Mount Mabu horseshoe bat

The Mount Mabu horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus mabuensis) is a species of horseshoe bat that is endemic to the Southeast African nation of Mozambique.[1]

Mount Mabu horseshoe bat
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Chiroptera
Family: Rhinolophidae
Genus: Rhinolophus
Species:
R. mabuensis
Binomial name
Rhinolophus mabuensis
Taylor, Stoffberg, Monadjem, Schoeman, Bayliss & Cotterill, 2012

Taxonomy

The Mount Mabu horseshoe bat was described as a new species in 2012 following analysis of the Hildebrandt's horseshoe bat species complex. Hildebrandt's horseshoe bat was shown via genetic, morphology, and acoustic analysis to actually be five species: four new species were segregated. In addition to the Mount Mabu horseshoe bat, researchers additionally described Cohen's horseshoe bat (R. cohenae), Smithers's horseshoe bat (R. smithersi), and the Mozambican horseshoe bat (R. mossambicus). The holotype for the Mount Mabu horseshoe bat had been collected on Mount Mabu in October 2008.[2]

Range and habitat

As of 2019, the species has only been documented at two sites in northern Mozambique: Mount Mabu and Mount Inago.[1] All specimens collected as of 2012 were found in montane forests or submontane forests.[2]

Conservation

As of 2019, it is evaluated as an endangered species by the IUCN. It meets the criteria for this classification as it has only been found on a few mountains, with a predicted area of occupancy of less than 500 km2 (190 sq mi). Additionally, the IUCN referred to the loss and degradation of its forest habitats as "alarming".[1]

References
  1. Taylor, P. (2019). "Rhinolophus mabuensis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2019: e.T64588047A64588304. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-1.RLTS.T64588047A64588304.en.
  2. Taylor, Peter J.; Stoffberg, Samantha; Monadjem, Ara; Schoeman, Martinus Corrie; Bayliss, Julian; Cotterill, Fenton P. D. (2012). "Four New Bat Species (Rhinolophus hildebrandtii Complex) Reflect Plio-Pleistocene Divergence of Dwarfs and Giants across an Afromontane Archipelago". PLOS One. 7 (9): e41744. Bibcode:2012PLoSO...741744T. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0041744. PMC 3440430. PMID 22984399.
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