), mango (Mangifera indica), and kapok (Ceiba pentandra); they also disperse seeds of water apple (Syzygium aqueum), guava (Psidium guajava), and canarium nut (Canarium sp.). Not only do these pteropodid bats play roles in agriculture and ecosystem continuity, they also figure in the reproductive success of plants and in the regeneration of disturbed areas.