The Peters's epauletted fruit bat (Epomophorus crypturus ) is a species of megabat in the family Pteropodidae. It is found in Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eswatini, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Its natural habitat is in riverine or evergreen forest, or moist woodland, where there are fruit-bearing trees.
A frugivore is an animal that thrives mostly on raw fruits or succulent fruit-like produce of plants such as roots, shoots, nuts, and seeds. Approx...
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TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
Among animals, viviparity is the development of the embryo inside the body of the parent. The term 'viviparity' and its adjective form 'viviparous'...
Arboreal locomotion is the locomotion of animals in trees. In habitats in which trees are present, animals have evolved to move in them. Some anima...
Altricial animals are those species whose newly hatched or born young are relatively immobile. They lack hair or down, are not able to obtain food ...
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starts withIndividuals have a forearm length ranging from 75–88 mm (3.0–3.5 in) and weigh 56–140 g (2.0–4.9 oz).
Peters's epauletted fruit bat is found in Southern Africa, where it has been documented at a range of elevations between 500–2,185 m (1,640–7,169 ft) above sea level. Its range includes the following countries: Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eswatini, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
It consumes plant matter such as fruit and nectar. For reproduction, the typical litter size is one, though twins are perhaps possible, if very rare. Newborns are altricial at birth, with eyes closed and sparse fur. Newborns weigh around 11 g (0.39 oz). Births likely occur around September, and it has been suggested that females give birth once per year. It has variable roosting behavior. Individuals may roost singly, though may also roost in groups consisting of several hundred individuals.
As of 2016, it is evaluated as a least-concern species by the IUCN. It meets the criteria for this classification due to its wide geographic range, and thus, presumably large population. It tolerates some human modification of its habitat. Additionally, it is unlikely to be experiencing rapid population decline.
