Nectar feeding behavior in the short-nosed fruit bat Cynopterus sphinx (Pteropodidae)

Nectar feeding behavior of the short-nosed bat, Cynopterus sphinx, was obse rved under natural conditions in South India. Nectar production of 'steady- state' flowers of Musa x paradisiaca and 'big-bang' flowers of Bassia latif olia was quantified. Cynopterus sphinx typically foraged alone on flowers o f M. x paradisiaca and as groups on B. latifolia, largely in response to th e availability of these floral resources. Peak visits on flowers of M. x pa radisiaca by C. sphinx occurred at 2000 h and on B. latifolia at 2100 h. Pe ak visits coincided with the maximum nectar production and sugar concentrat ion of these floral resources. In addition to feeding on nectar early in th e evening, C, sphinx acquired additional energy by feeding on carbohydrate- rich fruit. In return for these food resources, C. sphinx provides importan t pollination and seed-dispersal services to the plants that they visit nig htly, and thus can profoundly influence the co-evolution of plants and bats .