Rhinolophus xinanzhongguoensis Zhou 2009

41. Chinese Horseshoe Bat

Rhinolophus xinanzhongguoensis

French: Rhinolophe du Xi Nan Zhongguo I German: China-Hufeisennase I Spanish: Herradura china

Other common names: South-western China Horseshoe Bat, Wedge-sella Horseshoe Bat

Taxonomy. Rhinolophus xinanzhongguoensis Zhou Zhaomin et al, 2009,

“ Wumulong, Yongde County, Yunnan Province, China 24°22’N, 99°39’ E 1980 m above sea level.”

Rhinolophus xinanzhongguoensis is the only representative of the xinanzhongguoensis species group. Noseleaf morphology aligns it with the landeri group, but its larger size and genetic evidence differentiate it as a distinct clade. Rhinolophus xinanzhongguoensis is nested in the Afro-Palearctic clade of species groups, including the ferrumequinum, fumigatus, maclaudi, euryale, capensis, and landeri groups. Rhinolophus xinanzhongguoensis seems to be sister to a clade including the maclaudi, and fumigatus groups, although exact phylogenetic relationship between these species groups is still uncertain. Monotypic.

Distribution. Known only from a few localities in Yunnan (Yongde) and Guizhou (Jinsha, Suiyang, and Guiyang) provinces in S China.

Descriptive notes. Head—body 59—70 mm, tail 30-39 mm, ear 21—22 mm, forearm 58-7-60- 4 mm; weight 20-26 g. Dorsal pelage is dull medium brown (hairs have light brown bases and medium brown tips); venter is paler brown (hairs have darker bases). There is no orange morph. Males lack axillary tufts. Ears are small (34-9—37-5% of forearm length) and semi-translucent brown. Noseleaf has hastate lancet that tapers with concave sides to pointed tip; connecting process is high and pointed, with anterior surface concave in profile and slightly convex posterior surface; sella is parallel-sided near base and slightly concave medially, gradually narrowing distally to wedge-shaped, rounded tip; and horseshoe is relatively narrow at 8-9-9- 5 mm wide, does not cover entire muzzle, and has lateral leaflets and shallow median emargination. Lower lip has three medial grooves. Wings and uropatagium are dark brown. Baculum has large basal cone, subequal in height and width, and slightly compressed dorso-ventrally; basal cone is deeply notched in ventral and dorsal margins (less in dorsal margin); and shaft is straight and cylindrical toward rounded tip. Skull is moderately robust but slender, with zygomatic width slightly less than mastoid width; nasal swellings are high and conspicuous, rising slightly forward; sagittal crest is low but distinct; frontal depression is moderately deep but conspicuous; and supraorbital crests are poorly developed. P2 is small and displaced labially from tooth row; C1 and P4 are still separated; and P3 is very tiny and slightly displaced labially and separates P2 and P.

Habitat. Subtropical lower montane mixed forests with karst formations at elevations of 1500 - 1980 m.

Food and Feeding. No information.

Breeding. A female Chinese Horseshoe Bat with one embryo was captured in April.

Activity patterns. Chinese Horseshoe Bats are nocturnal.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Holotype of the Chinese Horseshoe Bat was captured in a cave with c.100 other bats, most ofwhich seemed to be Intermediate Horseshoe Bats (R affinis).

Status and Conservation. Classified as Near Threatened on The IUCN ed List. The Chinese Horseshoe Bat is currently known from only eight specimens collected over 50 years from four spread-out localities. It is threatened by deforestation from logging and agriculture and cave tourism. Its distribution is highly fragmented with agricultural landscapes.

Bibliography. Benda & Vallo (2012), Zhou Zhaomin & Jiang Xuelong (2017), Zhou Zhaomin et al. (2009).