Rhinolophus beddomei, K. Andersen, 1905

Burgin, Connor, 2019, Rhinolophidae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 9 Bats, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 280-332 : 330

103 . Beddome’s Woolly Horseshoe Bat

Rhinolophus beddomei

French: Rhinolophe de Beddome / German: Beddome-Wollhaar-Hufeisennase / Spanish: Herradura de Beddome

Other common names: Bedomme's Horseshoe Bat

Taxonomy. Rhinolophus beddomei K. Andersen, 1905 ,

“ Wynaad [= Wayanad], Mysore [= Mysuru], S[outh] . India.”

Rhinolophus beddomei is included in the trifoliatus species group and appears to be close to R. trifoliatus , R.sedulus , and R. luctus. Two subspecies are recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution.

R. b. beddomei K. Andersen, 1905 — W & E India (Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, and Andhra Pradesh).

R.b. sobrinus K Andersen, 1918 - Sri Lanka.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 65-75 mm, tail 37-48 mm, ear 21-34 mm, hindfoot 12- 1-18 mm, forearm 54-9—64- 3 mm. Fur is long and woolly; dorsal and ventral pelage is dark brown or black (hairs with paler tips). Ears are blackish and of medium length. Noseleaf is dark brown or blackish, and has long and pointed or rounded lancet; connecting process is relatively low and broadly rounded; sella is broad and widely rounded off with large circular lateral lappets on either side of base; horseshoe is very wide (11 mm), covering muzzle, and has wide median emargination. Lower lip has one mental groove. Skull is robust (zygomatic breadth is larger than mastoid breadth); anterior median swellings are elongated but do not expand anteriorly to upper edge of nasal orifice, formed by a protruding bony rim; posterior swellings are more laterally situated; frontal depression is deep and long; supraorbital crests are sharp; sagittal crest is very well developed; canines are strong but relatively short. P2 is medium-sized and within tooth row or slightly displaced; P4 is small to medium-sized and extruded from the tooth row to a variable degree; P2 and P4 are almost in contact. Chromosomal complement has 2n = 32 and FN = 60.

Habitat. Mainly found in dense dry and tropical moist forests. Elevational range is from sea level up to elevations of 1070 m.

Food and Feeding. Beddome’s Woolly Horseshoe Bat feeds on a variety of insects especially beetles and termites. It flies low over the ground while foraging, and will forage close to vegetation.

Breeding. A pregnant female with one embryo was collected in mid-January in Sri Lanka. Young have been reported with females in Kerala, India, in mid-May, and in Sri Lanka in mid-March and late April. Females may not breed until two or three years old.

Activity patterns. Beddome’s Woolly Horseshoe Bat roosts by day in small caves, dilapidated buildings, tree hollows, wells, culverts, and old and unused tunnels, or clings from overhanging rocky outcrops. It emerges late in the evening from its roosts to forage through the night. Call shape is FM/CF/FM with a peak F recorded at 38-5—38-7 kHz and durations of 48-2—58 milliseconds in the Western Ghats of India; another study in the Western Ghats reported peak frequencies of 41-7-43-3 kHz (mean 42-8 kHz) and durations of 1-4-51-5 milliseconds (mean 25-2 milliseconds). A recording inside a cave in Sri Lanka produced peak frequencies of 41—62-5 kHz but this huge range must be an error, perhaps including more than one species.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Beddome’s Woolly Horseshoe Bat roosts alone or in pairs, or sometimes in groups of three or four individuals.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on TheIUCNRed List. Beddome’s Woolly Horseshoe Bat is relatively widespread and common throughout much of its distribution. However, in Sri Lanka the species is regionally listed as Vulnerable according to the National Red List for the country, and is mostly restricted to old-growth forests with small populations. The species appears to be threatened most by deforestation for logging and agricultural expansion.

Bibliography. Bates & Harrison (1997), Csorba eta /. (2003), Edirisinghe et al. (2016), Koubfnovà et al. (2010), Kusuminda et al. (2013), Molur et al. (2002), Naidu & Gururaj (1984), Raghuram et al. (2014), Rao et al. (2004), Sinha (1973), Soisook, Niyomwan et al. (2010), Soisook, Struebig et al. (2015), Srinivasulu & Molur (2008b), Srinivasulu & Srinivasulu (2012),Topàl & Csorba (1992), Volleth et al. (2017), Wordley et al. (2014).

Figures

On following pages: 94. Thomas's Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus thomasi); 95. Lesser Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus hipposideros); 96. rancis's Woolly Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus trancisi); 97. Lesser Woolly Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus sedulus); 98. Trefoil Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus trifoliatus); 99. Northern Woolly Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus perniger); 100. Selangor Woolly Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus luctoides); 101. Malaysian Woolly Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus mono); 102. Great Woolly Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus luctus); 1.03. Beddome's Woolly Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus beddomei); 104. Formosan Woolly Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus formosaë); 105. Thailand Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus thailandensis); 106. Dobson's Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus yunanensis); 107. Chiew Kwee's Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus chiewkweeae); 108. Pearson's Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus pearsonii); 109. Mitred Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus mitratus).

Subspecies and Distribution. R. b. beddomei K. Andersen, 1905 — W & E India (Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, and Andhra Pradesh). R.b. sobrinus K Andersen, 1918 - Sri Lanka .