Rhinolophus montanus Goodwin 1979
Creators: name: Burgin, Connor
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2019
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Chordata
Mammalia
Chiroptera
Rhinolophidae
Rhinolophus
Rhinolophus montanus

description: 49. Timorese Horseshoe Bat <i>Rhinolophus montanus</i> French: Rhinolophe <i>deTimor</i> / <b>German:</b> <i>Timor-Hufeisennase</i> / <b>Spanish:</b> Herradura de <i>Timor</i> <b>Taxonomy.</b> <i> Rhinolophus philippinensis <i>montanus</i> R. E. Goodwin, 1979,</i> “ Quoto Lou Caves near the village of Lequi-Mia, 5 miles (8 km.) south of Ermera, Timor, at an altitude of approximately 1220 m.” Included in the <i>philippinensis</i> species group and formerly treated as a subspecies of <i>R philippinensis,</i> but is now considered to represent a distinct species, on morphological grounds. In addition, the two species probably occur sympatrically on Timor, and are also distinguishable based on call frequencies. Monotypic. <b>Distribution.</b> Known only from four localities on E Timor I (Quoto Lou Caves, Laleia River, Ira Siquero River, and near Betano); three recent records are based only on echolocation recordings. <b>Descriptive notes.</b> Head—body 49—50 mm, tail 25-31 mm, ear 25—27 mm, forearm 43- 5-46 mm. Pelage is grizzled and woolly, being fuscous dorsally, shading to dark brown in neck regions (hairs dark brown throughout, some hairs being pale) and paler ventrally (hairs with pale tips). Ears are enormous. Noseleaf has hastate lancet; connecting process is <i>relatively</i> high and rounded; sella is very broad basally and continuous with sides of intemarial cup, tapering <i>gradually</i> up to truncate tip. Horseshoe is wide, covers muzzle, and has deep median emargination and <i>relatively well-developed</i> lateral leaflets. Skull is <i>delicately</i> built (zygomatic width much smaller than mastoid width); anterior median swellings are conspicuously inflated; lateral compartments are moderately developed, whereas posterior compartments are small; sagittal crest is weak; frontal depression is shallow, and supraorbital ridges are underdeveloped. P2 is elongated anteroposteriorly and sits within tooth row and only touches cingulum of C1, separating P4 and <i>C</i> 1; P3 is slightly displaced labially and separates P2 and P4. <b>Habitat.</b> Dense evergreen riparian forest (from call recordings) and tropical moist forests in lowlands and along mountain slopes at elevations of 45-1220 m. <b>Food and</b> Feeding. No information. Breeding. No information. <b>Activity patterns.</b> The Timorese Horseshoe Bat is nocturnal, roosting in sheltered places such as man-made and natural humid caves during the day. Call shape is FM/CF/ <b>FM</b> with a peak F recorded at 37 kHz. <b>Movements, Home range and Social organization.</b> The Timorese Horseshoe <b>Bat</b> seems to roost in small <i>groups</i> of perhaps 6-7 individuals. Individuals are <i>well-spaced</i> during roosting rather than clustered, apparently being <b>much</b> less gregarious than other horseshoe bats. The species has been recorded roosting with Creagh’s Horseshoe Bat (<i>AE creaghî)</i>, the Large Long-fingered Bat <i>(Miniopterus magnater)</i>, and the <b>Small</b> Longfingered Bat (<i>M</i>. <i>pusiUus).</i> <b>Status and Conservation.</b> Classified as Endangered on <i>The IUCN</i> ed <i>List.</i> The Timorese Horseshoe Bat is known only from a few specimens and call recordings across its small distribution. Much of the island of Timor has been deforested and turned into agricultural fields, probably threatening this species through habitat destruction and fragmentation. Increased cave visitations may also be affecting this species <i>negatively</i> through roost disturbance. As with others in <i>philippinensis</i> group, this species probably has a low population density and is naturally rare throughout its distribution. <b>Bibliography.</b> Armstrong &amp; Csorba (2016), Armstrong &amp; Konishi (2012), Csorba (2002), Csorba et <i>al.</i> (2003), Goodwin (1979).
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 page 305, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.3748525