The Status of Nepal's Mammals: The National Red List Series - IUCN

184) Rhinolophus pusillus
(Temminck, 1834)
Common Names
Least Horseshoe Bat (English); Sano Ghodnale
Chamero (Nepali)
Synonyms
Rhinolophus minor (Horsfield, 1823); Rhinolophus
cornutus (Temminck, 1835); Rhinolophus gracilis
(Andersen, 1905); Rhinolophus monoceros,
Rhinolophus pumilus (K. Andersen, 1905);
Rhinolophus blythi, Rhinolophus cornutus (Andersen,
1918); Rhinolophus perditus (K. Andersen, 1918);
Rhinolophus imaizumii (Hill & Yoshiyuki, 1980)
Species Description
Pelage is very fine and soft, dorsal light buff-brown
to dark teak-brown with paler hair bases, ventral
surface is paler. This is a small species with shorter
forearm than R. Lepidus. In lateral view, the
connecting process of the sella is triangular in shape.
Lancet shape and size varies from a short equilateral
triangle to a more elongated structure.
Species Ecology
The Least Horseshoe Bat species occurs in both
primary and secondary moist tropical forests, is
characterised as a forest-interior specialist and
roosts in caves and houses. This is an insectivorous
species.
Little is known about the reproductive behaviour of
this species.
Conservation Status
Global: Least Concern
National: Least Concern
Rationale for assessment: This species is considered
Least Concern in view of a widespread distribution
and observed abundant population. There are no
known major threats to this species and it occurs in
a protected area within its range.
Legal Status
National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act 2029
(1973). This species occurs within a protected area.
National Population Size
There is no information available on the population
size of this species in Nepal. However, it is observed
to be widespread and common throughout its
range.
National Distribution
This species occurs within Annapurna Conservation
Area, Pokhara, Kathmandu (Shivapuri Nagarjun
National Park, Nagarjuna cave, forests of Sundarijal
and Nagarjun), Kaski, Lamjung, Parbat, Tanahun
(Bimalnagar) and Taplejung.
Distribution outside Nepal
Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Lao
PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Taiwan Province of China,
Thailand, Viet Nam.
Main Threats
Unknown.
References
Bates and Harrison 1997, Csorba et al. 1999, Molur et al. 2002, Chen et al. 2006, Thapa et al. 2009a.
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