Roussette

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A term used to describe a category of bats in the Pteropodidae family, particularly known for their dietary preference for fruits and flowers
2. This label refers to specific fruit-feeding bats that play a vital role in their ecosystems through seed dispersal and pollination
3. A type of bat distinguished by its diet of fruits and flowers, belonging to a particular family group

Etymology: "Roussette" is French, and its core idea is simply colour: it comes from "rousset", a diminutive of "roux", meaning reddish or russet-coloured. The word was applied to these bats because of the reddish-brown fur of many fruit-eating species, the same hue that gave the English "russet" its name for a coarse reddish-brown cloth and for a sort of reddish apple. The result is a name that describes appearance rather than behaviour. Many of the bats it covers are large Old World fruit bats, and their fruit-feeding habits are what make them important in their ecosystems, since they carry seeds away from parent trees and help pollinate flowers. Yet the word itself records only the colour of their coats, a reminder that many animal names were chosen by people looking at the creature rather than studying what it ate.