Rhinolophus montanus, Goodwin, 1979

Burgin, Connor, 2019, Rhinolophidae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 9 Bats, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 280-332 : 305

49 . Timorese Horseshoe Bat

Rhinolophus montanus

French: Rhinolophe deTimor / German: Timor-Hufeisennase / Spanish: Herradura de Timor

Taxonomy. Rhinolophus philippinensis montanus R. E. Goodwin, 1979 ,

“ 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 philippinensis species group and formerly treated as a subspecies of R philippinensis , 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.

Distribution. 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.

Descriptive notes. 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 relatively high and rounded; sella is very broad basally and continuous with sides of intemarial cup, tapering gradually up to truncate tip. Horseshoe is wide, covers muzzle, and has deep median emargination and relatively well-developed lateral leaflets. Skull is delicately 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 C 1; P3 is slightly displaced labially and separates P2 and P4.

Habitat. Dense evergreen riparian forest (from call recordings) and tropical moist forests in lowlands and along mountain slopes at elevations of 45-1220 m.

Food and Feeding. No information.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. 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/ FM with a peak F recorded at 37 kHz.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. The Timorese Horseshoe Bat seems to roost in small groups of perhaps 6-7 individuals. Individuals are well-spaced during roosting rather than clustered, apparently being much less gregarious than other horseshoe bats. The species has been recorded roosting with Creagh’s Horseshoe Bat (AE creaghî ), the Large Long-fingered Bat ( Miniopterus magnater ), and the Small Longfingered Bat (M. pusiUus).

Status and Conservation. Classified as Endangered on The IUCN ed List. 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 negatively through roost disturbance. As with others in philippinensis group, this species probably has a low population density and is naturally rare throughout its distribution.

Bibliography. Armstrong & Csorba (2016), Armstrong & Konishi (2012), Csorba (2002), Csorba et al. (2003), Goodwin (1979).

Figures

On following pages: 52. Eastern Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus megaphyllus}; 53. Insular Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus keyensis}; 54. Yellow-faced Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus virgo}; 55. Madura Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus madurensis}; 56. Sulawesi Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus celebensis}; 57. Robinson's Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus robinsoni); 58. Indochinese Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus chasem); 59. Anamban Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus nereis}; 60. Bornean Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus borneensis); 61. Malayan Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus malayanus}; 62. Acuminate Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus acuminatus}; 63. Acuminate Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus acuminatus}; 64. Little Japanese Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus cornutus}; 65. Yaeyama Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus perditus}; 66. Mountain Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus monticolus}; 67. Shortridge's Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus shortridgei}; 68. Formosan Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus monoceros}; 69. Least Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus pusillus}; 70. Little Nepalese Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus subbadius}; 71. Convex Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus convexus}; 72. Andaman Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus cognatus}; 73. Glossy Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus refulgens}; 74. Blyth's Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus lepidus};

Distribution. 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.