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ShortDescBot adding short description "Species of mammal"

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{{Short description|Species of mammal}}
{{Speciesbox
| name = Salim Ali's fruit bat
| image = Bonner zoologische Beiträge - Herausgeber- Zoologisches Forschungsinstitut und Museum Alexander Koenig, Bonn (1993) (20393697765).jpg
| status = EN
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| status_ref = <ref name=iucn>{{cite iucn |author=Srinivasulu, C. |author2=Srinivasulu, B. |year=2020 |title=''Latidens salimalii'' |volume=2020 |page=e.T11374A22103756 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T11374A22103756.en |access-date=15 December 2020}}</ref>
| genus = Latidens
| parent_authority = [[Kitti Thonglongya|Thonglongya]], 1972
| species = salimalii
| authority = Thonglongya, 1972
| range_map = Salim Ali's Fruit Bat area.png
| range_map_caption = Salim Ali's Fruit Bat range
}}

'''Salim Ali's fruit bat''' (''Latidens salimalii'') is a rare [[megabat]] species in the [[monotypic]] genus ''Latidens''. It was first collected by [[Angus Finlay Hutton|Angus Hutton]], a planter and [[naturalist]] in the [[Meghamalai|High Wavy Mountains]] in the [[western ghats]] of [[Theni district]], [[Tamil Nadu]] in [[South India]] in 1948. It was originally misidentified as a [[short-nosed fruit bat]] (''Cynopterus'') but later identified by [[Kitti Thonglongya]] as a new species and was named after Indian [[ornithologist]] [[Salim Ali (ornithologist)|Salim Ali]] in 1972.

==Description==
It is medium-sized and has no external [[tail]]. Ears are oval with rounded tips. The head is covered by blackish brown fur and the wing is light brown in colour and the underparts are light grey-brown with the brown wing membrane ([[Patagium]]) hairless. It has fifteen [[palatal]] ridges. The [[rostrum (anatomy)|rostrum]] is long and narrow and the palate is very long especially postdental portion. Post orbital [[wikt:foramen|foramina]] are absent. [[Incisor]]s 1 pair and peg like, cheek teeth brad. First [[premolar]]s are very small and slightly exceeds the incisors in the crown area. Body length is 10 cm, hindfeet 0.8–1.5 cm, forearm 6.6 cm.<ref>[http://www.arkive.org/species/GES/mammals/Latidens_salmalii/more_info.html Salim Ali's fruit bat (''Latidens salmalii'')] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081203222720/http://www.arkive.org/species/GES/mammals/Latidens_salmalii/more_info.html |date=2008-12-03 }}. ARKive</ref>

It was observed that these bats eat fresh fruits of ''[[Elaeocarpus|Elaeocarpus oblongus]]'' (''Rudraksh'' or bead tree) and the figs ''[[Ficus glomerata]]'' (cluster fig), ''[[Ficus macrocarpa]]'' (Indian laurel fig) and ''[[Ficus beddomei]]'' (''Thavital'', a [[strangler fig]]).<ref>{{cite journal|year= 2003|title=Mist net captures of the rarest fruit bat ''Latidens salimalii''|volume=84|issue= 1|jstor=24107368|url=http://www.iisc.ernet.in/currsci/jan102003/24.pdf|author= Singaravelan, N.|author2= Marimuthu, G.|name-list-style= amp |journal=Current Science |pages=24–26}}</ref>

==Range==
The first description of the bat was from a single specimen collected at an altitude of 750 meters in the High Wavy Mountains of the Annamalai [[Western Ghats]], Theni district, [[Tamil Nadu]], South India.

In 2002 the Indian government added the [[Wroughton's free-tailed bat]] (''Otomops wroughtonii'') and Salim Ali's fruit bat (''Latidens salimalii'') to Schedule I of the [[Wildlife Protection Act of 1972|Wildlife Protection Act]], affording these two species the highest level of protection. The other 112 species of bats in India were not affected.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20060824034256/http://www.batcon.org/newsletter/enews-0203/enews-0203-vermin.html "No Longer Vermin"]. Bat Conservation International Newsletter, Vol 2, No. 2 (February 2003)</ref>

==Conservation==
Salim Ali's fruit bat was listed as [[critically endangered]] in 1996, and has been considered an [[endangered species]] since 2004. It meets the criteria for this designation because of its small population size of fewer than 1,000 individuals. Additionally, it is experiencing population decline, with the population expected to contract by a further 20% by 2032 due to hunting for [[bushmeat]], loss and degradation of caves, and [[deforestation]].<ref name=iucn/>

==References==
{{Commons category|Latidens salimalii}}
{{Reflist}}

{{Pteropodidae|C.}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q301489}}

[[Category:Mammals described in 1972]]
[[Category:Nature conservation in India]]
[[Category:Mammals of India]]
[[Category:Memorials to Salim Ali]]

Salim Ali's fruit bat - Revision history

imported>ShortDescBot: ShortDescBot adding short description "Species of mammal"