Abstract
The Diadem Leaf-nosed Bat Hipposideros diadema (E. Geoffroy, 1813) is recorded for the first time from the Andaman Islands, India. A solitary female specimen was collected on October 13, 2015 from a limestone cave on Baratang Island. Cranial measurements and other morphological characters indicate that the specimen differs from the endemic subspecies, the Nicobar Diadem Leaf-nosed Bat Hipposideros diadema nicobarensis (Dobson, 1871), but compares favourably with the South-east Asian subspecies, Mason’s Diadem Leaf-nosed Bat Hipposideros diadema masoni (Dobson, 1872), in description, craniodental characters, and echolocation calls. This is the first record of Hipposideros diadema (E. Geoffroy, 1813) from Andaman Islands, and the subspecies Mason’s Diadem Leaf-nosed Bat Hipposideros diadema masoni (Dobson, 1872) from India.
Highlights
Prior to the work of Aul et al (2014), it was noted that species of the Hipposideros genus are restricted to the Nicobar Islands, and those of genus Rhinolophus to the Andaman Islands
We report for the first time, the presence of the Diadem Leaf-nosed Bat Hipposideros diadema from the Andaman Islands and provide the first specimen-based record of Hipposideros diadema masoni from India
During the initial survey on Baratang Island, the first author (BS) sighted a large hipposiderid bat with characteristic pale hairs on the flanks living amongst a colony of rhinolophids and myotids in a limestone cave
Summary
We report for the first time, the presence of the Diadem Leaf-nosed Bat Hipposideros diadema from the Andaman Islands and provide the first specimen-based record of Hipposideros diadema masoni from India. The Andaman specimen matches H.d. masoni in possessing a single median septum dividing the posterior leaf into two cells, a small conical bony process from the symphysis of the mandible, and by having wings attached to the base of the outer toe (as opposed to wings attached to the base of the ankle in H.d. diadema). H.d. nicobarensis shows similar characters as in H.d. masoni but is significantly smaller in overall external and craniodental measurements This is the first specimen-based record of H.d. masoni (Dobson, 1872) from Baratang Island and from the Andaman group of Islands, India. The existence of the H.d. masoni (Dobson, 1872) in a cave on Baratang Island is enigmatic and requires further surveys to establish its continued presence north of 10O N latitude
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