Genus Megaerops

Peters, 1865

Tail-less Fruit bats

These are small fruit bats (MN1), superficially similar to Cynopterus but lacking any external tail. The skull has the rostrum short, but deeper anteriorly, varying somewhat in shape in the four species currently recognised. There is only one pair of lower incisors (i1 is absent) and the second upper incisor (I3) is reduced in length.

Dental formula:   i - 2 3    c 1    pm - 2 3 4   m 1 - - = 28.
                           - 2 -       1         - 2 3 4       12 -

The genus includes 4 species with a geographical range that extends from India to Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines (Koopman, 1993). One species is present in the Indian Subcontinent:
Megaerops niphanae

%LABEL% (%SOURCE%)