Rhinolophus perniger Hodgson 1843
Creators: name: Burgin, Connor
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2019
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Chordata
Mammalia
Chiroptera
Rhinolophidae
Rhinolophus
Rhinolophus perniger

description: 99. Northern Woolly Horseshoe Bat <i>Rhinolophus perniger</i> French: Rhinolophe noir/ <b>German:</b> <i>NördlicheWollhaar-Hufeisennase</i> <b>/Spanish:</b> Herradura <i>lanoso</i> norteno <b>Other common names:</b> Chinese Woolly Horseshoe Bat <b>Taxonomy.</b> <i>Rhinolophus perniger</i> Hodgson, 1843, “ central region <i>of</i> the Sub-Himalayas,” Nepal. <i>Rhinolophus perniger</i> is in the <i>trifoliatus</i> species group. It was included under <i>R</i> luctus but is now recognized as a distinct species based on karyological and morphological data presented by M. Volleth and colleagues in 2017. They compared the karyotype of <i>a</i> specimen from China (considered to be <i>lanosus)</i> to the <i>recently</i> described <i> R. <i>luctoides,</i> proving their distinctiveness. This specimen from China is morphologically similar to specimens assigned to <i>perniger</i> from India, which demonstrates that they are the same species. Volleth and colleagues considered this taxon to be <i> R <i>lanosus,</i> but the name <i>perniger</i> has priority. <i>They</i> did not investigate taxonomic status of other named forms that are included here as <i>subspecies</i> of <i>R.perniger</i> (<i>i</i>.e. <i>perniger, lanosus,</i> and <i>spurcus),</i> so <i>taxonomic</i> status <i>of</i> these three names is still up for debate. See <i>R. luctus, R. luctoides,</i> and <i>R. morio.</i> Specimens in Vietnam presented by Volleth and colleagues in 2017 had an identical karyotype to <i>R. luctoides</i> from Malaysia and were <i>tentatively</i> named <i>R.</i> cf. <i>luctoides</i> <i>.</i> In <i>early</i> study by Volleth and colleagues in 2015, limited genetic data indicated that specimens now identified as <i>R.perniger</i> from Myanmar and China clustered with specimens <i>of R. luctoides,</i> and <i>R. morio</i> was sister to this clade. This suggests that <i>R. luctoides</i> might be not be distinct from. <i>perniger</i> or that some parts of the distribution of. <i>perniger</i> might actually represent. <i>luctoides.</i> Relationships among currently recognized species in the <i>R. luctus</i> complex (<i>R.</i> pemiger, <i>R. morio, R. luctoides,</i> and <i>R. luctus)</i> remain uncertain. There might be undescribed species in what is <i>currently</i> recognized as <i>R.perniger</i> because some specimens throughout its distribution do not match its typical description according to Volleth and colleagues in 2015. Extensive genetic, morphological, and karyological studies are needed to clarify this and relationships among species in the <i>R. luctus</i> complex. Distribution of. <i>perniger</i> relative to <i>R. morio</i> and <i>R. luctoides</i> is uncertain, and distributions given here are tentative. Three subspecies recognized.</i></i> <b>Subspecies</b> and Distribution. <i>R. p.</i> <i>perniger</i> Hodgson, 1843 - N, <i>C</i> &amp; SW India (Uttarakhand, Sikkim, <i>West</i> Bengal, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, and Kerala), <i>C</i> &amp; E Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, S China (Yunnan), N Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia. . <i>p.</i> <i>lanosus</i> K. Andersen, 1905 — C &amp; SE China (Sichuan, Guizhou, Guangxi, Anhui Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Fujian, and Guangdong). <i>R.p. spurcus</i> G. M. Allen, 1928 - Hainan I, China. Possibly also peninsular Thailand, according to recorded calls. Descriptive <b>notes.</b> Head—body 75—99 mm, tail 36-61 mm, ear 28—44 mm, hindfoot 16- 20 mm, forearm 68- 5-81 mm; <i>weight</i> 27-45 g. (Note that some <i>of</i> these ranges, with the exception of the forearm values, probably include data from taxa currendy regarded as separate species.) The Northern <i>Woolly</i> Horseshoe Bat is the largest species of horseshoe bat. The basic craniodental features are surprisingly similar in all species in the complex; for general description, see the Great <i>Woolly</i> Horseshoe Bat (. <i>luctus).</i> This species has not <i>yet</i> been compared <i>morphologically</i> to typical Great <i>Woolly</i> Horseshoe Bats from Indonesia. However, it seems that currently available craniodental morphometric data clearly—albeit based on limited dataset—differentiate this species from the Selangor <i>Woolly</i> Horseshoe Bat (. <i>luctoides).</i> Baculum, as described from Indian <i>specimens</i>, is longer (6-7 mm long) than in the Selangor <i>Woolly</i> Horseshoe Bat and the Malaysian <i>Woolly</i> Horseshoe Bat (. <i>morio</i>), has wide base with shallow medial bifurcation in dorsal <i>view</i>, and has a somewhat flattened tip that is slightly bulged. <i>A</i> specimen from Vietnam that showed karyotypic similarities to the Selangor <i>Woolly</i> Horseshoe Bat had similar baculum to this species, 6- 1 mm long. Chromosomal complement has 2n = 32 and FNa = 60. <b>Habitat.</b> The Northern <i>Woolly</i> Horseshoe Bat is a forest-dweller which <i>can</i> also be found in degraded forest (and is apparently somewhat <i>tolerant</i> of human disturbance). In China, most records have been collected in forested areas. Recorded from sea level up to elevations of 923 m. <b>Food and</b> Feeding. Northern <i>Woolly</i> Horseshoe Bats feed on coleopterans, termites, and other insects. Appears to forage by aerial-hawking and has also been observed perch-hunting. Breeding. No information. Activity <b>patterns.</b> Northern <i>Woolly</i> Horseshoe Bats roost by day in caves, and occasionally tree hollows and man-made structures. They leave their roosts <i>early</i> in the evening. The species hibernates in parts of the Himalayas and in northern Vietnam. Call shape is FM/CF/FM with a peak F of 33 kHz (the 110 kHz value given in a publication for Vietnam is definitely an error), 32—34 kHz in Laos, and apparently 40 kHz in Thailand (probably from the first harmonic rather than the <i>second</i>). <b>Movements, Home range and Social</b> organization. This species roosts solitarily or in pairs, rarely in groups of more than two. <b>Status and Conservation.</b> Not assessed on <i>The IUCNed List,</i> (included under <i>R luctus,</i> which is listed as Least Concern). The Northern <i>Woolly</i> Horseshoe Bat is widespread as <i>currently</i> defined but until its <i>taxonomy</i> is settled, its conservation status cannot be <i>properly</i> assessed. <b>Bibliography.</b> Bates &amp; Harrison (1997), Bates eta/. (2004), Csorba <i>eta</i> /. (2003), Francis (2008a), Harada, Yenbutra.Yosida &amp;Takada (1985), <i>Hendrichsen</i>, Bates &amp; Hayes (2001), Kruskop (2013a), Matveev (2005), Molur et <i>a</i> /. (2002), Sinha (1973), <i>Smith</i> &amp; XieYan (2008), Srinivasulu &amp; Srinivasulu (2012), Thong Vu <i>Dinh</i> (2014 <i>b</i>), Volleth, <i>Loidl</i> eta/. (2015), Volleth, Nguyen Truong <i>Son</i> eta/. (2017).
description: Published as part of <i>Burgin, Connor, 2019, Rhinolophidae, pp. 280-332 in Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 9 Bats, Barcelona :Lynx Edicions</i> on pages 328-329, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.3748525