Geoffroy's horseshoe bat facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Geoffroy's horseshoe bat |
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| Conservation status | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Chiroptera |
| Family: | Rhinolophidae |
| Genus: | Rhinolophus |
| Species: |
R. clivosus
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| Binomial name | |
| Rhinolophus clivosus Cretzschmar, 1828
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| Geoffroy's horseshoe bat range | |
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Geoffroy's horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus clivosus) is a type of bat found in Africa. It also lives in parts of the Arabian Peninsula. These bats belong to the Rhinolophidae family. They are called "horseshoe bats" because of their special nose shape.
These bats can live in many different places. Their homes include warm, wet forests and Mediterranean-type shrubby areas. They also live in caves and hot deserts.
About Its Name
Scientists gave Geoffroy's horseshoe bat its official name, Rhinolophus clivosus, in 1828. A German scientist named Philipp Jakob Cretzschmar first described it. The very first bat of this kind studied was found in Mohila, Saudi Arabia.
In 2012, scientists decided to split Rhinolophus clivosus into two different species. The new species was named Rhinolophus horaceki. Scientists are still studying these bats. They think there might be even more types of R. clivosus bats to discover.
What They Look Like
Geoffroy's horseshoe bat is a medium-sized bat for those found in Africa. Its forearm, which is part of its wing, measures about 42 to 59 millimeters (1.6 to 2.3 inches). These bats usually weigh between 10 and 25 grams (0.35 to 0.88 ounces).
Life and Habits
Geoffroy's horseshoe bats have one breeding season each year. After about three and a half months, the mother bat gives birth to one baby.
These bats can live in different ways. In Algeria, they often roost (rest) alone or in small groups. These groups usually have fewer than 50 bats. However, in southern Africa and Malawi, very large groups have been seen. Some colonies can have up to 10,000 bats living together!
Both male and female bats usually roost together. Female bats do not form special groups just for raising their young.
Where They Live
Geoffroy's horseshoe bat lives across a large part of Africa. Its home range also reaches into the Arabian Peninsula. You can find these bats in many different environments. They live in deserts, savanna woodlands, Mediterranean shrublands, and grasslands.
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