* Shobha ji
Fruit bats also known as megabats are not necessarily larger or smaller than other bats called microbats, although most are larger. They can be as small as 6 cm (smaller than microbats) to as long as 40 cm (wing span up to 150 cm). They are also known as flying foxes and differ in two characters from microbats. Firstly they have very large eyes which allows them to navigate in caves and and forests twilight, and unlike microbats they don't have echolocation capability. These fruit bats eat both nectar and fruits and bring about pollination. Here is some more information: Pollination studies suggest that the most important pollination vectors are bats. However, unlike most bat-pollinated flowers which are characteristically white or cream, the flowers of Kigelia africana are reddish to purplish; the strong unpleasant odour is likely to be the primary attractant. Fruits may remain on the tree for up to 6 months. The flowers, which, after some, have a rather unpleasant smell, open in sequence and remain open for one night only and are usually pollinated by bats; when one flower is pollinated, the other buds belonging to the same inflorescence usually abort, and this to avoid the presence of many fruits on the same peduncle, which could not bear their weight. Their sweet nectar is drunk by bats, baboons, monkeys, sunbirds, herd boys tending lifestock, and other creatures. The wrinkles in flowers are used as a grip by the bats to prevent them from slipping from the flowers while they are drinking. -- Dr. Gurcharan Singh Retired Associate Professor SGTB Khalsa College, University of Delhi, Delhi-110007 Res: 932 Anand Kunj, Vikas Puri, New Delhi-110018. Phone: 011-25518297 Mob: 9810359089* * http://people.du.ac.in/~singhg45/ * * * On Fri, Apr 16, 2010 at 4:37 PM, shobha chavda <[email protected]> wrote: > Dear Satishji, > I had read somewhere that the flowers are pollinated by " Fruit > Bats".Are these bats different than the regular bats? are they smaller > in size ? > Shobha > > On Apr 15, 5:51 pm, Satish Phadke <[email protected]> wrote: > > Excellent clean pictures Gurcharan ji > > *Didynamous* nature of stamens can be made out typical of Family > > Bignoniaceae > > The flowers are pollinated by bats I suppose so they bloom during night. > If > > one has to take the pictures need to take them at night or very early > > morning. > > Dr Phadke > > > > On 15 April 2010 09:47, Gurcharan Singh <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > Some recently clicked photographs of Sausage Tree Kigelia africana > > > > > -- > > > Dr. Gurcharan Singh > > > Retired Associate Professor > > > SGTB Khalsa College, University of Delhi, Delhi-110007 > > > Res: 932 Anand Kunj, Vikas Puri, New Delhi-110018. > > > Phone: 011-25518297 Mob: 9810359089 > > >http://people.du.ac.in/~singhg45/<http://people.du.ac.in/%7Esinghg45/> > > > > > -- > > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google > Groups > > > "efloraofindia" group. > > > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > > > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > > > [email protected]<indiantreepix%[email protected]> > <indiantreepix%[email protected]<indiantreepix%[email protected]> > > > > > . > > > For more options, visit this group at > > >http://groups.google.com/group/indiantreepix?hl=en. > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "efloraofindia" group. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > [email protected]<indiantreepix%[email protected]> > . > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/indiantreepix?hl=en. > > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "efloraofindia" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/indiantreepix?hl=en.
