Bourret's horseshoe bat facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bourret's horseshoe bat |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Rhinolophus
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| Species: |
paradoxolophus
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| Bourret's horseshoe bat range | |
| Synonyms | |
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Rhinomegalophus paradoxolophus |
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Bourret's horseshoe bat (scientific name: Rhinolophus paradoxolophus) is a special kind of horseshoe bat. It lives in parts of Southeast Asia. Its scientific name, "paradoxolophus", comes from ancient Greek words. Paradoxos means "unexpected", and lophos means "crest". This name was chosen because this bat has a very unusual nose-leaf shape. It looks different from other bats in the Rhinolophus group.
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What Does Bourret's Horseshoe Bat Look Like?
Bourret's horseshoe bat is about the same size as many other horseshoe bats. It is usually around 8.5 cm (3.3 in) long. This bat weighs about 11 g (0.39 oz), which is very light.
Its fur is brown, but the color can change. It might be almost black or a lighter cinnamon shade. The fur on its belly is usually paler.
Special Features of This Bat
This bat has a few unique features that help identify it. It has a long, narrow skull. Its ears are also unusually large. The most special feature is its nose-leaf, which has a very unique shape.
Besides its nose-leaf, it looks a lot like the king horseshoe bat. However, Bourret's horseshoe bat is smaller. It also has a longer and narrower antitragus, which is a small flap inside its ear.
The Bat's Unique Nose-Leaf
The nose-leaf of Bourret's horseshoe bat is quite unusual. It has a very wide front part. This part is split into two long sections that point forward. The back part of the nose-leaf is lower and rounded.
The area between its nostrils is very large. It forms a cup-like shape. This cup covers small pockets behind each nostril. There is also a large tongue-shaped part sticking out from it. Scientists believe this special nose-leaf helps the bat make its unique calls.
Where Do These Bats Live?
Bourret's horseshoe bat can be found in several countries in Southeast Asia. These include northern Vietnam, southwest China, central Thailand, and northern and central Laos.
Their Favorite Homes
These bats live in lowland forests. This means they live in forests that are not high up in the mountains. They can be found in different types of forests, from wet rainforests to dry pine forests. However, they always live very close to limestone caves. These caves are important for them to rest and raise their young.
How Do Bourret's Horseshoe Bats Live?
Bourret's horseshoe bats use echolocation to find their way around and hunt. This means they send out sounds and listen for the echoes. Their echolocation calls last for about 40 to 50 milliseconds.
Their Special Calls
The sounds they make are unusually low in frequency. The main part of their call is at 43 kHz. Then, the sound drops to 37 kHz at the end. Some scientists think that the bat's unique nose-leaf shape helps it make these low-frequency calls.
Bat Behavior and Family Life
These bats rest and sleep in limestone caves. In places like China, they enter a state called torpor during the winter. Torpor is like a deep sleep where their body temperature and heart rate drop. This helps them save energy when food is scarce.
Female Bourret's horseshoe bats usually give birth to one baby at a time. Pregnant females have been seen in Vietnam during May.
Are They a Separate Species?
Scientists sometimes discuss whether R. paradoxolophus should be its own separate species. In a study from 2009, some researchers suggested that Bourret's horseshoe bat and the king horseshoe bat are very similar. They thought there might not be enough differences to call them separate species.
For example, the study found only a 6 mm (0.24 in) difference in the length of their forearms. Their echolocation calls are also very similar. The biggest difference is the shape of their nose-leaf. However, the study claimed this difference does not affect their call frequency much. Because of these similarities, some scientists think these two bats might be better considered as different subspecies of Rhinolophus rex.
