Hipposideros demissus K. Andersen 1909
Creators: name: Wilson, Don E.
name: Mittermeier, Russell A.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2019
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Chordata
Mammalia
Chiroptera
Hipposideridae
Hipposideros
Hipposideros demissus

description: 39. Makira Leaf-nosed Bat <i>Hipposideros demissus</i> <b>French:</b> Phyllorhine de Makira / <b>German:</b> Makira-Rundblattnase / <b>Spanish:</b> Hiposidérido de Makira <b>Other common names:</b> Makira Roundleaf Bat <b>Taxonomy.</b> Hipposiderus [sic] demissus K. Andersen, 1909, “Yanuta, San Christoval [= San Cristobal Island],” Solomon Islands. Hipposideros demissus is in the diadema species group along (8 species). It was initially described as a distinct species. Subsequently, J. E. Hill in 1963 and. J. Phillips in 1967 suggested reclassifying it as a subspecies of H. diadema, but more recently D.J. Kitchener and colleagues in 1992 and T. F. Flannery in 1995 supported the status of H. demissus as a separate species, based on its noticeably distinct morphological traits. In addition, T. H. Lavery and colleagues in 2014 found strong genetic differences between H. diadema and H. demissus, and recommended that further genetic analyses of these taxa were required to clarify their taxonomy. Monotypic. <b>Distribution.</b> Endemic to Makira (= San Cristobal) I, Solomon Is. <b>Descriptive notes.</b> Head-body 64*8-70* 3 mm, tail 34*1-42* 6 mm, ear 20*6-24* 5 mm, forearm 66* 9 mm; weight 27 g. Ears of the Makira Leaf-nosed Bat are large, triangular, and slightly concave below tips. Posterior noseleaf has three pairs of supplementary lateral leaflets. In central part of intermediate noseleaf there is a small protuberance. Posterior noseleaf has a semicircular upper margin and there are four cells on frontal surface, divided by three vertical septa. Tail is long, surpassing uropatagium. In adult males, pelage is yellowish-brownish or greyish on dorsum, with whitish coloration in central portion of each hair. In adult females, pelage can be bright orange. Ventral part is slighdy paler. <b>Habitat.</b> The Makira Leaf-nosed Bat has been reported in caves, along streams, in secondary forest, and also in disturbed habitats such as cacao plantations. <b>Food and Feeding.</b> The Makira Leaf-nosed Bat may forage in both disturbed and undisturbed habitats and its diet is probably based on insects. <b>Breeding.</b> Breeding biology of the Makira Leaf-nosed Bat is still unknown. o date, only a few breeding colonies have been reported, all of them in caves. <b>Activity patterns.</b> The Makira Leaf-nosed Bat roosts in caves. The F part of its echolocation call is 69*3 kHz. <b>Movements, Home range and Social organization.</b> The Makira Leaf-nosed Bat is gregarious, forming large groups at some roosts. <b>Status and Conservation.</b> Classified as Vulnerable on 77ze IUCN Red List due to its restricted range. Population trends of this species are unknown. One of its major threats might be the disturbance of its roosts. Cyclones are also suspected of being a threat to this species. More research focused on the Makira Leaf-nosed Bat is needed in order to assess its ecology and threats adequately. <b>Bibliography.</b> Davies et al. (2016), Flannery (1995a), Hamilton (2008b), Hill (1963a), Kitchener, How, Cooper &amp; Suyanto (1992), Lavery et al. (2014), Phillips (1967).
description: Published as part of <i>Don E. Wilson &amp; Russell A. Mittermeier, 2019, Hipposideridae, pp. 227-258 in Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 9 Bats, Barcelona :Lynx Edicions</i> on page 241, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.3739808