Appearance
It is a very small leaf bat, but with huge, wide, round eyes. The coat is long and soft. The upside is grey-brown to grey, sometimes also orange. The square leaf nose is relatively simple in shape. The structure of the leaf nose appears on the "H. cineraceus" but the color appears more on the "H. pomona". Instances of this species from both India as well as Catanduanes have a karyotype of van 2n=32, FN=60, just as many other "Hipposideros" species.Naming
This species is divided into a number of subspecies: "H. a. amboinensis" from Ambon, "H. a. antricola" in the Philippines, "H. a. ater" from Sri Lanka and India, "H. a. aruensis" Gray, 1858 from the Aru Islands and New Guinea, "H. a. gilberti" from Australia, "H. a. nicobarulae" in the Nicobar Islands and "H. a. saevus" from the area between South-Thailand and the Moluccas. Instances from Borneo cannot be assigned to a particular subspecies, although "H. a. antricola" en "H. a. saevus" appear to have a slightly longer skull. They would be classified in the same way that "H. a. ater" en "H. a. antricola" sometimes have reduced teeth. However, there are only four known instances from Borneo, only one of which is undamaged.The genus name "Hipposideros" comes from the Greek words for "horse" and "iron" and means "horseshoe"; a reference to the complex nose that species in this genus are known for. The generic designation "ater" is Latin for "black" and notes the relative dark color of this species's coat.
Habitat
In the Philippines this species is found in rainforests at sea level up to elevations of 1200 m. The animal rests in caves in both forests and agricultural areas. In Australia the species lives in both mangroves and rainforests in as well as in dry, open areas. Like most bats, "H. ater" is active at night. In Australia it sleeps in the daytime in caves, mines and sometimes tree holes, preferably in dark, warm and moist places.Reproduction
The mating season is in April; the young are born from October to December and are weaned in January.Food
The animal eats small, flying insects. This bat flies slowly, but is manoeuvrable.References:
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