Observations on the consumption and dispersal of Phoenix canariensis drupes by the Grey-headed flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus)

Authors

  • Dirk HR Spennemann

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.2478/eje-2018-0005

Keywords:

Grey-headed flying-fox, Pteropus poliocephalus, diet, frugivory, Phoenix canariensis, Washingtonia robusta, dispersal of exotic palms

Abstract

Aided by their transplantability as adult plants, Phoenix canariensis and Washingtonia robusta palms have a long history as ornamental feature trees in urban settings. With their plentiful production of carbo-hydrate reach drupes, palms have become a major food source for the grey-headed flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus) during late autumn and early winter. This paper reviews the consumption of Phoenix canariensis and Washingtonia robusta drupes based on the field observations and a morphological and metric analysis of spat-out remains (‘ejecta’). Based on a review of the mastication mechanics of fruit consumption, the paper demonstrates that P. poliocephalus can be ruled out as a disperser of the invasive Phoenix canariensis, but must be considered for the dispersal of Washingtonia robusta.

References

Aguirre LF, Herrel A, Van Damme R, Matthysen E. The implications of
food hardness for diet in bats. Funct Ecol. 2003;17(2):201-212.
doi:10.1046/j.1365-2435.2003.00721.x.
Ahmed I, Ahmed AWK, Robinson RK. Chemical composition of date
varieties as influenced by the stage of ripening. Food Chem.
1995;54(3):305-309. doi:10.1016/0308-8146(95)00051-J.
Andronicos, M. (2018, April 12). [Origin of the Phoenix canariensis at nº
708 Forrest Hill Avenue, Albury, NSW].
Augee ML, Parry-Jones KA. The diet of Flying-foxes in the Sydney and
Gosford areas of New South Wales, based on sighting reports
1986–1990. Aust Zool. 1991;27(3–4):49-54.
Banack SA. Diet selection and resource use by flying foxes (genus Pteropus).
Ecology. 1998;79(6):1949-1967. doi:10.2307/176701.
Barrow SC. A Monograph of Phoenix L. (Palmae: Coryphoideae). Kew
Bull. 1998;53(3):513-575. doi:10.2307/4110478.
Biosecurity Queensland. (2018). Phoenix canariensis hort. ex Chabaud.
Weeds of Australia Biosecurity Queensland Edition. Retrieved
from https://keyserver.lucidcentral.org/weeds/data/media/
Html/phoenix_canariensis.htm
Birt P, Hall LS, Smith GC. Ecomorphology of the tongues of Australian
megachiroptera (Chiroptera: Pteropodidae). Aust J Zool.
1997;45(4):369-384. doi:10.1071/ZO97005.
Bollen A, Elsacker LV. Feeding ecology of Pteropus rufus (Pteropodidae)
in the littoral forest of Sainte Luce, SE Madagascar. Acta Chiropt.
2002;4(1):33-47. doi:10.3161/001.004.0105.
Bonaccorso FJ, Gush TJ. Feeding behaviour and foraging strategies of active
phyllostomid fruit bats: an experimental study. J Anim Ecol.
1987;56(3):907-920. doi:10.2307/4956.
Brodie C, Reynolds T. (2012). Review of recent plant naturalisations
in South Australia and initial screening for weed risk. Department
for Environment and Natural Resources Technical Report
2012/02, nº. Adelaide
Buchanan RA. Pied Currawongs (Strepera graculina): their diet and role
in weed dispersal in suburban Sydney, New South Wales. Proc
Linn Soc N S W. 1989;111(1–4):241-255.
Campbelltown City Council. (2015). Garden Weeds & Bushland Invaders.
nº. Campbelltown, SA Conn, B., & Walsh, N. (1993). Arecaceae.
In N. Walsh & T. Entwistle (Eds.), Flora of Victoria (pp. 165–
167). Inkata Press: Melbourne.
Corlett RT. Frugivory and seed dispersal by vertebrates in the Oriental
(Indomalayan) Region. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc. 1998;73(4):413-
448. doi:10.1017/S0006323198005234. Medline
Greet DG, De Vree F. Movements of the mandibles and tongue during
mastication and swallowing in Pteropus giganteus (Megachiroptera):
A cineradiographical study. J Morphol. 1984;179(1):95-
114. doi:10.1002/jmor.1051790109. Medline
Gueldre G, Vree F. Biomechanics of the masticatory apparatus of Pteropus
giganteus (Megachiroptera). J Zool. 1990;220(2):311-332.
doi:10.1111/j.1469-7998.1990.tb04310.x.
Department of the Environment and Energy. (2017). Species Profile
and Threats Database. Species Profile and Threats Database.
Retrieved from http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/sprat/
public/publicspecies.pl?taxon_id=186
Hume DEWLP. (2017, Sep 6). Flying Foxes in the Hume Region [Facebook
Post]. Retrieved from https://www.facebook.com/DELWPHume/
posts/1103797886419547
Djouab A, Benamara S, Gougam H, Amellal H, Hidous K. Physical and
antioxidant properties of two Algerian date fruit species (Phoenix
dactylifera L. and Phoenix canariensis L.). Emir J Food Agric.
2016;28(9):601-608. doi:10.9755/ejfa.2015-12-1056.
Dumont ER. The effect of food hardness on feeding behaviour in
frugivorous bats (Phyllostomidae): an experimental study. J
Zool. 1999;248(2):219-229. doi:10.1111/j.1469-7998.1999.
tb01198.x.
Dumont ER, Herrel A. The effects of gape angle and bite point on bite
force in bats. J Exp Biol. 2003;206(13):2117-2123. doi:10.1242/
jeb.00375. Medline
Dumont ER, O’Neal R. Food hardness and feeding behavior in Old
World fruit bats (Pteropodidae). J Mammal. 2004;85(1):8-14.
doi:10.1644/BOS-107.
Eby, P. (1996). Interactions between the grey-headed flying fox Pteropus
poliocephalus (Chiroptera: Pteropodidae) and its diet plants—
seasonal movements and seed dispersal. (DPhil), University of
New England, Armadale.
Eby P, Richards G, Collins L, Parry-Jones K. The distribution, abundance
and vulnerability to population reduction of a nomadic nectarivore,
the Grey-headed Flying-fox Pteropus poliocephalus in New
South Wales, during a period of resource concentration. Aust
Zool. 1999;31(1):240-253. doi:10.7882/AZ.1999.024.
Eco Logical Australia. (2014). Kareela Flying Fox Camp Plan of Management
– Final. Prepared for Sutherland Shire Council. nº. Sutherland
Esler AE, Astridge SJ. The naturalisation of plants in urban Auckland, New
Zealand 2. Records of introduction and naturalisation. N Z J Bot.
1987;25(4):523-537. doi:10.1080/0028825X.1987.10410084.
Gulraiz TL, Javid A, Mahmood-Ul-Hassan M, Hussain SM, Azmat H, Daud
S. Role of Indian flying fox Pteropus giganteus Brünnich, 1782
(Chiroptera: Pteropodidae) as a seed disperser in urban areas
of Lahore, Pakistan. Turk J Zool. 2016;40:417-422. doi:10.3906/
zoo-1407-42.
Herrel A, De Smet A, Aguirre LF, Aerts P. Morphological and mechanical
determinants of bite force in bats: do muscles matter? J Exp Biol.
2008;211(1):86-91. doi:10.1242/jeb.012211. Medline
Hosking JR, Conn BJ, Lepschi BJ, Barker CH. Plant species first recognised
as naturalised for New South Wales in 2002 and 2003,
with additional comments on species recognised as naturalised
in 2000–2001. Cunninghamia. 2007;10(1):139-166.
Hunter Councils Environment Division. (2017). Flying-Fox Camp Management
Plan. Murrurundi Camp Management Plan. nº. Thornton,
NSW
Javid A, Gulraiz TL, Ashraf M, et al. Proximate analysis of Indian flying
fox’s (Pteropus giganteus) natural food, with a note on its
roost variations in urban areas of Lahore, Pakistan. Turk J Zool.
2017;41:714-721. doi:10.3906/zoo-1512-24.
Lohr MT, Keighery GJ. The status and distribution of naturalised alien
plants on the islands of the west coast of Western Australia.
Conserv Sci W Aust. 2016;10(1):1-43.
Manley DB, Williams LM. Structure of the Gastro-Intestinal Tract of the
Flying Fox Pteropus poliocephalus. J Anat. 1979;128:649-650.
McConkey, K. R., & Drake, D. R. (2015) Low redundancy in seed dispersal
within an island frugivore community. AoB PLANTS, 7(plv088).
doi: https://doi.org/10.1093/aobpla/plv088
McDonald-Madden E, Schreiber ESG, Forsyth DM, Choquenot D,
Clancy TF. Factors affecting Grey-headed Flying-fox (Pteropus
poliocephalus: Pteropodidae) foraging in the Melbourne metropolitan
area, Australia. Austral Ecol. 2005;30(5):600-608.
doi:10.1111/j.1442-9993.2005.01492.x.
Messaro, M. (2018, Feb 26). [Birds feeding in palms on my property at
Burumbuttock].
Morrison DW. Efficiency of food utilization by fruit bats. Oecologia.
1980;45(2):270-273. doi:10.1007/BF00346469. Medline
Nakamoto A, Sakugawa K, Kinjo K, Izawa M. Feeding effects of Orii’s
flying-fox (Pteropus dasymallus inopinatus) on seed germination
of subtropical trees on Okinawa-jima Island. Tropics.
2007;17(1):43-50. doi:10.3759/tropics.17.43.
Nelson JE. (1989). 37. Pteropodidae. In D. W. Walton & B. J. Richardson
(Eds.), Fauna of Australia (Vol. 1B Mammalia).
Oleksy R, Giuggioli L, McKetterick TJ, Racey PA, Jones G. Flying foxes
create extensive seed shadows and enhance germination success
of pioneer plant species in deforested Madagascan landscapes.
PLoS One. 2017;12(9):e0184023. doi:10.1371/journal.
pone.0184023. Medline
Parry-Jones K, Augee ML. Food Selection by Grey-headed Flying Foxes
(Pteropus poliocephalus) Occupying a Summer Colony Site near
Gosford, New South Wales. Wildl Res. 1991;18(1):111-124.
doi:10.1071/WR9910111.
Parry-Jones KA, Augee ML. Factors affecting the occupation of a colony
site in Sydney, New South Wales by the Grey-headed Flying-
fox Pteropus poliocephalus (Pteropodidae). Austral Ecol.
2001;26(1):47-55.
Ratcliffe F. Notes on the fruit bats (Pteropus spp.) of Australia. J Anim
Ecol. 1932;1(1):32-57. doi:10.2307/993.
Richards GC. The spectacled flying-fox, Pteropus conspicillatus (Chiroptera:
Pteropodidae), in North Queensland. 2. Diet, seed dispersal
and feeding ecology. Aust Mammal. 1990;13:25-31.
Richardson KC, Stuebing RB, Normah HK. Alimentary tract morphology
and digesta transit of some Malaysian chiropterans. Indo-Malayan
Zoology. 1987;4:399-412.
Roberts BJ, Catterall CP, Eby P, Kanowski J. Long-distance and frequent
movements of the flying-fox Pteropus poliocephalus: implications
for management. PLoS One. 2012;7(8):e42532. doi:10.1371/
journal.pone.0042532. Medline
Roots, P. (2018, Apr 9). [Flying Fox colony near Albury].
Schmelitschek E, French K, Parry-Jones K. Fruit availability and utilisation
by grey-headed flying foxes (Pteropodidae: Pteropus poliocephalus
) in a human-modified environment on the south coast
of New South Wales, Australia. Wildl Res. 2009;36(7):592-600.
doi:10.1071/WR08169.
Shilton LA, Altringham JD, Compton SG, Whittaker RJ. Old World fruit bats
can be long-distance seed dispersers through extended retention
of viable seeds in the gut. Proc Biol Sci. 1999;266(1416):219-223.
doi:10.1098/rspb.1999.0625.
Shire of Manjimup. (2008). Shire of Manjimup Weed Strategy. nº. Manjimup
Spennemann DHR. (2018a). Phoenix canariensis and Washingtonia robusta
drupes consumed by the Pied Currawong (Strepera graculina).
A photographic documentation. nº. Albury, NSW
Spennemann DHR. (2018b). Phoenix canariensis drupes consumed by
the Grey-headed flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus). A photographic
documentation. nº. Albury, NSW
Spennemann DHR. (2018c). Phoenix canariensis seed in scats and ejecta
collected at Alma Park, and Walla Walla, NSW. A photographic
documentation. nº. Albury, NSW
Spennemann DHR. Review of the vertebrate-mediated dispersal of the
Date Palm, Phoenix dactylifera. Zool Middle East. 2018d;64. doi:
10.1080/09397140.2018.1514785.
Spennemann DHR. (2018e). Washingtonia robusta drupes consumed
by the Grey-headed flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus). A photographic
documentation. nº. Albury, NSW
Spennemann DHR. Inter-specimen variability of drupes and seed among
Phoenix canariensis palms in the Southern Riverina, Australia. J
Hortic Res. (in prep.). projected journal.
Spennemann DHR. Canary Date Palms (Phoenix canariensis) in Australia—
introduction and early dispersal. Palms. In press. accepted.
Spennemann DHR. (subm.-a) Canary Date Palms (Phoenix canariensis)
as ornamental plants. The first thirty years of the horticultural
trade. Huntia. (under review).
Spennemann DHR. (subm.-b) Palms fanning out. A review of vertebrate
vectors responsible for the dispersal of Washingtonia filifera and
W. robusta. Rodriguésia. (under review).
Spennemann DHR. (subm.-c) When Palms go AWOL. A review of vertebrate
vectors responsible for the dispersal of the Canary Island
date palm (Phoenix canariensis). Plant Ecol Divers. (under
review).
Spennemann DHR, Pike M. Feral Phoenix Canariensis in an agricultural
landscape: nature and patterns of of dispersal. Aust J Bot. (in
prep.). projected journal.
Storch G. (1968). Funktionsmorphologische Untersuchungen an der
Kaumuskulatur und an korrelierten Schädelstrukturen der Chiropteren.
Abhandlungen der Senckenbergischen Naturforschenden
Gesellschaft, nº 517. Stuttgart
Tedman RA, Hall LS. The morphology of the gastrointestinal tract of the
fruit bats Pteropus alecto and P. poliocephalus (Megachiroptera).
Bulletin of the Australian Mammal Society. 1982;7:58.
Tedman RA, Hall LS. The morphology of the gastrointestinal tract and
food transit time in the fruit bats Pteropus alecto and P. poliocephalus
(Megachiroptera). Aust J Zool. 1985;33(5):625-640.
doi:10.1071/ZO9850625.
Triggs B. (2004) Tracks, scats, and other traces: a field guide to Australian
mammals (2nd ed.). Melbourne: Oxford University Press.
Tsoar A, Shohami D, Nathan R. (2010). A Movement Ecology Approach
to Study Seed Dispersal and Plant Invasion: An Overview and Application
of Seed Dispersal by Fruit Bats Fifty Years of Invasion
Ecology: The Legacy of Charles Elton (pp. 101 – 119).
Tsoar A, Shohami D, Nathan R. (2011). A movement ecology approach
to study seed dispersal and plant invasion: an overview and application
of seed dispersal by fruit bats. In D. M. Richardson (Ed.),
Fifty Years of Invasion Ecology: The Legacy of Charles Elton (pp.
101–119). New York: Wiley-Blackwell.
van Leeuwen WMD. The dispersal of plants by fruit-eating bats. Gardens’
Bulletin. Straits Settlement. 1935;9:58-63.
Vendan SE, Kaleeswaran B. Plant dispersal by Indian flying fox Pteropus
giganteus in Madurai region, India. Elixier Bio Diversity.
2011;30:1810-1813.
Virtue JG, Spencer RD, Weiss JE, Reichard SE. Australia’s Botanic Gardens
weed risk assessment procedure. Plant Prot Q. 2008;23(4):166-
178.
Walters B. (2006). Preliminary investigation into the cause of crown
damage in Canary Island Palm (Phoenix canariensis) at Catani
Gardens, St. Kilda. nº. Melbourne
Williams NSG, McDonnell MJ, Phelan GK, Keim LD, Van Der Ree R. Range
expansion due to urbanization: Increased food resources attract
Grey-headed Flying-foxes (Pteropus poliocephalus) to Melbourne.
Austral Ecol. 2006;31(2):190-198. doi:10.1111/j.1442-
9993.2006.01590.x.
Zona S. The horticultural history of the Canary Island Date Palm (Phoenix
canariensis). Gard Hist. 2008;36:301-308.

Downloads

Published

2018-06-01

Issue

Section

Articles

How to Cite

Spennemann, D. H. (2018). Observations on the consumption and dispersal of Phoenix canariensis drupes by the Grey-headed flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus). European Journal of Ecology, 4(1), 41-49. https://doi.org/10.2478/eje-2018-0005