On some Bats of the Genus Rhinolophus, with Remarks on their Mutual Affinities, and Descriptions of Twenty-six new Forms.
Author
Andersen, Knud
text
Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London
1905
1905-12-31
2
75
145
journal article
http://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3757451
d81354de-a914-4582-98be-811adbff11df
3757451
II. The
Rhinolophus lepidus
G roup.
Diagnosis.
Basioccipital, between coclileae, not unusually narrowed. Posterior connecting process projecting and pointed. I include in this group:
—
(1) All the forms with projecting connecting process comprised by Dobson under the technical name
“ Rh. minor ”
; their close relationship is unquestionable; their differences will be pointed out below; (2)
Rh. acuminatus
and its allies, which are scarcely more than giant forms of the
lepidustype
; (3) the
Rh. blasii
and (4)
Rh. euryale
sections, peculiarly modified Ethiopian and W. Palaearctic representatives of the subbadius-type. The two former sections only will be reviewed below; the two latter will be briefly mentioned in the “ General Remarks” on the group (p. 135).
Side views of nose-leaves, showing the principal forms of the connecting process in the _R7z.
simpleX
group (
a
) and the
Rh.
lepidus
group (6,
c, d).
a.
Rh. borneensis
typicus
\ b.
Rh. cornutus
pumilus;
c
.
Rh. monoceros
; d.
Rh. empusa
.
As this is a first attempt to disentangle the many different forms hitherto confounded with Horsfield’s
Rh. minor,
the following preliminary remarks are
necessary
, as a general guidance:—
The first of the above-named sections (the “
lepidus
-section
”
), viz., all the
small
Oriental and
E
. Palaearctic
Rhinolophi
which have the connecting process projecting and pointed, fall into three natural groups (sub-sections): the
lepidus-type,
the 7nȏor-type, and the subbadius-type.
show, at a glance, the probable interrelations of the species. As sufficiently emphasised in the foregoing pages, I am far from being of opinion
ferrum-equinum
is derived from the
now-eXisting
affinis
(or
capensis
from
rouXi
,
or
stheno
from
borneensis
&c.). But
ferrum-equinum
has originated from a Bat which had the more
essential
characters of
affinis
(besides several others, unknown to us). The technical names in the diagram are, in other words, to be taken, not in their strict specific sense, but as names of the sections (“ types,” “ branches
”
) of which the species, as we now see them, are the surviving representatives.
I propose to characterise these types at once. It will enable me to confine the diagnoses of the various species to the points in which they differ from the subjoined general characteristic.
(1) The lepidus-type.
—
Chief characters: skull larger, width of brain-case about
7'7-7'8
mm.; connecting process (in side view) projecting as a small, erect triangle (not curved forwards as a sharply pointed
“
horn ”).
Description, based on
Rh. lepidus
(Wynaad,
Mysore
, Indian Peninsula).—Supplementary leaflet as in
simpleX
and its allies. Horse-shoe not completely covering the upper lip; a small toothlike projection on either side of the median notch; front border sometimes, not always, slightly crenulate (individual variation). Sella decidedly broader at base than at summit, slightly, but quite distinctly, constricted at middle, narrow at summit: there is a tendency towards producing an almost subacute summit to the sella (compare with this the 6
orneensis-type
: sella broadly rounded off, or even truncated, at summit); height of sella 3'2 mm.; width at base, at constriction, and at summit: "2. 1'8. and 1'2 mm. Connecting process projecting as an acute, sometimes only subacute, triangle beyond the summit of the sella. Lancet strongly hastate, about 3 mm. long. Three mental
grooves
.
Ears much as in the
celebensis-borneensis
type, but somewhat more blunt-tipped.
Wing-structure quite primitive,
i. e.
no lengthening of III *, this phalanx being always less, and very often much less, than 11 the length of III.1; no shortening of the third metacarpal; fourth metacarpal slightly the longest (individually it may fall short of the fifth by a fraction of a millimetre). This wing-structure is perfectly like that of
Rh. simpleX
and its allies.
Tail slightly longer than (individually equal to, or a trifle shorter than) the lower leg. Plagiopatagium inserted on the ankle, slightly above or below.
Skull.
General shape: the
simpleX-borneensis
type, but
considerably smaller, with smaller teeth, and shorter tooth-rows.
The orbital cavities (the confluent orbital and temporal fossa?) are shorter and narrower than in
borneensis
,
the zygomatic arches, therefore, less projecting laterally, making the zygomatic width of the skull, as a rule, only equal to, or even a trifle smaller than, the mastoid width. These peculiarities combined make, as a rule, the skulls of the species of the
lepidus-ty^
e rather easily distinguishable from those of the
borneensis-ty'pQ.—
Arrangement of the nasal swellings, essentially, as in
borneensis
.
Palatal bridge, on I an average ', somewhat less than 4 0-
/
, but ■ Bi I more than -j- the length O of the maxillar tooth-row.
Dentition.
Position of p3 (in, or external to, the tooth-row) " vacillating.
’
p'2 invariably in the tooth-row. This dentition is precisely as in
simpleX-borneensis.
Species.
Rh. lepidus
,
monticola
,
refulgens
.
(2) The minor-type.
—
Chief characters: skull, also proportionately, very small; width of brain-case about 6'8-7'2 mm.; connecting process of the-
lepidus-tyge.
(text-fig. 22,
b,
p. 121).
Description, based on
Rh.
cormitus
pumilus
(Loo-choo Islands).
—
Nose-leaves as in the lepidus-type, but: sella narrower; height about 2'8 mm.; width at base, at constriction, and at summit: 1'7,
T
5, and 1'1 mm. Connecting process slightly higher, slightly more acute, but of the same general shape.
The other external characters as in the
lepidus
-type.
Skull.
Considerably smaller; nasal swellings narrower. Teeth smaller.
Dentition.
As in
lepidus
.
Species. Rh. minor,
cornutus
, 11 minutas ”
(Miller, nec Montagu),
gracilis
.
(3) The
subbadius-
type.
—
Chief character: connecting process long, slender, very sharply pointed, curved forwards, projecting like a small, curved “ horn
”
(text-fig. 22,
c
, p. 121).
Nose-leaves, and other external characters, much as in
minor,
but connecting process as described above; lancet more or less approaching the shape of an equilateral triangle; length of sella about 2'4 mm.; width at base, at constriction, and at summit: 1'7, 1'3, and 0'9 mm.
Skull.
To judge from fragments, and the skull of a quite young individual, much of the
minor-tyge.
Dentition.
As in
lepidus
and
minor
.
Species.
Rh. subbadius
,
monoceros
.