Rhinolophus yunanensis, Dobson, 1872

Burgin, Connor, 2019, Rhinolophidae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 9 Bats, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 280-332 : 331

106 . Dobson’s Horseshoe Bat

Rhinolophus yunanensis

French: Rhinolophe duYunnan / German: Dobson-Hufeisennase / Spanish: Herradura de Yunnan

Taxonomy. Rhinolophus yunanensis Dobson, 1872 ,

“ Hotha, Yunan ,” China .

Rhinolophus yunanensis is included in the pearsonii species group. Populations now attributed to thailandensis were previously considered to represent R yunanensis, incorporating specimens from Thailand. The study that described R. thai - landensis only examined specimens of R. yunanensis from Yunnan and Sichuan, China, and Thailand; this leaves some ambiguity regarding the rest of the distribution attributed to R.yunanensis . The paper restricted R.yunanensis to China, but the rest of the distribution is here included tentatively under this species, until a revision incorporating specimens from the whole range is undertaken. Monotypic.

Distribution. Known with certainty only from S China (Sichuan and Yunnan), but populations from NE India (Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram) and N & E Myanmar are tentatively included in this species; a dubious record in Guizhou (S China) and it may occur in Laos.

Descriptive notes. Head—body 52- 4—72 mm, tail 18-28 mm, ear 19- 9—27 mm, hindfoot 10-8-14- 7 mm, forearm 55-5—59- 2 mm; weight 20-22 g. Fur is woolly, glossy, and dense; dorsal pelage is light grayish brown to dark gray (hairs unicolored), while ventral pelage is paler. Ears are medium-sized to large. Noseleaf has a long, triangular, straight-sided lancet; connecting process forms a low, rounded arch; sella has a wide base that narrows toward the middle and tapers slightly toward the tip; horseshoe is wide (12- 5—14 mm), covering the whole muzzle, and has a deep and distinct median emargination. Lower lip has one mental groove. Baculum is relatively short but strong (4 mm long) and has a strong basal cone (strong compared to the Thailand Horseshoe Bat,. thailandensis ) and a roughly cylindrical shaft; tip is narrowly rounded offand laterally widened. Skull is large and heavily built (zygomatic width much greater than mastoid width); anterior median swellings are longer than wide (width is less than in the Thailand Horseshoe Bat); lateral swellings are much larger than the anterior ones; sagittal crest is strong, especially anteriorly; frontal depression is relatively shallow; supraorbital crests are low but well defined. C1 is strong and well developed; P2 is large and in the tooth row; P3 is moderate in size and more or less extruded from the tooth row, or very rarely absent. Dental formula is the typical of 32 teeth or 30 when a lower premolar is missing. Chromosomal complement has 2n = 46 and FNa = 60 (Sichuan) or 2n = 44 and FNa = 60 (Guizhou, possibly refers to Pearson’s Horseshoe Bat, R.pearsonii ).

Habitat. Commonly found in dense hilly forests among bamboo clumps, and is often recorded around limestone caves. Dobson’s Horseshoe Bat is known from bamboo thickets in China, where it may roost. Typically found at elevations of 600-1300 m.

Food and Feeding. No information.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. Dobson’s Horseshoe Bat roosts in limestone caves and has been captured in bamboo thickets and thatched roofs. An echolocation call from Sichuan with a peak F of 48 kHz probably represents this species.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCNed List. Dobson’s Horseshoe Bat appears to be uncommon throughout much of its distribution. It greatest threat is probably local habitat loss due to commercial logging and agricultural expansion; there do not appear to be any major threats identified at the moment.

Bibliography. Bates & Harrison (1997), Bates, Bumrungsri, Csorba, Molur & Srinivasulu (2008b), Bates, Thi Mar-Mar et al. (2004), Csorba et al. (2003), Francis (2008a), Gu Xiaoming (2006), Hill (1986 b), Molur et al. (2002), Smith & Xie Yan (2008), WuYi, Harada & Motokawa (2009), Zhang Libiao, Jones et al. (2009).

Figures

On following pages: 94. Thomas's Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus thomasi); 95. Lesser Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus hipposideros); 96. rancis's Woolly Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus trancisi); 97. Lesser Woolly Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus sedulus); 98. Trefoil Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus trifoliatus); 99. Northern Woolly Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus perniger); 100. Selangor Woolly Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus luctoides); 101. Malaysian Woolly Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus mono); 102. Great Woolly Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus luctus); 1.03. Beddome's Woolly Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus beddomei); 104. Formosan Woolly Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus formosaë); 105. Thailand Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus thailandensis); 106. Dobson's Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus yunanensis); 107. Chiew Kwee's Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus chiewkweeae); 108. Pearson's Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus pearsonii); 109. Mitred Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus mitratus).

Distribution. Known with certainty only from S China (Sichuan and Yunnan), but populations from NE India (Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram) and N & E Myanmar are tentatively included in this species; a dubious record in Guizhou (S China ) and it may occur in Laos .