Damara horseshoe bat

The Damara horseshoe bat, Rhinolophus damarensis, is a species of bat found in Africa.

Damara horseshoe bat

Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Chiroptera
Family: Rhinolophidae
Genus: Rhinolophus
Species:
R. damarensis
Binomial name
Rhinolophus damarensis
Roberts, 1946

Taxonomy and etymology

It was described as a subspecies of Darling's horseshoe bat in 1946 by South African zoologist Austin Roberts. It was largely maintained as a subspecies of Darling's horseshoe bat until 2013, when it was shown to be genetically distinct.[2] Its species name "damarensis" means "belonging to Damara." Roberts was possibly referencing Damaraland in Namibia.

Biology and ecology

It is nocturnal, roosting in sheltered places during the day such as caves and mines, particularly asbestos and gold mines. It is a social species, forming colonies that generally consist of fewer than 100 individuals.[1]

Range and habitat

It is found in the eastern half of Southern Africa, with its range including Angola, Namibia, and South Africa.[1]

Conservation

It is currently assessed as least concern by the IUCN—its lowest conservation priority. It meets the criteria for this assessment category because it has a large geographic range, as well as a population size of approximately 20,000 adults. Potential threats to this species include habitat loss; the old mines that it uses as roosts are subject to disturbance if and when they are reopened. Its range includes protected areas, such as ǀAi-ǀAis/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park and Augrabies Falls National Park.[1]

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References
  1. Monadjem, A.; Jacobs, D.; Taylor, P.; Cohen, L.; MacEwan, K.; Richards, L.R.; Sethusa, T. (2017). "Rhinolophus damarensis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2017: e.T67369846A67369914. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-2.RLTS.T67369846A67369914.en.
  2. Jacobs, David S; Babiker, Hassan; Bastian, Anna; Kearney, Teresa; Van Eeden, Rowen; Bishop, Jacqueline M (2013). "Phenotypic Convergence in Genetically Distinct Lineages of a Rhinolophus Species Complex (Mammalia, Chiroptera)". PLoS ONE. 8 (12): e82614. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0082614. PMC 3849494. PMID 24312666.
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