Family Rhinolophidae
The family Rhinolophidae is also known as the Horseshoe Bats.
Like the Hipposideridae, one of the most distinctive features is the presence of a complicated noseleaf, which is divided into three parts:
- the lowest part is called the anterior (meaning front) leaf, and is rounded, and horseshoe shaped, so this it what gives the family their English name
- the middle part of the noseleaf, behind nostrils, has a raised portion called the sella
- at the back is the posterior leaf, which rises to a long triangular point and is also called the lancet
Look at the photo below and see if you can find all these parts of the noseleaf. They are important because they vary slightly from species to species and can be used for identification.
Look closely at the face of this Rhinolophus to be sure you can identify all the different parts of the noseleaf. Also notice the very obvious antitragus at the front of the ear
Some species also have lateral lappets. These are two rounded projections either side of the sella. This can also be helpful in telling some of the species apart.
Two of these species have lateral lappets, outlined in green. One species (on the right) doesn't have the lappets
When you look at the face of a Rhinolophus from the side, you can see how the sella is connected to the posterior noseleaf (or lancet) by a connecting process. This can also vary in shape from one species to another and can be used in identification.
Its easy to see the connecting process when the bat is turned sideways because it sticks out very clearly from the middle of the noseleaf
The connecting process for each of these bats is outlined in red. The species on the left has a notched connecting process but in the other two species it is rounded
When we have to identify the bats in the field, we always start by looking for lateral lappets and then checking the shape of the connecting process. It gives us a head start on the identification before we take the measurements.
Look at the ears, they are large, and the flap of skin towards the front is the antitragus. There is no tragus.
All Rhinolophus have a small tail membrane that stretches between the legs, but doesn’t go much beyond the ankle. The tail itself is fully enclosed by the membrane, with maybe just a mm or two of the tail poking out beyond the edge. At each ankle, there is a small rod of cartilage called a calcar, to which the tail membrane is attached, which helps the bat control the position of the membrane in flight.
The Rhinolophidae are only found in the Old World. Most species are found in the tropics and subtropics but a few species are found in the temperate areas like Europe and Japan. There is just a single genus in the family and about 75 species. In Malaysia, there are at least 20 species and in Krau Wildlife Reserve we have recorded 8 species, but some of them are pretty rare.
All members of the Rhinolophidae eat insects, and they roost in a variety of places. Some species like to roost in caves in large colonies, others in smaller groups in fallen tree hollows, and some roost alone under leaves.
