Cynopterus sphinx (Vahl 1797)

[Vespertilio] sphinx Vahl 1797, Skr. Nat. Selsk. Copenhagen, 4 (1): 123.

Type Locality: India, Madras, Tranquebar.

Vernacular Names: Greater Short-nosed Fruit Bat.

Subspecies::

Subspecies Cynopterus sphinx subsp. sphinx Vahl 1797

Subspecies Cynopterus sphinx subsp. angulatus Miller 1898

Subspecies Cynopterus sphinx subsp. babi Lyon 1916

Subspecies Cynopterus sphinx subsp. pagensis Miller 1906

Subspecies Cynopterus sphinx subsp. scherzeri Zelebor 1869

Subspecies Cynopterus sphinx subsp. serasani Paradiso 1971

Distribution: Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, S China, SE Asia including Burma, Vietnam, and Cambodia, W Malaysia, Sumatra, adjacent small islands; perhaps Borneo.

Conservation: IUCN / SSC Action Plan (1992) – Not Threatened. IUCN 2003 – Lower Risk (lc).

Discussion: This taxon is sometimes confused with brachyotis, and the status of many populations is in doubt. See discussion of diagnostic characters in Bates and Harrison (1997) and Mapatuna et al. (2002). Includes angulatus; see Hill and Thonglongya (1972). Does not include titthaecheilus; see Hill (1983). Apparently includes babi; see Kitchener and Maharadatunkamsi (1991), but also see Corbet and Hill (1992), who included babi in brachyotis without comment. May not include scherzeri; see Corbet and Hill (1992), but also see Bates and Harrison (1997), who retained scherzeri in sphinx but noted that it may represent a distinct species. May also include brachysoma and andamanesis (here listed as synonyms of brachyotis); see Bates and Harrison (1997). Some authors recognize gangeticus as a distinct subspecies; it is here grouped in the nominate subspecies following Koopman (1994). Clinal variation in size discussed by Storz et al. (2001). Also see Storz and Kunz (1999).