Rhinolophus midas, Andersen, 1905

Andersen, Knud, 1905, On some Bats of the Genus Rhinolophus, with Remarks on their Mutual Affinities, and Descriptions of Twenty-six new Forms., Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 2, pp. 75-145 : 138-139

26. Rhinolophus midas , sp. n.

(Plate IV. fig. 20«, 6, c, cZ.)

Diagnosis. Sella almost deltoid, summit rounded. Forearm 37 '7 mm.

Details. Horse-shoe as broad as the upper lip; no “ tooth ” on the sides of the median notch; no crenulation of the border. Lateral margins of sella converging from base to tip; breadth at base (2'3 mm.) much more than half the vertical height of the sella (3 ’ 5 mm.); a very slight (rather easily overlooked) constriction at the middle; summit rounded (breadth 1'6 mm.). Connecting process very low, and broadly rounded oil’. Lancet long (4 mm.) and cuneate. One mental groove only.

Ears a little longer than in minor, outer margin immediately below the tip somewhat more emarginate; tip more distinctly pointed.

Wing-structure, compared with that of minor, considerably

modified, chiefly in two respects:—(1) the third metacarpal is shortened; but at the same time the fourth metacarpal has remained the longest (as in all primitive species of Rhinolophus'); (2) III.2, IV.2, and V.2, that is all the distal phalanges, are lengthened. Compare the table of measurements of Rh. midas and hipposiderus on the one side, with those of minor, lepidus , and all their allies on the other (see p. 143). Tail rather long, lg the length of the leg. Plagiopatagium inserted on the ankle-joint. Colour (somewhat faded in alcohol) probably as light as in Rh. blasii . Skull. In all species of Rhinolophus the cochleae are large, making a narrow basioccipital (compare the genus Hipposiderus); but in Rh. midas and hipposiderus the peculiarity is carried to an extreme: the cochleae are so much increased in size as to reduce the basioccipital to a linear bridge of bone; in some individuals (of Rh. hipposiderus) the cochleae are almost in contact. This character alone makes the skull of these two species easily distinguishable, at a glance. But in every other respect, in the shape, the size, and the teeth, the skull is so exceedingly like that of Rh. minor, that there can scarcely be any doubt as to the very close relationship of the minor and midas types. Dentition. On the minor stage:—p3 external. A very narrow interspace between p2 and p4. p2 quite in row; a small cusp, pointing inwards. Upper canine and p'1 well separated. Typ>e. ♀ ad. (in alcohol). Jask , Persian Gulf. Presented by A. Butcher, Esq. Brit. Mus. no. 94.11.16.1. Remarks. The discovery of this highly interesting species seems to remove all doubt as to the close affinities of minor and hipposiderus. The sella of midas is intermediate between that of minor and hipposiderus; it recalls that of empusa and blasii , which also are modifications of the minor-type; to the peculiarly long and cuneate lancet we have a parallel in one of the modifications of the minor-type described in this paper, viz. Rh. gracilis . The geographical habitat of midas is, too, rather intermediate between the Oriental minor and the W. Palaearctic hipposiderus. Rh. midas is, of course, readily distinguishable from Rh. hijyposiderus by the shape of the sella. In the width of the brain-case, as well as in external dimensions, it is like the southern, more primitive form of hipposiderus (Rh. h. minimus ).