The Philippine pygmy roundleaf bat (''Hipposideros pygmaeus''), also called the Philippine pygmy leaf-nosed bat, is a species of

bat Bats are mammals of the order Chiroptera.''cheir'', "hand" and πτερόν''pteron'', "wing". With their forelimbs adapted as wings, they are the only mammals capable of true and sustained flight. Bats are more agile in flight than most bi ...

in the family

Hipposideridae The Hipposideridae are a family of bats commonly known as the Old World leaf-nosed bats. While it has often been seen as a subfamily, Hipposiderinae, of the family Rhinolophidae, it is now more generally classified as its own family.Simmons, 20 ...

. It is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...

to the

Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...

, where it has been recorded on Bohol, Luzon (Camarines Sur and Rizal provinces), Marinduque, Negros, Panay, and Mindanao (in Surigao del Sur).

Taxonomy and etymology

It was described as a new species in 1843 by English naturalist George Robert Waterhouse. Waterhouse placed it in the genus '' Rhinolophus'' with a scientific name of ''Rhinolophus pygmaeus''. The

holotype A holotype is a single physical example (or illustration) of an organism, known to have been used when the species (or lower-ranked taxon) was formally described. It is either the single such physical example (or illustration) or one of several ...

had been collected by Hugh Cuming. The species name "'' pygmaeus''" is

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...

for "small." Waterhouse described it as "a small species."

Distribution and conservation

The Philippine pygmy roundleaf bat is found in several islands along the Philippines. It is found mostly in caves and non-aquatic subterranean locations, along with general forests. Specimens have been found in limestone caves and near or in lowland forests. Though forestation and mining is harmful, it is now thought that the bats are more tolerant to disturbance than once believed. Locally in the area, it is also hunted and trapped for food, though those actions do not heavily harm the species.

References

Hipposideros Mammals of the Philippines Mammals described in 1843 Endemic fauna of the Philippines Taxa named by George Robert Waterhouse Bats of Southeast Asia Taxonomy articles created by Polbot {{Hipposideridae-stub