What is Pteropus or Chamgadar?
Classification:
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Chiroptera
Genus: Pteropus.
Habitat: It is a cosmopolitan mammal found in South-Eastern Asia, especially in India. It is comonly called flying fox in English and chamgadar in Hindi.Bats are mammals of the order Chiroptera. With their forelimbs adapted as wings, they are the only mammals capable of true and sustained flight. Bats are more agile in flight than most birds, flying with their very long spread-out digits covered with a thin membrane or patagium.
Habits:
(i) It shows arboreal and aerial mode of life.
(ii) It lives in groups and feed on fruits.
(iii) They sleep on tree branches during the day.
(iv) It shows nocturnal activity.
(v) Sexes are dioecious and sexual dimorphism. Male has penis, whereas female has two thoracic nipples. Female is viviparous and give birth only to one young one at one time. Mother shows maternal care. Development is direct.
External characters:
(1) Body is divisible into head, neck, trunk and tail.
(ii) Body is dark brown, coloured and shoulders are golden brown.
(iii) It is capable of true flight.
(iv) Head bears an elongated snout, fox like face, large eyes and short pinnae.
(v) Each wing is formed by a fold of patagium, supported by elongated fore limbs and 2-5 fingers.
Only first and second fingers bear claws.
(vi) Tail is absent.
Economic importance :
(1) They are used for experimental purposes.
(ii) Faeces of bats is used as fertilizer.
