Flying Foxes, Illustration

Bats of the genus Pteropus, belonging to the megabat suborder, Megachiroptera, are the largest bats in the world. They are commonly known as the fruit bats or flying foxes among other colloquial names. They live in the tropics and subtropics of Asia (including the Indian subcontinent), Australia, East Africa, and a number of remote oceanic islands in both the Indian and Pacific Oceans. At least 60 extant species are in this genus. Characteristically, all species of flying foxes only feed on nectar, blossoms, pollen, and fruit, which explains their limited tropical distribution. They do not possess echolocation, a feature which helps the other suborder of bats, the microbats, locate and catch prey such as insects in midair. Instead, smell and eyesight are very well-developed in flying foxes. Feeding ranges can reach up to 40 miles. Image appeared in Brehms thierleben, allgemeine kunde des thierreichs by Alfred Edmind Brehm, 1876-79

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Bats Chiroptera Chordata Chordate Enhancement Foxes Lithographic Lithography Mammalian Megachiroptera Pteropus Roost Roosting Upside Upside-down

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