Fruit-eating bats
Order : Chiroptera
Family : Phyllostomidae
Subfamily : Stenodermatinae
Genus : Artibeus
Animals in the genus Artibeus |
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| Jamaican fruit-eating bat |
Facts about the genus Artibeus, the fruit-eating bats
Artibeus is less gregarious than Carollia (Ditchfield 1991) which supports our finding that no Artibeus had streblids while all Carollia did.
 Throughout the tropics, fruit-eating bats are very important in seed dispersal.
Description: The genus Artibeus is characterized by four white facial stripes, pointed ears, and soft, short fur of a dull brownish, grayish, or black silver-tinged color, and paler underparts.
Erophylla is an early phyllostomid colonist of the Greater Antilles:based on the fossil record, Artibeus is a recent colonist.
From big cities to country farms, these giant, fruit-eating bats are feeling the heat like never before.
Fruit-eating bats are essential for dispersal of seeds in tropical forests, and nectar eating bats are necessary for the pollination of countless tropical plants.
Fruit-eating bats are nature's most important seed-dispersing mammals.
Fruit-eating bats are some of the most important dispersers of tree seeds in the tropical rainforest.
Fruit-eating bats are vital to the ecosystems in which they live.
harti, as "formerly known as Artibeus harti", meaning that the name changed from Artibeus to Enchisthenes; whereas others believe that Artibeus is the new name.
However, Artibeus is polyestrous and usually produces 2 pregnancies per year, but is capable of producing 3 if there is no delay.
Most insect eating bats have this ability while only one species of fruit eating bats are able to echolocate.
Note: field identification of bats in the Dermanura group of Artibeus is notoriously difficult.
Protection of these fruit-eating bats is included in the park's enabling legislation.
This Artibeus is carrying a fig; when the seeds are very tiny, as in the case of figs, the bat eats the fruit, ingesting the seeds, which pass through the gut unaffected. (Full text)
Fruit-eating bats are nature's most important seed-dispersing animals. (Full text)
