The Pteropodidae are a distinctive group, readily distinguished from other bats by the possession of two claws on the wing (all other bats have only one wing-claw, like our thumb).Traditionally, they are also viewed as being larger than ‘microbats’, but this is not always so.

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The other typical features of the Pteropodidae are their dog-like faces with elongated muzzles and large eyes, and their diet of fruit. In contrast to the ‘microbats’, eyesight is important in the Pteropodidae – they rely on this sensory organ for perception of their environment. A primitive form of echolocation has developed in only one genus, Rousettus.