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Cynopterus brachyotis
Least Concern
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Chiroptera
Family: Pteropodidae
Genus: Cynopterus
Common Name: Lesser Dog-faced Fruit Bat
Ecological Status: Philippine Endemic
About the Species:
C. brachyotis or Lesser Dog-faced Fruit Bat is a megabat species characterized by having a fox-like face, large dark eyes, short gray fur, dark spotted wings and presence of a small tail. Adult male has dark orange fur at the collar region while adult female has yellowish color. The juvenile mostly has gray-colored fur. It is endemic in Asia particularly in Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Timor-Leste and Viet Nam. This species, according to IUCN, needs to be confirmed if present in the Philippines. However, several studies showed that it is also distributed throughout the country especially in Compostela Valley, Misamis Oriental, and North Cotabato. They can be found in habitats ranging from orchards, gardens to forested tracts. In MHRWS, this species is found in higher elevations usually in the hill forests.
References:
Heaney, L.R., Balete, D.S., Dollar, M.L., Alcala, A.C., Dans, A.T.L., Gonzales, P.C., Ingle, N.R., Lepiten, M.V., Oliver, W.L.R., Ong, P.S., Rickart, E.A., Tabaranza Jr., B.R. and Utzurrum, R.C.B. (1998). A synopsis of the mammalian fauna of the Philippine Islands. Fieldiana: Zoology (New Series) 88: 1–61Csorba, G., Bumrungsri, S., Francis, C., Bates, P., Gumal, M., Kingston, T., Molur, S. & Srinivasulu, C. 2008. Cynopterus brachyotis.