77.

Kunz’s Leaf-nosed Bat

Hipposideros kunzi

French: Phyllorhine de Kunz / German: Kunz-Rundblattnase / Spanish: Hiposidérido de Kunz

Other common names: Kunz's Bicolored Leaf-nosed Bat, Kunz's Bicolored Roundleaf Bat

Taxonomy. Hipposideros kunzi Murray et al, 2018,

“Bukit Rengit, Krau Wildlife Reserve, Pahang, Peninsular Malaysia (... 03°35’45.6”N, 102°10’59.0”E — approximate elevation 72 m).”

Hipposideros kunzi was initially referred to as “Mbicolor-Y42. kHz” by T. Kingston and colleagues in 2001 and provisionally designated H. atrox by B. Douangboubpha and coworkers in 2010. It is in the ater species group. Monotypic.

Distribution. Malay Peninsula.

Descriptive notes. Ear 15-19 mm, forearm 38-45 mm. Noseleaf of the Kunz’s Leafnosed Bat is narrow and without lateral supplementary leaflet. Intemarial septum is wider at base and narrower at tip, in somewhat triangular form. Anterior leaf has deep emargination. Pelage color is variable from dark brown to bright orange, but always bicolored with white base. Rostrum is flattened. Sagittal crest is moderately developed. P2 is small and extruded from tooth row.

Habitat. Kunz’s Leaf-nosed Bat was captured in primary or secondary forests, or disturbed habitats. It was found commuting from the roost to the feeding areas through rubber and oil-palm plantations. Common in karst areas.

Food and Feeding. Kunz’s Leaf-nosed Bat feeds on small insects in gaps in the understory.

Breeding. In peninsular Thailand, females were found pregnant in March-April, and lactating in late April-June.

Activity patterns. Kunz’s Leaf-nosed Bat roosts in caves, rock crevices, old houses, and underground pipes. Echolocation call frequency is 138—144 kHz.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Kunz’s Leaf-nosed Bat roosts in small groups of a few individuals or in colonies of several hundred individuals in caves. It was observed sharing roosts with Least Leaf-nosed Bats ( H. cineraceus), Bicolored Leaf-nosed Bats ( H. bicolor), Horsfield’s Leaf-nosed Bats ( H. larvatus), Great Himalayan Leaf-nosed Bats ( H. armiger), Pendlebury’s Leaf-nosed Bats (Ä pendleburyi), Malayan Horseshoe Bats { Rhinolophus malayanus), Lesser Brown Horseshoe Bats (A stheno), Himalayan Whiskered Myotis (Afyotis stZigormsis), Peters’s Myotis (M. ater), Intermediate Long-fingered Bats (Miniopterus médius), and Black-bearded Tomb Bats (Taphozous melanopogon).

Status and Conservation. Not assessed on The IUCN Red List due to its recent recognition as a species. Kunz’s Leaf-nosed Bat is currently not at risk.

Bibliography. Douangboubpha, Bumrungsri, Soisook, Satasook eta/. (2010), Francis (2008a), Kingston, Lara et al. (2001), Kingston, Lim & Zubaid (2006), Murray et al. (2018).