Sulawesi rousette

The Sulawesi rousette or Sulawesi fruit bat (Pilonycteris celebensis) is a species of megabat in the family Pteropodidae endemic to Sulawesi, an island in Indonesia. It is presently the only member of the genus Pilonycteris.

Sulawesi rousette
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Chiroptera
Family:	Pteropodidae
Subfamily:	Rousettinae
Genus:	Pilonycteris Nesi, Tsang, Simmons, McGowen & Rossiter, 2021
Species:	P. celebensis
Binomial name
Pilonycteris celebensis (K. Andersen, 1907)
Sulawesi rousette range
Synonyms
Rousettus celebensis

Taxonomy

It was formerly classified in the genus Rousettus until 2021, when a phylogenetic study found it to belong to its own genus (and tribe, although a new tribe was not described for it) that was more derived than Rousettus, which was described as Pilonycteris. P. celebensis is thought to be the only member of Pilonycteris, but Rousettus linduensis may also belong.^[2][3]

Description

The tibia of the Sulawesi rousette bat is covered in dense fur. Its antitragal lobe is fairly reduced. The bony arch of its cheek is narrow and triangular in shape. The male's distal end of the penis has a flattened and triangular shape.^[4]

Diet

Rousettus celebensis is a fruit-eating bat; it has big wings which allow it to carry heavy loads and also make it a good seed disperser. Its diet consists of large seeds, an uncommon feature, compared to other frugivorous bats. R. celebensis has a unique digestive system which allows it to digest certain seeds or seed coats or both.^[5]