Blasius's horseshoe bat

The Blasius Horseshoe Bat ( Rhinolophus blasii ) is a bat from the family of horseshoe bats.

It is a medium-sized bat and corresponds to the size of the Mediterranean horseshoe bat ( Rhinolophus Euryale ) and the Meheley Horseshoe Bat ( Rhinolophus mehelyi ). The IUCN classifies the Blasius horseshoe bat as "low risk" a ( near threatened ).

Features

The body length of the Blasius horseshoe bat is 45 to 55 mm, tail length 25 to 30 mm and its wingspan is 27 (22 ) to 31 cm. It weighs an average of 12 to 16.5 g The coat is loose, the top is gray-brown, often with a purple tone, the hairline and the bottom are almost white. To the eye it has a possibly indicated "glasses". From the Mediterranean horseshoe bat and the Meheley Horseshoe Bat it differs mainly by the shape of Nasenaufwüchse and the finger length.

Distribution, habitat and way of life

The Blasius horseshoe bat is widespread in Europe only in the eastern Mediterranean, their range extends from Turkey through the Balkans to western Italy, Sicily and Malta. In addition, they are found in the Middle East and on the North African coast. It inhabits karst areas with shrubs and trees.

The summer quarters with up to 300 females and winter quarters with up to 3000 animals are almost always in caves and hardly even inside buildings. The Blasius horseshoe bat shares her dwelling often with other bats, including the Mediterranean horseshoe bat, greater horseshoe bat, Geoffroy's bat, the greater mouse- ear, Little Mouse-ear, Schreiber's bat undLangfußfledermaus.