Blasius's horseshoe bat
| Blasius's horseshoe bat | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Chiroptera |
| Family: | Rhinolophidae |
| Genus: | Rhinolophus |
| Species: | R. blasii
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| Binomial name | |
| Rhinolophus blasii Peters, 1866
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| Blasius's horseshoe bat range | |
Blasius's horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus blasii) is a species of
Rhinolophidae
found throughout large parts of the Mediterranean, Middle East and Africa.
Taxonomy
Blasius's horseshoe bat was
species name "blasii" was German zoologist Johann Heinrich Blasius.[3]
Description
Individuals have forearm lengths of 43–48 mm (1.7–1.9 in) and weigh 7–13 g (0.25–0.46 oz), making it small for an African horseshoe bat.[2]
Biology and ecology
Blasius's horseshoe bat is
insectivorous, consuming moths, termites, beetles, and flies, among other kinds. It hunts for its prey by hawking, or catching insects on the wing, or gleaning, which means plucking insects off foliage or the ground. Its social behaviors are poorly understood, but it will roost singly or in small groups. Group foraging consisting of up to five individuals has been reported in Malawi. They have one annual breeding season, and females give birth to a single young.[2]
Range and habitat
Blasius's horseshoe bat has been documented at a range of elevations from 0–2,215 m (0–7,267 ft) above sea level. It has a large geographic range, though its populations are patchily distributed. Its range includes Africa, Asia, and Europe. It is extinct in Italy, and possibly extinct in Slovenia. Its habitat includes deserts, savannas, shrublands, and forests.[1]
References
- ^ . Retrieved 16 November 2021.
- ^ ISBN 9781408189962.
- ^ Peters, W. (1866). "Über einige neue oder weniger bekannte Flederthiere" [About some new or lesser known bats]. Monatsberichte der Königlichen Preussische Akademie des Wissenschaften zu Berlin (in German): 17.