A Field Guide to the Mammals of Egypt. Richard Hoath
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is,, an unconfirmed record from northern Sudan.
Similar species: See Egyptian Sheath-tailed Bat. In the hand, the facial slit and the T-shaped tip to the tail make this species unique in Egypt.
Horseshoe Bats—Family Rhinolophidae
69 species worldwide, 3 in Egypt.
A well-defined family of bats, but identification of individual species—even in the hand—can be very difficult. In the hand, horseshoe bats can be told from all other bats, except the leaf-nosed bats, by the absence of a tragus and by the distinctive horseshoe-shaped nose structure to which they owe their name. The ears are large and broad. Hind limbs are poorly developed. Tail entirely enclosed in interfemoral membrane, though in many species the membrane comes to a point at the tail tip. The wings are relatively broad, making these bats amongst the most maneuverable flyers in the order. At rest, horseshoe bats wrap their wings around themselves. They roost hanging, rather than clinging, from walls and ceilings. Colonies may be huge, but some species are solitary and at least one species, the Lesser Horseshoe Bat Rhinolophus hipposideros, is known only from a single specimen in Egypt.
Horseshoe bats are very difficult to tell apart, even in the hand. Indeed, the identification of one species, Mehely’s Horseshoe Bat Rhinolophus mehelyi, is still in some doubt due to confusion with the extremely similar Mediterranean Horseshoe Bat Rhinolophus euryale. In this instance, the current author has followed Qumsiyah (1985). In the field, key considerations should be location and habitat. In the hand, size and detailed study of the noseleaf pattern is essential. For skull characteristics of most species, see Harrison and Bates (1991). At roosts, horseshoe bat colonies tend to be loose and wide-spaced as opposed to the very dense colonies formed by some species of vesper bats. At rest, the Rhinolophus bats hang with the wings wrapped tightly around them.
ARABIAN HORSESHOE BAT (GEOFFROY’S HORSESHOE BAT) Rhinolophus clivosus Cretzschmar, 1828
Pl. 5
Subspecies occurring in Egypt: R. c. clivosus and R. c. brachyg-nathus.
Arabic: al-Khuffash hadwat al-faras
Identification: Length 72–82mm; Tail 25–32mm; Forearm 48–50mm; Weight 17g. Large horseshoe bat. Connecting process of the sella blunt For nose pattern, see diagram. Nominate sub sp. R. c. clivosus color variable from smoky gray in Sinai to dark gray in Libya. Southern populations browner. Underside dull brown-gray. Wing and tail membranes dark brown. R. c. brachygnathus smaller and darker colored.
Arabian Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus clivosus)
Range and status: Across North Africa, most of East and southern Africa. Western and southwestern Arabia and southwestern Asia. In Egypt, R. c. clivosus recorded from North and South Sinai (al-Arish and Wadi Feiran), and Sudan Government Administration Area. R. c. brachygnathus recorded from the north coast, Wadi Natrun, Cairo and environs, and south along the Nile Valley. Everywhere scarce.
Arabian Horseshoe Bat Rhinolophus clivosus
Habitat: Old storehouses, stone buildings, and caves. A semi-desert and savanna species. Harrison and Bates (1991) note a preference for buildings.
Habits: Little known in Egypt. In Africa, colonies can number several thousand, though in Arabia much smaller roosts recorded. Due to the scarcity of Egyptian records, it would seem that roosts here are small. Females give birth to a single young in summer.
Similar species: Other horseshoe bats. Species identification very difficult unless the bat is in hand, see diagrams of sellae and noseleaves.
LESSER HORSESHOE BAT Rhinolophus hipposideros (Bechstein, 1800)
Pl. 5
Subspecies occurring in Egypt: R. h. minimus.
Identification: Length 58–67mm; Tail 19–24mm; Forearm 36–38mm (measurements from Jordanian specimens); Weight 3.5–10g. Smallest horseshoe bat of the region and distinguished by delicate form. Sella hook-like, pointing forward and down, Lesser Horseshoe Bat unique in region. Ears relatively large. Fur long and dense. Color rather variable, brown to gray-brown above, paler below.
Lesser Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus hipposideros)
Lesser Horseshoe Bat Rhinolophus hipposideros
Range and status: Southern Europe and northwestern Africa. Ethiopia and Sudan. Arabia, southwestern Asia to northwestern India. In Egypt, known only from one specimen taken in Wadi Feiran and assigned to R. h. minimus. In light of Afro-asian distribution, could prove more widespread.
Habitat: Roosts in caves, cellars, and buildings. Sole Egyptian specimen found deep inside a cave. Habits: Usually solitary at roost but females may roost colonially in summer. Elsewhere, flies late and throughout the night. Flight low (c. 2–3m) and fast with very rapid, vibrating, wing beats. Does not follow set routes when foraging. Voice pitched low. Generally 1 young born in summer. Individuals found hibernating in Jordan.
Similar species: Other horseshoe bats. See diagrams of sellae and noseleaves. In hand, small size distinctive.
MEHELY’S HORSESHOE BAT Rhinolophus mehelyi Matschie, 1901
Pl. 5
Subspecies occurring in Egypt: R. m. mehelyi.
Identification: Length 81–86mm; Tail 21–26mm; Forearm 46–50mm. Medium-sized horseshoe bat with relatively short and broad ears. Sella with sharply pointed upper appendage. Lancet very-narrow. Gray-brown to warm brown above, paler below.
Range and status: Southern Europe, North Africa, east to northern Arabia and Iran. In Egypt, recorded from north coast at Alexandria and to the west, and Cairo and Giza, south to Saqqara. Rare in Egypt.
Habitat: Roosts mainly in caves. Elsewhere, colonies of up to 30,000 bats have been recorded, but such records are unlikely in Egypt owing to its scarcity. Although recorded mainly from near urban areas in Egypt, it is considered more of a desert species. Habits: Little known, especially in Egypt. Litter size estimated at two.
Mehely’s Horeshoe Bat (Rhinolophus mehelyi)
Notes: Mehely’s Horseshoe bat is very similar to the Mediterranean Horseshoe Bat Rhinolophus euryale and can only safely be distinguished from it by detailed analysis of the noseleaf. The Mediterranean Horseshoe Bat was included on the Egyptian list but Qumsiyah (1985) examined all Egyptian specimens assigned to this species and identified them as Mehely’s Horseshoe Bat. However, the Mediterranean Horseshoe Bat occurs in the region and the possibility of it turning up in Egypt cannot be excluded. Details of the noseleaf and sella are thus included.