The Kolar leaf-nosed bat (''Hipposideros hypophyllus''), or leafletted leaf-nosed bat is a species of

bat Bats are mammals of the order Chiroptera.''cheir'', "hand" and πτερόν''pteron'', "wing". With their forelimbs adapted as wings, they are the only mammals capable of true and sustained flight. Bats are more agile in flight than most ...

in the family

Hipposideridae The Hipposideridae are a family of bats commonly known as the Old World leaf-nosed bats. While it has often been seen as a subfamily, Hipposiderinae, of the family Rhinolophidae, it is now more generally classified as its own family.Simmons, 20 ...

. It is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found else ...

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests and caves. It is found in only one cave in India, and its population is less than 200 individuals.

Taxonomy

This species was described in 1994. The ''

Hipposideros ''Hipposideros'' is one of the most diverse genera of bats, with more than 70 species. They are collectively called roundleaf bats after the shape of their nasal ornament. It is the type genus of the family Hipposideridae. It is divided into s ...

'' bats of

South Asia South Asia is the southern subregion of Asia, which is defined in both geographical Geography (from Greek: , ''geographia''. Combination of Greek words ‘Geo’ (The Earth) and ‘Graphien’ (to describe), literally "earth descr ...

are divided into closely related

species groups In biology, a species complex is a group of closely related organisms that are so similar in appearance and other features that the boundaries between them are often unclear. The taxa in the complex may be able to hybridize readily with each oth ...

. The Kolar leaf-nosed bat is placed in the "bicolor" species group, which also includes: The "bicolor" species group is characterized by the absence of secondary leaflets on their nose-leaves and a forearm length of . It is most closely related to

Cantor's roundleaf bat Cantor's roundleaf bat (''Hipposideros galeritus'') is a species of bat in the family Hipposideridae. It is found in Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam. It is named after Theodore Ed ...

and the

fawn leaf-nosed bat The fawn leaf-nosed bat (''Hipposideros cervinus'') is a species of bat in the family Hipposideridae found in Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vanuatu. Taxonomy The species was first described by John Gould in his Mammals of ...

; these three species form a clade in the genus ''Hipposideros''.

Description

Its forearm is long. The fur on its back is variable in color, with some individuals' hairs tipped with grayish-brown, while others' hairs are tipped with rufous brown. Fur on the ventral surface is tipped in white or

fulvous Fulvous is a colour, sometimes described as dull orange, brownish-yellow or tawny; it can also be likened to a variation of buff, beige or butterscotch. As an adjective it is used in the names of many species of birds, and occasionally other an ...

-white. Its

nose-leaf A nose-leaf, or leaf nose, is an often large, lance-shaped nose, found in bats Bats are mammals of the order Chiroptera.''cheir'', "hand" and πτερόν''pteron'', "wing". With their forelimbs adapted as wings, they are the only mammals ...

has two supplementary leaflets that project from underneath the sides of the front nose-leaf. Its ears are long; its tail is long; its hind feet are ; its nose-leaf is wide.

Biology

It echolocates at 103–105.3k Hz. During the day, it roosts in caves. It has been documented sharing a roost site with several other species of bat, including Khajuria's leaf-nosed bat (''Hipposideros durgadasi''), fulvus roundleaf bat (''Hipposideros fulvus''), and Schneider's leaf-nosed bat (''Hipposideros speoris''). It accumulates fat in the winter months, suggesting that it may use

torpor Torpor is a state of decreased physiological activity in an animal, usually marked by a reduced body temperature and metabolic rate. Torpor enables animals to survive periods of reduced food availability. The term "torpor" can refer to the time ...

in colder months. Pregnant and lactating females have been observed late in the summer.

Range and habitat

It is known from only one cave in Hanumanahalli village in the

Kolar district Kolar district ) is a district in the state of Karnataka, India. Kolar ( ಕೋಲಾರ) is the district headquarters. Located in southern Karnataka, it is the state's easternmost district. The district is surrounded by the Bangalore Rural d ...

of the state of

Karnataka Karnataka (; ISO: , , also known as Karunāḍu) is a state in the southwestern region of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act. Originally known as Mysore State , it was renamed ''Karnat ...

in India. Its cave is described as an inaccessibly narrow opening in granite rocks. Previously, it was known from a nearby cave in Therahalli village, but it is absent from that cave as of 2014. It has not been encountered at elevations above . The habitat surrounding its single remaining cave consists of tropical dry shrubland.

Conservation

It is currently evaluated as critically endangered by the IUCN. The Kolar leaf-nosed bat is found in only one cave, and its population is less than 200 individuals. Its single cave is not on protected land, and the species itself is not protected by Indian law. Its habitat is under threat due to illegal granite mining. Granite miners have driven them out of at least two caves by setting fires; the fires make granite extraction easier. As reported in 2014, there was a temporary mining ban on the cave where this species is still found. Its critically endangered listing occurred in 2016; from 2004–2016, it was listed as

endangered An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching and in ...

. From 2000–2004 it was listed as vulnerable, and from 1996–2000, it was listed as lower risk/near threatened. There are petitions to have the bat protected under the Indian Wildlife Protection Act, as all bats in India are considered

vermin Vermin ( colloquially varmint(s) or varmit(s)) are pests or nuisance animals that spread diseases or destroy crops or livestock. Since the term is defined in relation to human activities, which species are included vary by region and enterp ...

with the exception of two species. However, as of 2017, these petitions have not been successful.

References

External links

An image of this speciesPhotos of a live male and several skullsPhoto of the cave where the only known colony roosts
{{Taxonbar, from=Q1768795 Hipposideros Mammals described in 1994 Bats of India Taxonomy articles created by Polbot Endemic fauna of India