Hipposideros tephrus, Cabrera, 1906

Don E. Wilson & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2019, Hipposideridae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 9 Bats, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 227-258 : 249

61.

Maghreb Leaf-nosed Bat

Hipposideros tephrus

French: Phyllorhine cendrée I German: Maghreb-Rundblattnase / Spanish: Hiposidérido de Magreb

Other common names: Ash Gray Leaf-nosed Bat

Taxonomy. Hipposideros [sic] tephrus a ­ brera, 1906 ,

Mogador, Morocco.

Hipposideros tephrus belongs to the ruber species group. It was previously considered a subspecies of H. coffer. Monotypic.

Distribution. Extent of this species’ distribution is not yet known; recorded with certainty in Morocco, Senegal, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen. It is thought to be continuously distributed from Mauritania and Senegal E to South Sudan, Ethiopia, and Eritrea. However, boundary between this species and the morphologically identical H. coffer is not known.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 45-50 mm, tail 27—35 mm, ear 12—15 mm, hindfoot 6-9 mm. The Maghreb Leaf-nosed Bat has short, rounded wings. Muzzle is relatively short, with large but simple noseleaf that has two lateral leaflets. A frontal sac is present. Intemarial septum is not swollen and does not partially cover the nares. Ears are separate, and relatively small. Fur is fine and fluffy, gray or brown gray dorsally, paler ventrally; an orange morph also occurs that is typically reddish golden.

Habitat. Inhabits riparian forest in arid savanna and woodland. Occurs in the Sahel zone and further south in Sudanian savanna.

Food and Feeding. The Maghreb Leaf-nosed Bat is likely to be insectivorous.

Breeding. Based on observations in northern Nigeria (which probably refer to this species), a single young is bom in a restricted season: mating appears to take place in November at the end of the rainy season, with births in late April at the beginning of the rainy season. Females lactate for two months, until late June.

Activity patterns. The Maghreb Leaf-nosed Bat roosts in a variety of situations including caves, and holes in the ground. Echolocation call includes a F component at c.140-150 kHz.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Maghreb Leaf-nosed Bats may roost in large colonies of up to 1000 individuals. Roosting colonies include adult males and females. At one cave in Nigeria, males apparendy dispersed away from a large colony at the time of parturition, effectively resulting in the cave forming a maternity roost for the remaining females.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on 7%♂ IUCN Red List. Due to its wide distribution and large populations, the Maghreb Leaf-nosed Bat is unlikely to become threatened in the near future.

Bibliography. Aellen (1952), Bernard & Happold (2013b), Harrison & Bates (1991), Hill (1963a), Koopman (1989), Koopman et al. (1995), Nader (1982), Vallo et al. (2008), Van Cakenberghe et al. (2017).

Figures

47. Short-tailed Leaf-nosed Bat (Hipposideros curtus), 49. Aellen’s Leaf-nosed Bat (Hipposideros marisae), 50. Schneider’s Leaf-nosed Bat (Hipposideros speoris), 51. Spurred Leaf-nosed Bat (Hipposideros calcaratus), 52. Fawn-colored Leaf-nosed Bat (Hipposideros ceruinus), 53. Cox’s Leaf-nosed Bat (Hipposideros coxi), 54. Cantor’s Leaf-nosed Bat (Hipposideros galeritus), 55. Aba Leaf-nosed Bat (Hipposideros abae), 56. Benito Leaf-nosed Bat (Hipposideros beatus), 57. Sundevall’s Leaf-nosed Bat (Hipposideros caffer), 58. Sooty Leaf-nosed (Bat Hipposiderosfuliginosus), 59. Lamotte’s Leaf-nosed Bat (Hipposideros lamottei), 60. Noack’s Leaf-nosed Bat (Hipposideros ruber), 61. Maghreb Leaf-nosed Bat (Hipposideros tephrus), 62. Dusky Leaf-nosed Bat (Hipposideros ater), 63. Bicolored Leaf-nosed Bat (Hipposideros bicolor), 64. Short-headed Leaf-nosed Bat (Hipposideros breviceps), 65. Least Leaf-nosed Bat (Hipposideros cineraceus), 66. Large Mindanao Leaf-nosed Bat (Hipposideros coronatus)

Distribution. Extent of this species’ distribution is not yet known; recorded with certainty in Morocco , Senegal , Saudi Arabia , and Yemen . It is thought to be continuously distributed from Mauritania and Senegal E to South Sudan , Ethiopia , and Eritrea . However, boundary between this species and the morphologically identical H. coffer is not known.