Lander's horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus landeri) is a species of bat in the family Rhinolophidae found in Africa. Its natural habitats are savanna and caves.

Taxonomy and etymology

It was described as a new species in 1837 by English naturalist William Charles Linnaeus Martin. The eponym for the species name "landeri" was explorer Richard Lander. Martin named the species after Lander because the holotype had been collected during Lander's expedition to Fernando Pó. It was Martin's intention to posthumously honor Lander, calling him "enterprising, but unfortunate" after his untimely death at age 29.

Description

It is a medium-sized member of its family. Individuals weigh 5-11 g. Total length is approximately 75 mm; tail length is 23 mm and forearm length is 38-41 mm.

Range and habitat

It has been widely documented throughout Sub-Saharan Africa. Individuals have been found at relatively high elevations—up to 2000 m above sea level on Kenya's Mount Elgon.

Conservation

It is currently evaluated as least concern by the IUCN—its lowest conservation priority. It meets the criteria for this assessment because it has a wide geographic range; its population size is likely large; and it is unlikely that it is in rapid decline.