The Peninsular horseshoe bat or Robinson's Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus robinsoni) is a species of horseshoe bat found in Malaysia and Thailand.[1] The name "horseshoe bat" derives from the distinctive horseshoe-shaped flaps at the lower part of its nose-leaf.
The peninsular horseshoe bat was first described as a new species by Knud Andersen in 1918, which he placed in the megaphyllus species group.[2] It was often considered a synonym or subspecies of the smaller horseshoe bat, but genetic and morphological data suggests it should be treated as a distinct species.[3]
Description
The peninsular horseshoe bat is a small to medium-sized horseshoe bat, with a head to body length of 47-55 mm, a forearm length of 40-46 mm and a weight ranging 6 to 13 grams.[3] The ears are large, measuring from 16 to 23 mm, tapered at the ends, and have an antitragus although lacking a tragus, which is typical for horseshoe bats. As with other rhinolophids, the complex shape of the nose-leaf adorned with intricate folds and furrows is thought to aid in shaping and modifying its echolocation calls. The echolocation calls range from 64-68 kHz.[3]
Habitat and Ecology
This species occurs in mixed pristinedeciduous forests and lowland dipterocarp forests in Thailand, and in Malaysia it is mostly found in lowland and hill forests.[1] It likely primarily roosts in small groups, and has been found to roost in crevices in rocks and in palms in the forest understory.[4] Little is known about its ecology overall.
Conservation
The peninsular horseshoe bat is a rare species, being infrequently recorded in its respective range. Attempts of capturing the species around disturbed habitats in Thailand have had no success.[1] The IUCN Red List classifies this species as Near Threatened due to its dependence on forests and widespread habitat degradation through most of its range, which is a major threat to the species. It has been extirpated from its type locality in Surat Thani province, although some populations still occur in protected areas in Thailand and Malaysia.[1]
1 2 3 Wilson, Don E.; Mittermeier, Russell A. (2019). Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 9: Bats. Barcelona: Lynx edicions. pp.308–309. ISBN978-84-16728-19-0.
↑ Kingston, T.; Lim, B. L.; Zubaid, A. (2006). Bats of Krau Wildlife Reserve. Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia.: Penerbit Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. ISBN978-96-79427-56-1.
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