Coastal Pleurothyrium vs Gray Flying Fox

Pleurothyrium costanense compared with Pteropus griseus

Key Differences

Coastal Pleurothyrium is Least Concern while Gray Flying Fox is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Coastal Pleurothyrium	Gray Flying Fox
Kingdom	Plantae (Plants)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Laurales (Laurales)	Chiroptera (Bats)
Family	Lauraceae	Pteropodidae (Fruit Bats)
Genus	Pleurothyrium	Pteropus (Flying Foxes)
Species	Pleurothyrium costanense	Pteropus griseus

Conservation Status

Coastal Pleurothyrium

LC — Least Concern

Gray Flying Fox

VU — Vulnerable

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Coastal Pleurothyrium	Gray Flying Fox
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Coastal Pleurothyrium

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

Range

Found in Venezuela.

Gray Flying Fox

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Coastal Pleurothyrium

Coastal pleurothyrium (Pleurothyrium costanense) is a tree in the family Lauraceae, native to the Pacific coastal forests of Costa Rica and adjacent Panama. It grows in tropical lowland rainforest and pre-montane forest habitats at elevations generally below 800 metres, where it forms part of the high canopy layer. The genus Pleurothyrium is characterised by alternate leaves with a leathery texture, small flowers borne in paniculate inflorescences, and fleshy fruits enclosed in a cupule—typical of the broader laurel family. As a member of the Lauraceae, the species likely plays a role in forest succession and provides fruits consumed by birds and mammals. Central American coastal forests are under pressure from deforestation for agriculture and cattle ranching, but Pleurothyrium costanense is assessed as Least Concern by the IUCN, indicating sufficient population size and distribution to withstand current threats. The species is part of the diverse laurel flora that defines Central American cloud forests and wet lowland ecosystems, and its conservation is linked to the broader protection of Costa Rican biodiversity hotspots.