Common Name: Old World fruit bats or flying foxes.
(In the order Chiroptera, which includes all bats, there are two sub-orders : Megachiroptera and Microchiroptera. The Pteropodidae are the only family of the sub-order Megachiroptera)
Taxonomy: 42 living genera, 2 fossil genera, 166 species (173 species are discussed in Walker’s Bats of the World, R.M. Nowak, 1994)
Distribution: Tropical and subtropical regions of the old world (Africa, Asia and Indo-Australia), flying foxes (largest genera - Pteropus)
Fossil Record:
Size Range: Weight range: 10 - 1500 grams, Forearm size range: 40-220 mm, Wingspan up to 1.7 m, this family includes the largest known bats.
Characteristics:
Nectar, pollen or fruit eaters
Tails short or absent and if present, not involved with membrane (exception Notopteris (1 spp.), the long-tailed fruit bat). The uropatagium (tail membrane) is rudimentary - looks like a narrow border.
Most genera (exceptions Dobsonia (11 spp. - 15 in Nowak 1994), Eonycteris (4 spp.), Notopteris (1 spp.), Neopteryx (1 spp.)) have a claw on the second finger (in addition to the thumb claw).
All but one genus, do not echolocate; Genus Rousettus emits ultrasonic calls during flight but not by the same mechanism as in microchiroptera.
External ear is oval, the outer margin forms a complete circle. There is no tragus or noseleaf.
Highly developed eyes and sight is important for orientation and navigation although they may also use smell.
Palate generally has eight ridges along which the bat uses its tongue to crush food.
When at rest, they hang their head at right angles to the body.
Genera Dobsonia and Notopteris are also interesting because wing membrane attach along the middle of the back and the wing membranes therefore cover the fur.
(from the books "Bats - A Natural History" and from "Walker's Bats of the World")