Mammals · Chiroptera · Pteropodidae

Greater Shortnosed Fruit Bat

Cynopterus sphinx

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

The greater short-nosed fruit bat is one of the commonest fruit bats in southern Asia and a regular inhabitant of gardens and plantations. It feeds on ripe fruit, nectar and pollen, and is an important pollinator of several plants of agricultural interest. Its most striking behaviour is tent building: it bites through the ribs of palm leaves or the stalks of fruit clusters until they fold over into a shelter under which a small group roosts.

Weight

30 g – 60 g

Size

9 cm – 12 cm

Lifespan

8 years

Diet

Herbivore

Feeds mainly on plants.

Activity

Nocturnal

Active mainly at night.

Social structure

Colony

Lives in large concentrations, often for breeding reasons.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

RainforestTemperate forestHerbivore Nocturnal Colonial Rainforest Temperate forest Mammal

14countries9same family

Fun facts

It builds tents: it bites precisely through the stalks of palm leaves or fruit clusters until they fold over into a little roof, and under that structure a male shelters with several females.
Along with other nectar-feeding bats of the region, it is a key pollinator of the durian, one of the most prized fruits in South East Asia.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (mammal)
Habitat & environment: Forest, plantations, gardens and urban areas of southern and south-eastern Asia
Sexual maturity: 4.9 months
Gestation / incubation: 3.9 months
Litter / clutch size: 1.2 (average)

Sources consulted: https://www.iucnredlist.org/ | https://animaldiversity.org/ | https://es.wikipedia.org/