Arcuate horseshoe bat
The arcuate horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus arcuatus) is a species of bat in the family Rhinolophidae. It is found in Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, and the Philippines.
Arcuate horseshoe bat | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | Chiroptera |
Family: | Rhinolophidae |
Genus: | Rhinolophus |
Species: | R. arcuatus |
Binomial name | |
Rhinolophus arcuatus Peters, 1871 | |
Arcuate horseshoe bat range |
Taxonomy and etymology
It was described as a new species in 1871 by German zoologist Wilhelm Peters. [2] Its species name "arcuatus" is Latin for "curved," though Peters gave no explanation as to why he named it thus. Strahan and Conder hypothesized that it was a reference to the appearance of its nose-leaf.[3]
Biology and ecology
It is nocturnal, roosting in sheltered places during the day such as limestone caves. At night it forages for its insect prey by gleaning them off substrates and aerial hawking.[1]
Range and habitat
Its range includes several countries in Southeast Asia, including Malaysia, the Philippines, and Indonesia. It is also found in Papua New Guinea in Oceania. It has been documented at elevations from sea level to 1,600 m (5,200 ft) above sea level.[1]
Conservation
As of 2008, it is evaluated as a least-concern species by the IUCN. It meets the criteria for this classification because it has a wide geographic range; its population is presumably large; and it is also tolerant of a variety of habitat types. Furthermore, it is unlikely that it is experiencing rapid population decline.[1]
References
- Rosell-Ambal, G.; Tabaranza, B.; Wright, D. (2008). "Rhinolophus arcuatus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2008: e.T19525A8953290. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2008.RLTS.T19525A8953290.en.
- Peters, W. (1871). "Las über die gattungen und arten der hufeisennasen, Rhinolophi". Monatsberichte der Königlichen Preussische Akademie des Wissenschaften zu Berlin. 1871: 305–306.
- Strahan, R.; Conder, P., eds. (2007). Dictionary of Australian and New Guinean mammals. Csiro Publishing.