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Lifespan, longevity, and ageing

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Maximum longevity: 10 years (captivity) Observations: One specimen was still alive after 10 years in captivity (Richard Weigl 2005).
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Joao Pedro de Magalhaes
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de Magalhaes, J. P.
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Behavior

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Perception Channels: tactile ; chemical

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Shefferly, N. 1999. "Cynopterus sphinx" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Cynopterus_sphinx.html
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Nancy Shefferly, Animal Diversity Web
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Conservation Status

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IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: least concern

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Shefferly, N. 1999. "Cynopterus sphinx" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Cynopterus_sphinx.html
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Nancy Shefferly, Animal Diversity Web
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Benefits

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Short-nosed fruit bats inflict serious damage on many fruit crops, and are viewed by local people as a pest species. In addition, these bats are possible vectors for Japanese encephalitis, a very serious disease in humans.

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Shefferly, N. 1999. "Cynopterus sphinx" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Cynopterus_sphinx.html
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Nancy Shefferly, Animal Diversity Web
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Benefits

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These bats are important dispersers of date palm seeds, and pollinate many night blooming flowers.

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Shefferly, N. 1999. "Cynopterus sphinx" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Cynopterus_sphinx.html
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Nancy Shefferly, Animal Diversity Web
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Trophic Strategy

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These bats are frugivorous, they and locate their preferred food items by scent. They have been described as voracious feeders, eating more than their body weight in food in one sitting. Some preferred fruits include ripe guava, banana, chikus (a popular Indian fruit crop), dates and liches.

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The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors
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Shefferly, N. 1999. "Cynopterus sphinx" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Cynopterus_sphinx.html
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Nancy Shefferly, Animal Diversity Web
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Distribution

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The short-nosed fruit bat is found in Sri Lanka, India, South China, S.E. Asia, Western Malaysia, and Sumatra and neighboring small islands.

Biogeographic Regions: oriental (Native )

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bibliographic citation
Shefferly, N. 1999. "Cynopterus sphinx" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Cynopterus_sphinx.html
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Nancy Shefferly, Animal Diversity Web
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Habitat

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Cynopterus sphinx is common in tropical forests and areas where fruit crops are cultivated. They can also be found in grassland and mangrove forests. They typically nest high in palm trees. The bats chew the fronds of the palms to constuct fairly simple tents. These bats are also known to construct tents by closely interweaving the leaves and twigs of creeping vines which cover buildings, but such nests are constructed only when palms are not available.

Terrestrial Biomes: savanna or grassland ; forest ; rainforest ; scrub forest

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Shefferly, N. 1999. "Cynopterus sphinx" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Cynopterus_sphinx.html
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Nancy Shefferly, Animal Diversity Web
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Life Expectancy

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Average lifespan
Status: captivity:
10 years.

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bibliographic citation
Shefferly, N. 1999. "Cynopterus sphinx" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Cynopterus_sphinx.html
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Nancy Shefferly, Animal Diversity Web
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Morphology

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These bats have a relatively long snout. Their upper parts are typically bright orange with paler underparts, but there is much variation. The fur is very fine and silky. The wing span of the adult is about 48 cm.

Other Physical Features: endothermic ; bilateral symmetry

Average mass: 75 g.

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bibliographic citation
Shefferly, N. 1999. "Cynopterus sphinx" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Cynopterus_sphinx.html
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Nancy Shefferly, Animal Diversity Web
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Reproduction

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In Central India, C. sphinx breeds twice per year. Females produce a single young at a time. The function of the female reproductive system is interesting in that each half of the bicornate uterus functions during alternate breeding cycles. The first pregancy cycle occurs from October through February/March. Mating occurs immediately postpartum, and a second offspring is born in July. Gestation 3-5 months. In 72% of bats, the first pregnancy occurs in the right horn of the uterus. The corpus luteum in the right ovary persists for some time after the pregancny and prevents ovulation from occuring in the right ovary during the second breeding cycle. This creats the pattern of alternate functioning of the two horns of the uterus. However, the corpus luteum in the left ovary does not persist until the beginning of the next breeding cycle. As yet, no reason has been found for the dominance of the right horn during the first breeding cycle.

Newborn bats weigh about 13.5 g and have a wingspan of 24 cm. By the time of weaning at 4 weeks of age, young bats weigh 25 g and have wings spanning 36 cm. Female short-nosed fruit bats reach sexual maturity at 5-6 months of age, but males are not capable of breeding until they are a year old.

Key Reproductive Features: gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual

Average birth mass: 11 g.

Average gestation period: 120 days.

Average number of offspring: 1.2.

Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (male)
Sex: male:
525 days.

Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (female)
Sex: female:
150 days.

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cc-by-nc-sa-3.0
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bibliographic citation
Shefferly, N. 1999. "Cynopterus sphinx" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Cynopterus_sphinx.html
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Nancy Shefferly, Animal Diversity Web
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