Hipposideros fulvus
fulvus roundleaf bat

The fulvus roundleaf bat, Hipposideros fulvus, is found in much of southern Asia from Afghanistan east to Thailand, on the islands of Taiwan and Sri Lanka, and throughout most of India. The subspecies H. fulvus pallidus is found in the more northern parts of the range in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and northern India, while the subspecies H. fulvus fulvus is found in the more southeastern areas. (Bhupathy, 1987; Hill, Zubaid, and Davison, 1986; Srinivasulu and Molur, 2008)

The habitat preferences of fulvus roundleaf bats are relatively broad, including dry plains, thorn scrub, and thick tropical forests. Hipposideros fulvus is found at a wide range of elevations. These bats use porcupine and python burrows, caves, or abandoned buildings for their diurnal roosts. Optimal roosting sites are cool and damp, usually with flowing water nearby. (Bates and Harrison, 1997; Bhupathy, 1987; Das, 2003; Nowak, 1994; Saikia, Sharma, and Sharma, 2006; Srinivasulu and Molur, 2008)

Hipposideros fulvus is a small bat weighing between eight and ten grams. The ears are between 20 and 23 millimeters long, rounded, and larger than those of the bat’s close relatives. The average body length is 43 millimeters and tail length is between 25 and 29 millimeters. Average wingspan for the species is 130 millimeters. There appears to be no sexual dimorphism in this species. Fulvus roundleaf bats have square noseleaves. The dorsal fur can be reddish brown, dull yellow, dull brown, light gray or golden orange and the ventral fur ranges from creamy white to pale gray. Members of H. f. pallidus tend to be on the paler end of the spectrum, and the members of H. f. fulvus are darker in color. (Badwaik, 1989; Bates and Harrison, 1997; Bhupathy, 1987; Das, 2003; Hill, Zubaid, and Davison, 1986; Madhavan, Patil, and Gopalakrishna, 1978; Saikia, Sharma, and Sharma, 2006)

Little is known about the expected lifespan of Hipposideros fulvus. The oldest wild individual captured was a twelve-year-old female. Fulvus roundleaf bats do not survive in captivity for very long. (Madhavan, Patil, and Gopalakrishna, 1978; Nowak, 1994)

Hipposideros fulvus is a nocturnal species that lives in colonies of 10 to 100 individuals. During the day, fulvus roundleaf bats roost with the members of their colony, but individuals never touch their neighbors. These bats hunt at night in groups of four or five. They usually fly close to the ground with a slow, fluttery flight pattern. Individuals have been observed to return to the roosting site to consume their prey. They are less active during the winter. (Advani and Sinha, 1980; Bates and Harrison, 1997; Nowak, 1994)

Home Range

Exact territory size for H. fulvus is unknown, but it has been observed that an individual rarely travels far from its roosting site while hunting. (Bates and Harrison, 1997)

There is little documentation regarding the communication of Hipposideros fulvus. It has been recorded that individuals rarely make audible sounds. Fulvus roundleaf bats use echolocation to perceive their environment and to hunt for food at night. (Madhavan, Patil, and Gopalakrishna, 1978)

Fulvus roundleaf bats are insectivorous and eat such prey as beetles, cockroaches, winged termites, ants of the order Hymenoptera, and insects of the order Diptera. They hunt at night and locate their prey through echolocation. (Advani and Sinha, 1980; Bates and Harrison, 1997; Wason, 1978)

Common predators of most Asian bats are owls (Strigiformes), hawks (Falconiformes), snakes (Serpentes), weasels (Mustela), and foxes (Vulpes), though bats comprise only a small part of their diet. Bats are relatively good at avoiding terrestrial predators because they fly, but if caught on the ground they become quite vulnerable. Humans in Asia hunt Hipposideros fulvus and other bats for food and medicinal purposes. (Nowak, 1994; Tuladhar-Douglas, 2008)

Hipposideros fulvus acts as a predator on many types of insects. The guano of H. fulvus likely supplies important nutrients to the ecosystems in which it is found. This hasn’t been recorded, but it seems likely that fulvus roundleaf bats are hosts for parasitic insects such as fleas and ticks. (Advani and Sinha, 1980; Bates and Harrison, 1997; Wason, 1978)

Hipposideros fulvus and other bat species are often vectors for passing diseases to humans when they come into contact with one another. Viruses can be transmitted to humans through handling and consumption of bat flesh and contact with bat feces. (Tuladhar-Douglas, 2008)

Hipposideros fulvus and other small Asian bats have been used historically by populations in India and Nepal for food and traditional medicine. The medicine is called “bat oil” and is used as eardrops, treatment for baldness, and to combat paralysis. As insectivores, fulvus roundleaf bats positively impact humans by reducing pest insect populations. (Tuladhar-Douglas, 2008)

The IUCN lists Hipposideros fulvus as a species of Least Concern because it appears to have a wide distribution, a large and stable population size, and to occur in protected areas. The species was assessed in 2008. H. fulvus does face small-scale threats from habitat loss due to mining and cave sealing. CITES and the US Endangered Species Act do not list H. fulvus. (Srinivasulu and Molur, 2008)

Hipposideros fulvus is known by many common names including fulvus roundleaf bat, fulvus leaf-nosed bat, and bicolored leaf-nosed bat. It is often confused with Hipposideros pomona, but can be distinguished by its longer ears. Populations of H. fulvus have more female individuals than males, but it is unclear at this time why this unequal gender ratio occurs. (Bates and Harrison, 1997; Bhupathy, 1987; Hill, Zubaid, and Davison, 1986; Madhavan, Patil, and Gopalakrishna, 1978; Saikia, Sharma, and Sharma, 2006)