- Mehely's Horseshoe Bat
-
Mehely's Horseshoe Bat Conservation status Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Chiroptera Family: Rhinolophidae Genus: Rhinolophus Species: R. mehelyi Binomial name Rhinolophus mehelyi
Matschie, 1901Mehely's Horseshoe Bat range Mehely's Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus mehelyi) is a species of bat in the Rhinolophidae family found in eastern Europe and parts of the Middle East.
Contents
Physical Appearance
The bat is medium-sized for a member of the Rhinolophus genus, with pale lips and grey-brown ears and flight membranes. The fur is relatively thick, with the base of hairs grey-white. Ventral fur is almost white, while dorsal fur is grey-brown; the line between the dorsal and ventral sides is relatively sharp.
Habitat
The bat is cave-dwelling, preferring areas of limestone with nearby water. It has been known to nest in caves with other horseshoe bats, hanging free on the cave roof.
Hunting
The bat emerges at dusk, hunting low over the ground on warm hillsides and also among bushes and trees, praying on moths and other insects.
Echolocation
The constant frequency sound is between 105 and 112 kHz, with a short drop in frequency at the end of the signal, which normally lasts between 20 and 30 milliseconds. There is some frequency overlap with the Lesser Horsehoe Bat and the Mediterranean Horseshoe Bat.
References
- Chiroptera Specialist Group 1996. Rhinolophus mehelyi. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 30 July 2007.
- Schober, Wilfried; Eckard Grimmberger (1989). Dr. Robert E. Stebbings. ed. A Guide to Bats of Britain and Europe (1st ed.). UK: Hamlyn Publishing Group. ISBN 0-600-56424-x.
This Rhinolophidae-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.