Rhinolophus rouxii Temminck, 1835

Thomas, Nikky M., 2000, Morphological and mitochondrial-DNA variation in Rhinolophus rouxii (Chiroptera), Bonner zoologische Beiträge 49 (1), pp. 1-18 : 11-14

Rhinolophus rouxii Temminck, 1835

Rufous horseshoe bat.

Rhinolophus rouxii Temminck, 1835: 30 b; Calcutta and Pondicherry, India.

Rhinolophııs rubidus‘ Kelaart, 1850: 209; Kaduganava, Sri Lanka.

Rhinolophus fulvidus Blyth, 1851: 182 (error for rubidus Kelaart ).

Rhinolophus cínerascens Kelaart, 1852: 13 ; Fort Frederick, Sri Lanka.

Rhinolophus rammanika Kelaart. 1852: 14 ; Amanapoora Hill. Kaduganava, Sri Lanka.

Rhinolophus petersií Dobson, 1872: 337 ; India “precise locality not known ”

External characters (measurements included in Table 4): A medium-sized Rhinolophid, with an average forearm length of 48.5 mm (range 44.6-52.3 mm). The ears are larger than in R. sínicııs averaging 19.7 mm (14.5 -24.0 mm). The noseleaf is longer and broader, averaging 13.6 mm in greatest height and 8.5 mm in greatest width. The lancet is tall and narrowly pointed with relatively straight sides ( Fig. 6b ). The base of the sella is narrow in frontal view. In side view, the superior connecting process of the sella is more rounded than in R. sinicus , and the base does not project downwards. In the wing, R. rouxii has a longer forearm and longer metacarpals than in R. sínícus , however, the phalanges are shorter by an average of 4.5 %. The pelage is soft and silky, and ranges from orange to buffy brown. Empirical evidence suggests a seasonal bias in colour with orange and rufous tints predominating from October to April and the paler phases being more common from May to September ( Bates & Harrison 1997).

Cranial and dental characters: The skull is more robust than in R. síniczıs , with condylocanine length averaging 19.1 mm (17.5 -20.9 mm) (Table 4). The skull is relatively broad, having a zygomatic breadth averaging 11 1 mm and a mastoid breadth of 10.2 mm. The palate is longer than in R. sínícııs , its anterior border is at a level of the mesostyle of the first upper molar (ml); it averages 2.4 mm in length ( Fig. 7 b ). The dentition is relatively robust, having upper and lower toothrows which average 8.6 mm and 9.3 mm respectively. The upper canine is not in contact with the second upper premolar (pm4) and the first upper premolar (pmz) is usually situated in the toothrow. The second lower premolar (pm3) is usually situated in the toothrow.

Bacular morphology‘ The shaft of the baculum is long, parallel-sided and generally straight, thickening towards the base, as in R. sínicus . The base is slightly expanded, and the tip is simple and unexpanded ( Fig. 8 b ). Bacula examined were found to be slightly longer and broader than in R. sinicus , averaging 2.3 mm and 0.7 mm respectively.

Distribution. R. rouxii ranges from Sri Lanka, throughout peninsular India to southern Myanmar ( Fig. 9 ). For a full listing of localities see Bates & Harrison (1997 & in press).

Variation (Table 4): Specimens from Sri Lanka are currently referred to R. rouxii rubidus ( Bates & Harrison 1997) . This taxon is smaller in body and skull size than R. rouxíí rouxíi from peninsular India and Myanmar, but not as small as R. sinicus . Noseleaf morphology shows Sri Lankan individuals to have, on average, wider noseleaves covering most of the muzzle, whereas in R. r. rouxíi from peninsular India and Myanmar the noseleaf is relatively narrow. Cranial characters of Sri Lankan individuals also average smaller, particularly condylocanine length, zygomatic and mastoid breadths, width across the canines and mandibular length. The upper and lower toothrows however, are relatively long averaging almost the same in both Indian and Sri Lankan individuals. Although the bacula of Sri Lankan individuals are longer, the morphology is comparable.

Specimens examined. (S) denotes inclusion in discriminant analysis, (D) denotes inclusion in molecular analysis.

Sri Lanka: lngiriya , HZM. 28.28555 , HZM. 35.28562 , HZM. 36.28563 , HZM. 37.28564 ; Kalutara, BM. 20.9.26.2 , BM. 20.9.26.3 (S), BM. 20.9.26.4 (S), BM. 20.9.26.5 (S), BM. 20.9.26.6, BM. 20.9.26.7 (S), BM. 20.9.26.8, BM. 20.9.26.9 (S), BM. 20.9.26.10 (S), BM. 20.9.26.11, BM. 20.9.26.12 (S), BM. 66.5508 (S), BM. 66.5509, BM. 66.5510, BM. 66.5511, BM. 66.5512, BM. 66.5513, BM. 66.5514, BM. 6615, BM. 66.5516 (S); Matale , HZM.48.29287 (S,D), HZM. 54.29330 (S,D), HZM. 74 (S, D), HZM. 75 (S,D); Monaragala, HZM.29.28556, HZM.32.28559, HZM.33.28560, HZM.40.28567; Pussahena, HZM.l 6.27473 (S), HZM.l 7.27474 (S), HZM.l 8.27475 (S), HZM.l 9.27476 (S); Ruwanwella, HZM.l 9.27476 (S), HZM. 20.27477 (S); Wellawaya, HZM. 38.28565 .

India: Asgani, BM. ll.7.l 8. l (S); Barchi, BM. 12.11.28.7 (S); Benhope, BM.25. lO. l.2, BM.25.10. l.3; Bombay, CG.l 962 -345 A (S), CG.l 962 -345 B (S), CG. 1962 - 345 C (S), CG.l 962 -345 D (S), CG. 1962 - 345 E (S), CG. 1962 - 345 F (S), CG.l 962-345G (S); Coonor, BM. 85.3.20.1 (S); Colva, HZM.27.28159 (S, D); Dandeli, BM. l2. ll. 28.6; Devikop, BM. 12.6.29.16 (S), BM.l 2.6.29.17(S), BM. 12.6.29.l8 (S), BM. l 2.6.29.19 (S); High Wavy Mountains, MM. 20 (S), HZM.24.28156 (D), HZM.25.28157, HZM.26.28158 (D), MM.l 20; Jog Falls, HM. 93.18.1 (S), HM. 93.18.2 (S), HM. 93.18.3 (S), HM. 93.18.4 (S), HM. 93.18.5 (S), HM. 93.18.7 (S), HM. 93.18.8 (S), HM. 93.18.9 (S); Kamala, CG.l985 - l5 l 0 (S), CG. 1985 - 1513 (S), CG. l985 - l5l 4 (S); Kodura, BM. 30.5.24.53 (S), BM. 30.5.24.54 (S), BM. 30.5.24.55; Mahableshwar, IN. 71, Mysore, MM. 24 (S), MM. 25 (S), MM. 30 (S), BM.13.4.l 1. l 3, BM.l 3.4. l 1.9, BM.13.4.1 l.l 0 (S), BM. l3.4. l 1.ll, BM.l 3.4. l1.12, BM.13.4. l1.l 3 (S), BM.l 3.4. l 1.14, BM. 13.4.ll.l 5, BM. 13.4.11.16 (S), BM.l 3.4.1l. 17, BM.l 3.4.ll 18 (S), BM. 13.11.28.7 (S), BM. l 8.8.3.18, BM.l 8.8.3.l 9 (S), BM.l 8.8.3.20, BM. l8.8.3.21 (S), BM.l 8.8.3.22; Savantvadi, BM.ll. 7.18.2 (S), BM. ll. 7. l8.3 (S), BM. 11.7.18.4 (S); Shevaroy Hills, BM. 30.5.24.44 (S), BM. 30.5.24.45 (S), BM. 30.5.24.46 (S), BM. 30.5.24.47, BM. 30.5.24.48 (S), BM. 30.5.24.49, BM. 30.5.24.50, BM. 30.5.24.51 (S); Sirsi, BM. 0.4.1.6, BM. 0.4.1.7 (S), BM.0.4.l. 8 (S), BM. 12.11.28.8 (S), BM.l 2.1 l.28.9 (S), BM. 12. ll. 28.l 0, BM. l2.11.28.11 (S), BM. 12.11.28.12, BM.l 2.11.28.l 3 (S); Supa, BM. 12.11.28.14 (S), BM.12.1 l.28.l 5 (S); Talewadi, IIZM.lo. 25680 (S), HZM.ll.25681 (S), HZM.12.25682 (S), IN. 61 (S), IN. 64 (S), IN. 65 (S); Udyagiri, HM. 92.86.1 (S), HM. 92.86.2 (S), HM. 92.86.3 (S), HM. 92.86.4 (S), HM. 92.86.5 (S), HM. 92.86.6 (S), HM. 92.86.7 (S), HM. 92.86.8 (S), HM. 92.86.9 (S), HM. 92.86.10 (S).

Myanmar: Toungoo, BM. 27.11.18.4 (S ).

Habits: R. rouxii is a forest species which is restricted to areas with relatively high rainfall. It is common in the Ghats, Kanara and Konkan regions of India ( Brosset 1962) and in the lowlands of Sri Lanka ( Phillips 1980). R. rouxíí favours caves and tunnels for diurnal roosting sites, with colony sizes varying from a few individuals to several hundred. R. rouxii is often found to roost sympatrically with Hípposideros speorzls' and other species ofHipposiderid bat. Brosset (1962) observed sexual segregation occurring for part of the year, with the males living alone or in small groups and the females gathering in large colonies of several hundred individuals. The diet is probably primarily composed of grasshoppers, moths ( Brosset 1962); beetles, termites, mosquitos and other Diptera ( Phillips 1980).

Figures

Fig. 6a/b: (a) Noseleaf and sella of R. sínícus (HZM.2l.28153) from Mussoorie, northern India. Scale = 5 mm. (b) Noseleaf and sella of R. rouxii (HZM. 11.25681) from Talewadi, southern India. Scale = 5 mm.

Fig. 7 a/b: (a) Right maxillary dentition and palate of R. sínicus (HZM.21.28153) from Mussoorie, northern India. (b) Right maxillary dentition and palate of R. rouxíí (HZM. 12.25682) from Talewadi, southern India.

Fig. 8 a/b: (a) Baculum (dorsal and right lateral views) of R. sinicus (HZM.4.l 6294) from Godavari, Nepal. Scale _ 1 mm. (b) Baculum of R. rouxií (lN. 62) from Talewadi, India. Scale = 1 mm.

Fig. 9: Distribution map for R. sínícus and R. rouxíi based on specimens examined for this study and additional literature records from Allen (1938) and Bates and Harrison (1997).