Hipposideros breviceps, Tate, 1941

Don E. Wilson & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2019, Hipposideridae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 9 Bats, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 227-258 : 250

64.

Short-headed Leaf-nosed Bat

Hipposideros breviceps

French: Phyllorhine des Mentawai / German: Kurzkopf-Rundblattnase / Spanish: Hiposidérido de Mentawai

Other common names: Short-headed Roundleaf Bat

Taxonomy. Hipposideros breviceps Tate, 1941 ,

“North Pagi [Island], Mentawi Islands, lowlands,” Sumatra, Indonesia .

Hipposideros breviceps was formerly included in the bicolor species group, but is now placed in the new ater species group. Monotypic.

Distribution. Reported only from North Pagai I, Mentawai Is, off W Sumatra.

Descriptive notes. Head—body 42 mm, tail 23 mm, ear 15 mm, hindfoot 7 mm, forearm 43 mm. The Short-headed Leaf-nosed Bat is very similar to Cantor’s Leaf-nosed Bat ( H. galeritus ), with ears slightly less haired. Noseleaf is small and presents two pairs of supplementary lateral leaflets. Anterior leaflet is longer than posterior one. Anterior noseleaf has no medial emargination. Posterior leaf has semicircular upper margin with small projection, and has medial septum and two lateral septa forming four cells. Ears are large, triangular and haired for one-half of their length. Dorsal pelage is brownish-black, with paler color at base of each hair; ventral part is covered by grayish-brownish fur, with paler hair base.

Habitat. Presumably forest areas.

Food and Feeding. Diet of the Short-headed Leaf-nosed Bat is probably based on insects.

Breeding. Generation length is thought to be c.5 years.

Activity patterns. The Short-headed Leaf-nosed Bat presumably roosts in caves.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Data Deficient on The IUCN Red List. The Short-headed Leaf-nosed Bat is only known from 37 specimens collected in 1941, and population size, trends, ecology, and threats are still unknown. It is thought that one of its possible threats might be habitat loss due to wood extraction. Further studies are required in order to assess the conservation status of this species accurately, and establish adequate management measures.

Bibliography. Hill (1963a), Huang & Sigit (2016), Tate (1941a).

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. Reported only from North Pagai I, Mentawai Is, off W Sumatra.