Lesser horseshoe bat  (Rhinolophus hipposideros)

Learn about the scientific name of this species and how it fits into the tree of life at Nature Navigator.

Description

The lesser horseshoe bat is one of the smallest British bats (2). It has soft fluffy fur, which is brownish on the back and grey-white on the underside (4). At rest, this delicate bat wraps its wings around its body as it hangs upside down (2). Juveniles are dark grey in colour (4). The generic name Rhinolophus derives from the Greek for 'nose crest', and the specific name hipposideros derives from the Greek for 'horse-iron' or horseshoe (5). This name refers to the complex nose-leaf, which is thought to act as an 'acoustic lens', focusing echolocation pulses that are emitted from the nose (6).

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