Latidens salimalii （Endemic, Endanger Fruit Bat） A Reliable Propagator of Endemic Trees of Southern Western Ghats  

作　　者：Juliet Vanitharani 

机构地区：[1]Bat Research Laboratory, Zoology Department and Research Centre, Sarah Tucker College (Autonomous) Tirunelveli, Tamilnadu 627007, India

出　　处：《Journal of Life Sciences》2015年第9期423-435,共13页生命科学（英文版）

摘　　要：Salim Ali＇s fruit bat （Latidens salimalii） is Endemic to Southern Western Ghats. India and is classified as Endangered by IUCN. Latidens is morphologically adapted to play a major role in the propagation of economically important trees： some of them are endemic to southern Western Ghats. This paper describes and documents, the bat＂s ecology, foraging behavior and food selection. The study is based on the dietary details of the discovered populations of L. salimalii in the Agasthiyar hill range and the High Wavy Mountains of southern Western Ghats, India. Seeds. partially eaten fruits and seedlings germinated on the floor of the feeding roosts confirm this bat forage for fruits among relatively tall trees of evergreen forests in an elevation above 900 meter. Mist netting below and above canopy near the fruiting and flowering trees of their foraging area confirmed their interaction with certain endemic tree species. Their species specific dietars＇ preferences immensely help to restore and bring back the natural forest community structures.

关 键 词：Endemic. foraging feeding roosts propagation restoration. 

分 类 号：S792.99[农业科学—林木遗传育种] S436.67[农业科学—林学]