Mehely's Horseshoe Bat (
Rhinolophus mehelyi) is a species of
batBats are mammals of the order Chiroptera "hand" and pteron "wing") whose forelimbs form webbed wings, making them the only mammals naturally capable of true and sustained flight. By contrast, other mammals said to fly, such as flying squirrels, gliding possums, and colugos, glide rather than fly,...
in the Rhinolophidae family found in eastern Europe and parts of the Middle East.
Physical Appearance
The bat is medium-sized for a member of the
Rhinolophus genus, with pale lips and grey-brown ears and flight membranes. The fur is relatively thick, with the base of hairs grey-white. Ventral fur is almost white, while dorsal fur is grey-brown; the line between the dorsal and ventral sides is relatively sharp.
Habitat
The bat is cave-dwelling, preferring areas of limestone with nearby water. It has been known to nest in caves with other horseshoe bats, hanging free on the cave roof.
Hunting
The bat emerges at dusk, hunting low over the ground on warm hillsides and also among bushes and trees, praying on moths and other insects.
Echolocation
The constant frequency sound is between 105 and 112 kHz, with a short drop in frequency at the end of the signal, which normally lasts between 20 and 30 milliseconds. There is some frequency overlap with the Lesser Horsehoe Bat and the Mediterranean Horseshoe Bat.
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