Morphometric analysis and roosting ecology of bat species Pteropus Medius in Mansehra, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

Abstract

Abstract Morphometric measurement and roosting ecology of Pteropus medius were aimed to find out in Mansehra district of KP, Pakistan. Total 3149 numbers of bats were found in eight biological spots visited; Baffa Doraha, Darband, Dadar, Jallu, Hazara University, Garhi Habibullah Chattar Plain and Jabori, in total 299 numbers of different species of trees including; Morus alba, Pinus raxburghi, Eucalyptus camaldulensis, Morus nigra, Grevillea robusta, Brousonetia papyrifera,Platanus orientalis, Ailanthus altissima, Hevea brasiliensis and Populus nigra. Morphometric features were measured and found vary according to sex of the bats. The average wing span, wing`s length from tip of wing to neck, from thumb to tip of wing and the body`s length from head and claws were recorded to be 102.98 cm, 49.07cm, 28.7 cm and 22.78 cm respectively in males while 93.67 cm, 44.83cm, 24.78cm and 22.78 cm respectively in female bats. Mean circumference of the body including wings and without wing were measured as 22.78 cm and 17.29 cm in males and that of female were 20.07 cm and 16.9 cm. Average length of thumb 3.64 cm, ear`s length 3.1 cm, snout 5.62cm, eye length were 1.07 cm for both sexes and length between the feet in extended position were16.3 cm. Generally different measurement of males bodies were found to be greater than female such as mean body surface area, mass, volume and pressure were found to be 2691.79 cm2, 855.7gm,1236.4 ml and 295.77 dyne/ c m 3for male and 2576.46 cm2, 852.71gm,1207 ml and 290.2 dyne/ c m 3 respectively for female. While weight and density for both males and females bats were same with mean of 8.59 newton and 0.701 g/m3. Findings of current reports can add valued information in literature about bats, which can be used for species identification and conservation.