Rhinolophus francisi Soisook 2015
Creators: name: Burgin, Connor
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2019
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Chordata
Mammalia
Chiroptera
Rhinolophidae
Rhinolophus
Rhinolophus francisi

description: 96. Francis’s <b>Woolly</b> Horseshoe <b>Bat</b> <i>Rhinolophus francisi</i> French: Rhinolophe de rancis / <b>German:</b> Francis-Wollhaar-Hufeisennase / <b>Spanish:</b> Herradura de Francis Taxonomy. <i>Rhinolophus frantisi</i> Soisook <i>et</i> <i>al,</i> 2015, “ Gunung Trus Madi, Sabah, Malaysia (approx. 5°34’N, 116°29’ <i>E</i>), at an elevation of about 1,600 m a.s.l.” <i>Rhinolophus frantisi</i> is included in the <i> <i>trifoliatus</i> species group, along with. <i>sedulus</i>,. <i>trifoliatus, R.perniger, R.luctoides, R.mono,</i> <i>R.</i> luctus, <i>R. beddomei,</i> and <i>R formosae.</i> It appears to be <i>sister</i> to the rest of the <i>trifoliatus</i> species group. The <i>trifoliatus</i> group appears to be close to the <i>hipposideros</i> and <i>pearsonii</i> species groups, based on mitochondrial genes; they form a clade that is basal to the rest of the Asiatic clade of <i>Rhinolophus</i> or is sister to the rest <i>of hinolophus,</i> based on nuclear genes, although further genetic studies are needed to confirm the <i>respective</i> positions of the species groups within the genus. Specimens ofthis <i>species</i> from Thailand were previously attributed to <i>R.beddomei,</i> in 2010, but proved to represent <i> <i>A</i> frantisi</i> The current distribution of this <i>species</i> is limited to two <i>widely</i> separate areas; the species may also be present in Vietnam, based on genetic evidence that placed three Vietnamese specimens as sister to the nominate race. Race <i>thailandicus</i> may ultimately prove to be a distinct <i>species</i> when more specimens are available for comparison. Two subspecies recognized.</i> <b>Subspecies and Distribution.</b> <i>R.f.</i> <i>frantisi</i> Soisook <i>et al,</i> 2015 - known only from a few localities in N, <b>SW</b> &amp; S Borneo. <i>R.f. thailandicus</i> Soisook &amp; <b>Bates</b>, 2015 — known only from type locality <b>in</b> SW Thailand. Genetic data suggest that the species may also occur in <b>Vietnam</b>, but this requires more research. Descriptive <b>notes.</b> <i>Head-body</i> 63- 4 mm, tail 29- 9-38 mm, ear 23- 8-27 mm, hindfoot 13-5-15- 5 mm, forearm 52-9-54- 7 mm; weight 16-18 g. Fur is long and woolly; dorsal and ventral pelage has dark grayish brown appearance, each hair being whitish brown basally and grayish brown at the dp. Ears are medium-sized. Noseleaf is dark brown and the lancet is high and slightly concave in the middle, with a pointed tip; connecting process is long and projects anteriorly; sella is broader basally, <i>abruptly</i> concave in the middle, parallel-sided at top with a rounded <i>off</i> tip, and has two large circular lappets on either side of base; horseshoe is <i>relatively</i> wide (12-2-12- 4 mm) but does not <i>completely</i> cover muzzle, and has a deep median emargination. Lower lip has one mental groove. Skull is robust (zygomatic width is greater than mastoid width); anterior median swellings <i>are well</i> inflated and bulbous; posterior swellings are small and uninflated; frontal depression is deep; supraorbital ridges are very conspicuous; sagittal crest is well defined; zygomatics are strong with a distinct triangular dorsal arch at midpoint. C1 is tall; P2 is very small with distinct cusp, and is within the tooth row; P3 is minute and almost <i>completely</i> extruded from tooth row; P2 and P4 are touching or nearly so. Habitat In Borneo, Francis’s <i>Woolly</i> Horseshoe Bat was collected in montane forest and undisturbed evergreen forest in Sabah, and undisturbed and logged evergreen forest in Kalimantan; also, over a seasonal stream surrounded by dense primary evergreen forest in Thailand. It was found at 431 m in Thailand and at 1600 m in Sabah. <b>Food and</b> Feeding. No information. Breeding. No information. <b>Activity patterns.</b> Call shape is FM/CF/FM with a peak F of 49-2—50 kHz, durations of 20-2—39-9 milliseconds, and interpulse intervals of 30-7—126 milliseconds, in Kalimantan and Thailand. <b>Movements, Home range and Social</b> organization. No information. <b>Status and Conservation.</b> <i>Not</i> assessed on <i>The IUCN ed List,</i> due to its recent <i>recognition</i> as a species. Francis’s <i>Woolly</i> Horseshoe Bat is <i>currently</i> known from <i>only</i> six records, two in Sabah and three in Kalimantan, in Borneo, and one in Thailand. It is probably more <i>widely</i> distributed, and should be considered data deficient until more information is available. The species is probably threatened by habitat destruction throughout its range, and perhaps by hunting in some areas. <b>Bibliography.</b> <i>Soisook</i>, Niyomwan et al. (2010), Soisook, Struebig et al. (2015).
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 327-328, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.3748525