Megaerops ecaudatus is also known as the tailess fruit bat.  It is a type of megabat.  Most megabats are large, but this type of megabat is small like most microbats.  This bat was fun to research but it was hard to find information about it.  There are not many books or references about this species of bat. 

M. ecaudatus has a head and body of 76-102 mm or 3-4 in, forearm length of 49-59 mm or 2-2 1/2 in, and a wingspan 330-350mm or 13-13 1/2 in.  It weighs 28-38 grams or 1-1.3 oz.  The body is a yellowish brown, the back of its neck is pale gray and its front and belly are pale silvery gray.  M. ecaudatus has only one pair of lower incisors, and the second upper incissor is shorter in length.  It has an upturned nose with protruding nostrils.  The thumbs are partially enclosed in the wing membrane so that it folds inward when the wing is folded.  All bats can see, but they often use echolocation to find food especially at night.  Echolocation is high frequency sounds bouncing off the surroundings.  But like most fruit bats M. ecaudatus does not rely on echolocation.  They have large eyes to help them see at night, and they also have an excellent sense of smell.

In Thialand M. ecaudatus has been found in both the evergreen mountains up to 3,000 m or almost 10,000 ft and the dry plains.  They are also seen in the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, and Borneo.  These areas naturally produce an abundance of fruits so food is easy to find.  The species is on the lower risk (least concern) of the conservation status.  But their population is shrinking mostly due to human development in their habitat. 

M. ecaudatus eats mostly nectar and juice from fruits and leaves the peels, pulp, and seeds behind.  Their teeth are adapted to bite through hard fruit skins.  They contribute to their habitat by spreading seeds and pollen while eating.  This means they help with the growth of more trees and plants, providing food and homes for other animals.  They almost always eat at night.  But can be seen in small groups higher in the trees during the day.  They compete with other fruit bats and small mammals for their food.  

This bat avoids being eaten by feeding at night and keeping to the trees.  It's main predators are birds, snakes, some small mammals and humans.  The ability to eat at night means there are fewer preditors capable of hunting them.  Many people do not like bats but I think they should start paying more attention to them.  They are interesting if you study about them and their importance in the world.

 

Author: Destiny A.

Published: 02/2011

 

Sources:

Francis, Charles M.  A Field Guide to the Mammals of South-East Asia.  London: New Holland Publishers (UK) Ltd, 2008.

Nowak, Ronald M.  Walker's Bats of the World.  Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1994.

"Tailess Fruit Bat."  Wikipedia.  Last updated 01/26/2011 at 20:36.  02/14/2011. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tailess_fruit_bat

Photo Credit:

Hanifridzuan. Megaerops ecaudatus.  Flickr.  Photo taken 04/22/2010 12:15:54.  02/14/2011.  http://www.flickr.com/photos/52126735@N06/4798338722/