Rhinolophus stheno
Common name: The Lesser Brown Horseshoe Bat
This individual of Rhinolophus stheno has a chestnut tinge to the fur, but others may be brown
Distribution of Rhinolophus stheno
Physical Description
Nose: Like all horseshoe bats, Rhinolophus stheno has a very distinctive noseleaf that extends to cover much of the face. The edges of the noseleaf are grayish-brown, but the inner parts appear slightly pink. The connecting process is rounded.
See how the connecting process, like that of Rhinolophus affinis is rounded
Fur: Fur color varies in this species, from brown to chestnut, and the fur on the underside is a bit paler.
Ears: The ears are large and brown and like all Rhinolophus there is no tragus, but there is a very pronounced antitragus.
Wings: The wings are a dark brown, and are quite broad and rounded so that the bat is maneuverable enough to fly in the dense forest.
Tail: Like all Rhinolophus a small tail membrane 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.
Size: Rhinolophus stheno looks very like Rhinolophus affinis, except it’s a bit smaller. The average forearm length is about 46 mm and the average weight about 9 g.
Ecology
This is mainly a forest species, found roosting in small numbers in crevices of rock boulders and in larger colonies in caves, where it often roosts together with Rhinolophus lepidus.
Where they are found
Vietnam, Thailand, Laos, Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra and Java.
