Hipposideros ater, Templeton, 1848

Don E. Wilson & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2019, Hipposideridae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 9 Bats, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 227-258 : 249

62.

Dusky Leaf-nosed Bat

Hipposideros ater

French: Phyllorhine sombre / German: Dunkle Rundblattnase / Spanish: Hiposidérido sombreado

Other common names: Bicolored Leaf-nosed Bat, Dusky Roundleaf Bat

Taxonomy. Hipposideros ater Templeton, 1848 ,

“Colombo,” Sri Lanka.

Hipposideros ater was formerly included in the bicolor species group, but is now placed in the new ater species group (13 species). Phylogenetic analyses suggested specimens referred to this species from throughout the range include cryptic species; e.g. in Borneo, and further revision of this widespread species is needed. Seven subspecies recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution.

H.a.aterTempleton,1848-IndiaandSriLanka.

H.a.amboinensisPeters,1871—AmbonI,Moluccas.

H.a.antricolaPeters,1861—Philippines.

H.a.aruensisj.E.Gray,1858—NewGuinea,BismarckArchipelago,WoodlarkI,andEAustralia(Queensland).

H.a.gilbertiD.H.Johnson,1959-WesternAustraliaandNorthernTerritory,Australia.

H.a.naUamalaensis.Srinivasulu&B.Srinivasulu,2006-EasternGhats,AndhraPradesh,India.

H. a. saevus K. Andersen, 1918 -Myanmar S to Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, N Borneo, Java, Lesser Sunda Is (Bali and Lombok), Sulawesi, Moluccas, and Kai Is. Range of this subspecies is tentative and needs revision.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 35-45 mm, tail 17-28 mm, forearm 17-43 mm; weight 4-5-10 g. Forearm length variable between populations, 34-38 mm (Indian subcontinent) and 36-43 mm ( Papua New Guinea). Noseleaf of the Dusky Leaf-nosed Bat has no supplementary leaflet. Shape of intemarial septum varies between populations, from triangular to parallel-sided, or a swollen bump. Pelage color is variable from dull yellow to golden-orange to gray to dark brown; base of hair is paler than tip. Skull is small; sagittal crest is present but not well developed. P4 is small and extruded from tooth row. Baculum is a very small, thin, straight shaft with simple blunt base and tip. Chromosomal complement has 2n = 32 and FN = 60.

Habitat The Dusky Leaf-nosed Bat forages in forest gaps, understory of rainforest, dry evergreen forest, and secondary forest.

Food and Feeding. The Dusky Leaf-nosed Bat combines aerial-hawking and foliagegleaning tactics to find insect prey. Its known diet includes beetles, moths, gnats, and mosquitoes.

Breeding. In India, females were found pregnant in mid-November to mid-December and gave birth to a single offspring from late May to June, continuing to lactate until mid-August. Females reach sexual maturity within one year. In Sri Lanka, pregnant females were captured in mid-March. In Papua New Guinea, pregnant females were found in late October, and a young was found in early December. In Australia, newborn young were observed in October-November. Individual males can be found at maternity roosts.

Activity patterns. The Dusky Leaf-nosed Bat emerges rather late in the evening and flies low down. It roosts in caves, rock crevices, houses, old buildings, abandoned mines or hollow trees. During the day, it spends time grooming and cleaning fur and membranes. Call frequency of F segment is 163-169 kHz in India, and 154-164 kHz in Papua New Guinea.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. The Dusky Leaf-nosed Bat roosts singly (particularly males), or in small groups, in caves, with numbers of up to a few hundred individuals; bats maintain a space of c.lO cm from each other. The species can share a roost with other bat species, but tends to hang apart from them.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCNRed List. The Dusky Leaf-nosed Bat is a widespread species and is found in several protected areas.

Bibliography. Bates & Harrison (1997), Bonaccorso (1998), Corbet & Hill (1992), Csorba, Bumrungsri, Francis, Helgen, Bates, Gumal, Heaney eta/. (2008), Douangboubpha, Bumrungsri, Satasook et al. (2011), Douangboubpha, Bumrungsri, Soisook, Murray et al. (2010), Phillipps & Phillipps (2016), Simmons (2005), Srinivasulu & Srinivasulu (2006).

Figures

47. Short-tailed Leaf-nosed Bat (Hipposideros curtus), 49. Aellen’s Leaf-nosed Bat (Hipposideros marisae), 50. Schneider’s Leaf-nosed Bat (Hipposideros speoris), 51. Spurred Leaf-nosed Bat (Hipposideros calcaratus), 52. Fawn-colored Leaf-nosed Bat (Hipposideros ceruinus), 53. Cox’s Leaf-nosed Bat (Hipposideros coxi), 54. Cantor’s Leaf-nosed Bat (Hipposideros galeritus), 55. Aba Leaf-nosed Bat (Hipposideros abae), 56. Benito Leaf-nosed Bat (Hipposideros beatus), 57. Sundevall’s Leaf-nosed Bat (Hipposideros caffer), 58. Sooty Leaf-nosed (Bat Hipposiderosfuliginosus), 59. Lamotte’s Leaf-nosed Bat (Hipposideros lamottei), 60. Noack’s Leaf-nosed Bat (Hipposideros ruber), 61. Maghreb Leaf-nosed Bat (Hipposideros tephrus), 62. Dusky Leaf-nosed Bat (Hipposideros ater), 63. Bicolored Leaf-nosed Bat (Hipposideros bicolor), 64. Short-headed Leaf-nosed Bat (Hipposideros breviceps), 65. Least Leaf-nosed Bat (Hipposideros cineraceus), 66. Large Mindanao Leaf-nosed Bat (Hipposideros coronatus)

Subspecies and Distribution. H.a.aterTempleton,1848-IndiaandSriLanka. H.a.amboinensisPeters,1871—AmbonI,Moluccas. H.a.antricolaPeters,1861—Philippines. H.a.aruensisj.E.Gray,1858—NewGuinea,BismarckArchipelago,WoodlarkI,andEAustralia(Queensland). H.a.gilbertiD.H.Johnson,1959-WesternAustraliaandNorthernTerritory,Australia. H.a.naUamalaensis.Srinivasulu&B.Srinivasulu,2006-EasternGhats,AndhraPradesh,India. H. a. saevus K. Andersen, 1918 -Myanmar S to Peninsular Malaysia , Sumatra, N Borneo, Java, Lesser Sunda Is (Bali and Lombok), Sulawesi, Moluccas , and Kai Is. Range of this subspecies is tentative and needs revision.