Role of Indian flying fox Pteropus giganteus Brünnich, 1782 (Chiroptera: Pteropodidae) as a seed disperser in urban areas of Lahore, Pakistan

Abstract

This 1-year study, extending from January to December 2011, was conducted to investigate the role of the Indian flying fox (Pteropus giganteus) as a seed disperser in Lahore, Pakistan. Ejecta of the species from two roosting sites, i.e. Jinnah garden and Lalazar garden, was collected and the plant seeds were extracted from bat boluses and guano. Various seeds of edible trees and forest plantation species extracted from ejecta of P. Giganteus included areca palm (Areca catechu), coromandel ebony (Diospyros melanoxylon), Indian gaabh (D. Peregrina), lemon-scented gum (Eucalyptus citriodora), Chinese fan palm (Livistona chinensis), sapodilla (Manilkara zapota), mahwa (Madhuca longifolia), Indian lilac (Melia azedarach), cajeput tree (Melaleuca leucadendra), rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum), guava (Psidium guajava), and janbolanum plum (Syzygium jambolanum). Measurements of the extracted seeds' length (mm), diameter (mm), and weight (g) were taken and the seeds of jack fruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus) were found the longest (40 mm) with the maximum average diameter (50 mm) while the rambutan (N. Lappaceum) seeds were the heaviest (3.4 g). It can be concluded from the present study that P. Giganteus is a seed disperser and transporter of heavier seeds as heavier seeds are mammal-dependent for their dispersal.