Sir, 

   Its look like either Salim Ali's Fruit Bat (Latidens salimalii) or Lesser Dog-faced Fruit Bat (Cynopterus brachyotis). Can you provide some more pictures for confirmation.

Dear Jeyathilakan,

The bat is most likely a juvenile Taphozous sp. while the fly is a Nycteribiidae.

Best

Considering the fact that there is no 'scale' to know the size of the bat, it is a bit difficult to identify the specimen correctly. Certainly it looks like the Fulvous Fruit Bat (Rousettus leschenaulti, Desmarest 1820). Hope the size of the forearm length is around 9 cm. Mehmet may be right.

The bat has a tragus hence it is for sure not from the Pteropodidae family (Old world fruit bats).

Well, about the forearm length, there are the fingers, so according to them it would be around 5 cm, I guess.

I cross-checked with some books (Vivek Menon's: A Field Guide to Indian Mammals-Vol 1; page 157) and friends and I realize that my previous description may not be correct. As Sebastien Puechmaille opines, this may be a juvenile Taphozous species. The Long-winged tomb bat (T. longimanus) and the Black-bearded tomb bat (T. melanopogon) are distributed in the area where this bat has been found. If there are no tell-tale signs or symptoms of a beard (since nothing is seen), then T. melanopogon can be ruled out.

The other identifying factors (Vivek Menon's: A Field Guide to Indian Mammals-Vol 1; page 151) are: 1) Tail tip emerges from the middle of membrane; 2) Ear sizes are variable and 'tragus' present; 3) the muzzle is long and erect.

The monograph titled "A key to the bats (Mammalia - Chiroptera) of south Asia", as suggested by Mehmet Sait Taylan is certainly useful.

I hope Narayanaperumal Jeyathilakan will be able to throw more light on the said bat species.

Dear Sir

Thank you very much to all researchers  for the help rendered to identify the bat species. However I am confused with different answers. Hence I contacted a Chiropterologist and identified as an evening bat belonging to the genus Scotophilus, Family Vespertiolinidae . Anyway I am herewith enclosing three more photographs of bat for correct identification at species level.

Regarding the bat fly, I already know its belonging to family Nycteribiidae. However I want to identify the ectoparasite at species level. 

👍🏾

It's certainly Scotophilus, most likely Scotophilus kuhlii.

Usefull link: http://www.bio.bris.ac.uk/research/bats/China%20bats/scotophiluskuhlii.htm

Thank you Dr.Ramanathan and Dr. Branko. I request Dr. Ramanathan to give your opinion on the genus and species of bat

Dear Narayanaperumal Jeyathilakan, send me an email ([email protected]) I know someone who is willing to (try to) identify it.

Dear Narayanaperumal Jeyathilakan,

The best bet in this case for you is to get in touch with Prof. G Marimuthu of Madurai Kamaraj University. He has over 25 years of experience studying bats.

His contact details are:

Email: [email protected] (check if this works)

Cell: +91 97916 96463

Phone: +91 452 2456479

http://www.genomicsmku.org/FAC%20PROF/Marimuthu.php

I am also attaching a book on "Chiroptera Conservation and Information Network of South Asia CCINSA". You have more information here and also has some contact details of people whom you can contact.

Alternatively you can also get in touch with "Zoo Outreach Organization, 96, Kumudham Nagar, Vilankurichi Road, Coimbatore 641035, Tamil Nadu, India."

Contact Dr. B. A. Daniel

Phone: 91 422 2665298, 2665450, 2665101;

Fax: 91 422 2665472

Email: [email protected]

regards,

Krishnamani Ramanathan

I meant: the fly, not the bat :-)

Scotophilus, most probably S. kuhlii, very young male, just few days after first emerging from day roost. What a problem with identification that it is Scotophilus? 

No question, Branko and Sergei were correct. And I understand Sergei's last and a bit emotional sentence...

I agree with Sebastien Puechmaille, bat fly belongs to fam. Nycteribiidae, it looks like Basilia sp. Send me clear photos ([email protected]), I think I can help you.

Thank you Dr Krishnamani Ramanathan for your dedicated help also I thank Drs  Guido, Kruskop and Maria for their interest and help

probably Taphozous melanopogon