Physiological Factors Affecting Pollen Use by Queensland Blossom Bats (Syconycteris australis)

The Queensland blossom bat (Syconycteris australis) is a specialist nectar and pollen feeder. Physiological factors that affect the efficiency of pollen use as a nitrogen source include pollen digestion and alimentary retention times. I examined how pollen of different forms affect these digestive constraints in blossom bats. Twice as many pollen grains were empty in the intestine compared to the stomachn suggesting that the stomach is not the main site of pollen digestion. The percentage of pure Banksia pollen (∼53%) digested was similar to that of pure Callistemon pollen (∼55%). The percentage of Banksia pollen digested did not increase with time spent in the gut