Big horseshoe. Large horseshoe bat, photo and description Horseshoe bat

In Europe: its body length is 5.2-7.1 cm, wingspan is 35-40 cm, weight is 13-34 g. The color of the back and wings is brownish-gray with a reddish tint; belly lighter than back, greyish. Young animals are uniformly gray.

Distributed from North Africa (Morocco, Algeria) through all of Eurasia - from France and Spain through Asia Minor and Western Asia, the Caucasus, the Himalayas, Tibet, to China, the Korean Peninsula and Japan. The northern edge of the range enters the territory of Russia; here a large horseshoe bat is found in the North Caucasus from the Krasnodar Territory to Dagestan.

Habitats are confined to the foothills and low mountains, as well as to flat areas where there are shelters suitable for animals: natural and artificial dungeons, karst caves, crevices, ravines in river cliffs, suitable human buildings. In the mountains, this species is found up to 3500 m above sea level. AT summer time most males and young females stay alone or in small groups; females with offspring form aggregations ranging from a few dozen to hundreds of individuals, often in the neighborhood of colonies of other bats. Horseshoe bats fly out to hunt after dark. The flight is slow, straight; animals hunt not far from shelters, low above the ground. Food is served by large and medium-sized nocturnal insects (scoops, beetles, caddisflies). When hunting, echolocation signals are used at a frequency of 77-81 kHz, which are emitted through the nose.

They winter in caves, adits and other isolated shelters with a stable temperature from + 1 to + 10 ° C. Adult males and immature individuals of both sexes during wintering form joint aggregations of up to several hundred individuals, adult females usually keep separately. Hibernation can last from October to April, but its duration depends on outside temperature and geographical location asylum. If the weather is warm enough for insects to appear, horseshoe bats can also hunt in winter. Large horseshoe bats mate in autumn, on wintering grounds, less often in spring; sperm is stored in the uterus of females until spring, when fertilization occurs. Pregnancy lasts about 3 months; the only cub is born in June-July. His eyes open on the 7th day; by 3-4 weeks of life he already knows how to fly. It becomes independent by 2 months, but puberty (in females) occurs only at 3 years. Females often do not mate until 5 years of age. The highest mortality is observed in the first year of life, primarily during wintering. Life expectancy is very high - more than 20 years.

Latin name - Rhinolophus ferrumequinum

Appearance description:

The dimensions of this horseshoe bat are the largest of all European species of this family. Body length 54-69 mm; 31.5-43mm; ear 20.5-26 mm. Forearm 53.5-60.5 mm. The total length of the skull is 21.5-23.7 mm; candilobasal length 19.1-22 mm; zygomatic width 11-12.6 mm; interorbital space 2.4-3.2 mm; skull width 9.8-10.4 mm; the length of the upper row of teeth is 8-9.5 mm. Variation in size of this species bats almost similar to horseshoe lips. Photo of the animal below

The coloration of the upper side of the body of the great horseshoe bat varies from dark chocolate fawn and smoky brown (in the Caucasus) to pale smoky fawn (in Central Asia). Base of dorsal hairs White or whitish-yellow. The underside is light, ordinary whitish with a differently developed pale-yellow or ash-gray bloom. In animals caught in July and August in Nagorno-Karabakh and Western Georgia, on the underside there is a peculiar thin pattern; their single-color white hair is mixed with two-color hair and forms a characteristic ripple.

At the same time, the dark tops of the hair are located in places in the form of narrow transverse rows, and if you look at the underside of the body from the side, then smoky-yellow stripes are caught on a light background. Individual and seasonal variability colors have not yet been studied enough, but in in general terms it appears to be similar to other species. Scheme geographic variability in size and color is close to the color of the small one, but are even less distinct and constant.

The size of the horseshoe is wide - 7.5-9.5 mm. The upper ledge of the saddle is shortened, gently rounded. The low anterior lobe of the ear is separated from the outer edge by a rather narrow and deep notch.

The fourth metacarpal is 1.5 mm shorter than the fifth and 2-4.5 mm longer than the third. The length of the first phalanx of the third finger is 1-2.5 mm longer than half the length of the second phalanx of the same finger.

Palatal folds 7-8. The first three (in the form of thick ridges open in the middle) are separated from each other by comparatively wide gaps. All the rest are thinner, almost straight, close to each other and usually solid. The decrease in the number from 8 to 7 is due to the reduction of not the last, but the sixth fold.

The large horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum) has a large, relative to body size, skull with a relatively small rounded brain capsule, a massive nasal region and a fairly wide interorbital gap. The width between the outer sides of the upper canines is 6-7 mm. The bony snails are comparatively small and rather widely spaced. The large upper molar closely adjoins the canine and only in rare cases is separated from it by a very narrow gap. According to the degree of specialization of the dental system in (premolar teeth in particular), this animal has gone farthest of all species.

Big horseshoe. A photo

Spreading:

It lives quite extensively. Starting from Great Britain, Portugal and North Africa, its range extends through the mountains Central Europe, the Balkans, Asia Minor, the Crimea, the Caucasus, Turkmenistan, Gissar-Alai and the Himalayas to South China and Japan.

Description of behavior and lifestyle:

Ecology. The shelters where these bats live are varied. On the plains of Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and the steppe Caspian coast of the Caucasus, a large horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum) settles in old Mohammedan tombs, in abandoned dark stables and under the domes of a mosque, but is not found at all in loess and other types of caves. On the contrary, in the mountains of Kopet-Dag, Gissar-Alay, the Caucasus, Crimea and Central Europe, he chooses caves, rock crevices and stone ruins for his daytime refuge. In the Crimea, animals live more often in caves remote from the sea, and only accidentally flies into coastal ones. Sometimes only 1 or 2 individuals appear in one place (mainly males), although more often these bats form large colonies (up to 400-500 individuals), which include only adult females and young. In the accumulations of these bats, individual animals or entire colonies of other species can be found. Animals of the species described, when disturbed in the shelter, squeal or emit short metallic squeaks, flutter from place to place or fly out of the darkness of their shelter, even in the middle of a hot day in dazzling sunlight. First 5-10 days scared single big animals they usually do not return to their original shelter. Evening departure in the Caucasus and Central Asia occurs later than in many other species. They eat like most of squad - insects. Evening feeding lasts for almost the entire first half of the night, then the animals rest, and before dawn they leave the shelter again. Feeding locations vary depending on specific conditions. So, in the steppe areas, these bats spread above the ground itself; in the Surakhani valley - they make regular overflights along the upper edge of steep loess banks; in the mountains, a hyphen flies a horseshoe along a dark deep gorge.

There are not so many bats in Russia, they mostly live in the Caucasus. The large horseshoe bat took root in Dagestan and in Krasnodar Territory, is considered the most close-up view in Europe. They also inhabit North Africa, Western Europe and Japan. Body length 7cm, weight 30g, wingspan 40cm. Looking at this animal, you can not say that he is cute. On the contrary, the bat is terrifying. Only true connoisseurs of nature will call them cute and charming. The back and wings are gray-brown with a rusty tint, the belly is gray-ash. The growths on the muzzle around the nostrils look like a horseshoe, hence the name of this bat. With the help of growths, the mouse makes sounds, and they also act as an antenna. Its sounds spread over several meters (5 - 8 m). The eyes are small and see almost nothing. Hearing is much better developed. The fur is short, dense. The ears are large, pointed, not covered with hair. The legs are thin, but very strong with prehensile claws. The wing is stretched on the forelimb of the animal between 4 long thin fingers, and is an elastic membrane. When flying, it flaps its wings frequently and sharply. Note that the order Chiroptera is the only group of flying mammals.

The usual habitat of the horseshoe bat is caves and rock crevices, which are located on the plains and in the foothills. Human buildings are suitable, most often abandoned bell towers, attics and dungeons. During the day, mice rest, hanging upside down, covering themselves with wings like a cloak and, while holding on to a support with their feet. They lead a solitary life. Sometimes females with cubs unite in groups of a hundred or even more individuals. Twilight falls and he flies out to hunt. Finds food with the help of a sounder. Without difficulty, it will determine the location of the large ones that our hunter feeds on. Mostly these are caddis flies and beetles. It hibernates for the winter in October. His body temperature drops and in a state of stupor he spends several months in a safe secret place. Males with young animals hibernate in a group separately from females with cubs. They wake up in April or a little earlier, if the air temperature warms up well over 15 - 18 degrees.

After a pregnancy that lasts 3 months, one cub is born. It happens significant event in June - July. The eyes open one week after birth. At the age of 4 weeks, the little mouse already knows how to fly. independent life can lead from the age of two months, but it will become completely adult only at the age of three.

In a large horseshoe bat lives about 20 years. Listed in the Red Book of Russia (protection category 3). And although he is not threatened complete disappearance from the Earth, people should not destroy a harmless and harmless animal.

Large horseshoe bats have taken root perfectly in the Krasnodar Territory and Dagestan. In addition, they live in Western Europe, North Africa and Japan. Within the range, the animals inhabit desert areas confined to low mountains, foothills and settlements, deciduous forests, as well as various cultivated landscapes. Usually they settle in shelters suitable for life: crevices in rocks, caves, dungeons, grottoes, gullies in river cliffs, in attics of houses and in other human buildings. Very often, horseshoe bats share these secluded places with other types of bats.

AT summer period mice are kept mostly alone or in small groups, lead night image life and rest during the day. During the rest, the animals hang head down, wrapping themselves with wings, like a cloak, and with the help of tenacious claws, they hold on tightly to the support. With the onset of dusk, large horseshoe bats fly out to hunt. They hunt low from the ground, near their shelters. The basis of their diet is made up of nocturnal insects - these are different kinds scoop, butterflies, beetles, caddisflies, etc. Animals find food with the help of a sound echo sounder, easily determining the places of accumulation large insects. During feeding, their flight is rather slow, silent and straightforward.

In October, horseshoe bats flow into hibernation. At this time, their body temperature decreases, and in a state of stupor, the mice spend several months in secluded places where the air temperature is 7-10°C. Males winter together with young ones, in groups of 5-15 individuals, but separately from females with cubs. If the weather in winter is warm enough for the appearance of insects, then the animals interrupt hibernation with short awakenings and can hunt. Full awakening occurs in April, when the air warms up over 15 degrees.

Mating in large horseshoe bats occurs in autumn during wintering, however fertilized egg does not develop until spring. Pregnancy in females lasts almost 3 months. The only cub is born in June or July. On the 7th day of age, his eyes open, and by 3-4 weeks of life, the baby is already starting to fly. It becomes independent at the age of 2 months, sexually mature - only for 3 years, but often until the age of 5 females do not mate. The highest mortality among young animals is observed in the first year of life, especially during long winters.

In natural natural conditions The life expectancy of a large horseshoe bat is about 20 years. He tolerates captivity well, but cases of reproduction in this situation are unknown. And although the animals are not threatened with complete disappearance from the face of the Earth, the large horseshoe bat is listed in the Red Book of Russia, as a species rare in the territory of the Russian Federation, with the status of category 3 (security). in Austria and West Germany these bats are now threatened with extinction. A large number of animals die from pesticide poisoning by eating poisoned insects.