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'Horseshoe bats' (the 'Rhinolophidae' family) are a large family of bats including approximately 130 species grouped in 10 genera. They belong to the suborder Microchiroptera (microbats).

Contents

Families

Appearences

Ecology

Species

Families

The Rhinolophidae family is sometimes divided into two families, the Rhinolophidae (horse-shoe bats) and Hipposideridae (Old World leaf-nosed bats). There is little question that these two groups of bats are closely related, but current practise is to classify them as subfamilies (Hipposiderinae and Rhinolophinae) in a single family. Many species are extremely difficult to distinguish.

Appearences

All 'rhinolophids' have leaf-like protuberances on their noses. In rhinolophines species, these take the shape of a horseshoe; in hipposiderine, they are leaf- or spear-like. They emit echolocation calls through these structures, which may serve to focus the sound. Most rhinolophids are dull brown or reddish brown in color. They vary in size from small to moderately large.

Ecology

Rhinolophids inhabit temperate and tropical regions of southern Europe, Africa, and Asia south to northern and eastern Australia, including many Pacific islands. All species are insectivorous, capturing insects in flight. Their roost habits are diverse; some species are found in large colonies in caves, some prefer hollow trees, and others sleep in the open, among the branches of trees. Members of northern populations may hibernate during the winter; at least one species is migratory. Like many Vespertilionidae bats, females of some rhinolophid species mate during the fall and store the sperm over the winter, conceiving and gestating young beginning in the spring.

Species

★ Subfamily Rhinolophinae

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★ Genus ''Rhinolophus'' (horseshoe bats)

★ Subfamily Hipposiderinae

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★ Genus ''Anthops'' (flower-faced bat)

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★ Genus ''Asellia'' (trident leaf-nosed bats)

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★ Genus ''Aselliscus'' (Tate's trident-nosed bats)

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★ Genus ''Cloeotis'' (Percival's trident bat)

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★ Genus ''Coelops'' (tailless leaf-nosed bats)

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★ Genus ''Hipposideros'' (round leaf bats)

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★ Genus ''Paracoelops'' (Vietnam leaf-nosed bat)

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★ Genus ''Rhinonicteris'' (orange leaf-nosed bat)

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★ Genus ''Triaenops'' (triple leaf-nosed bats)