Discover 4 strange bat species

Researchers have identified four new big-eared bat species with giant noses and strange shapes in eastern Africa.

Initially, the scientists assumed that they belonged to a single species, the Hildebrandt ear bat (scientific name Rhinolophus hildebrandtii), first described in 1878.

However, the results of analyzing the positioning frequencies in echoes show that there are differences between these individuals. It is known that experts use echolocation to distinguish bats.

Bats Rhinolophus mabuensis

Bats Rhinolophus cohenae

Bats Rhinolophus smithersi

Bats Rhinolophus mossambicus

Team leader Peter J. Taylor of the University of Venda (South Africa) said: his group discovered R.hildebrandtii actually had four different species of bats mysteriously. They are indistinguishable through appearance but must rely on echolocation.

Newly identified bats this time include the Cohen (Rhinolophus cohenae) bat , in Mpumalanga province of South Africa; bats to Mabu mountain (Rhinolophus mabuensis) , residing in mountainous areas of northern Mozambique; To Smithers (Rhinolophus smithersi) , in the prairie forest area of ​​the Limpopo valley and the Zambezi; and the Mozambique (Rhinolophus mossambicus ), most likely to live along the prairies of Zimbabwe and Mozambique.

New bat species have been described in detail in the PLoS ONE report.