Rhinolophus monoceros, K. Andersen, 1905

Burgin, Connor, 2019, Rhinolophidae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 9 Bats, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 280-332 : 312-313

68 . Formosan Horseshoe Bat

Rhinolophus monoceros

French: Rhinolophe unicorne I German: Taiwan-Hufeisennase I Spanish: Herradura unicornio

Other common names: Formosan Lesser Horseshoe Bat

Taxonomy. Rhinolophus monoceros K. Andersen, 1905 ,

“ Baksa, Formosa [= Taiwan].”

Rhinolophus monoceros is included in the pusiUus species group. It appears to be close to the Chinese R pusiUus. Monotypic.

Distribution. Lowlands of Taiwan and Orchid I. A recent record from Guizhou on mainland China was identified only on the basis of morphology and is here regarded as dubious; this specimen needs to be examined further.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 40-50 mm, tail 15-27 mm, ear 16-17 mm, hindfoot 7-9 mm, forearm 34-40 mm; weight 4-8 g (male average) and 4-9 g (female average). Dorsal pelage is wood brown with reddish tint, while ventral pelage is similar but lighter. Ears are medium-sized. Noseleaf has concave sides and more or less spatulate tip; connecting process is triangular with pointed tip, and sometimes slightly curved; sella is wide basally, and continuously converges from halfway up toward tip, wich is broadly rounded; horseshoe is relatively wide (5-6- 6-7 mm), almost covering muzzle, and has moderately deep and narrow median emargination. There are three mental grooves on lower lip. Skull is small and moderately built (zygomatic and mastoid breadth are usually subequal in size but the zygomatic breadth can be larger or smaller); anterior median swellings are very small; posterior swellings are more developed; rostral profile is nearly straight or slopes slighdy, posteriorly; sagittal crest usually weakly developed; frontal depression is shallow with low supraorbital ridges. C1 is short and moderately weak; P2 of moderate size and within tooth row; P3 is small to moderate in size and is somewhat extruded from tooth row, still separating P2 and P4. Chromosomal complement has 2n = 62 and FNa = 60.

Habitat. Generally found at low elevations of 20-460 m, in forest habitats with adequate canopy cover.

Food and Feeding. The Formosan Horseshoe Bat is insectivorous.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. Formosan Horseshoe Bats roost by day in caves and tunnels. Search call shape is FM/CF/FM with a peak F averaging 111-8 kHz in adult males, 113-7 kHz in adult females, 109-9 kHz in juvenile males, and 111-8 kHz in juvenile females.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Formosan Horseshoe Bats roost in large colonies of up to 5000 individuals, and have been recorded roosting in the same caves as Asian Long-fingered Bats ( Miniopterusfuliginosus), Fringed Long-footed Myotis (Myotisfimbriatus) , Great Himalayan Leaf-nosed Bats ( Hipposideros armiger), and East Asian Tailless Leaf-nosed Bats ( Coelopsfrithii).

Status and Conservation. Not assessed as a separate species on The IUCN ed List, where it is included under the Least Horseshoe Bat ( pusillus ) as Least Concern. The Formosan Horseshoe Bat has a restricted distribution in the lowlands of Taiwan and Orchid Island. It appears to have limited gene flow across Taiwan.

Bibliography. Ando eta/. (1980 c), Chen Shiangfan (1995), Chen Shiangfan, Jones & Rossiter (2009), Chen Shiangfan, Rossiter eta/. (2006), Hutson, Kingston & Walston (2008), LeeYafu eta/. (2012), Smith &XieYan (2008), Soisook eta/. (2016), WuYi, Motokawa eta/. (2012), Zhang Lin eta/. (2018), Zhou Jiang &YangTianyou (2010).

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. Lowlands of Taiwan and Orchid I. A recent record from Guizhou on mainland China was identified only on the basis of morphology and is here regarded as dubious; this specimen needs to be examined further.