
Horseshoe bats are small to medium-sized bats that belong to the Rhinolophidae family. There is one living genus called Rhinolophus, which includes around 106 species. There is also an extinct genus named Palaeonycteris. Horseshoe bats have a close relationship with the Old World leaf-nosed bats from the Hipposideridae family, which are sometimes grouped with them. They can be divided into six subgenera and many species groups. The last common ancestor of all horseshoe bats lived 34 to 40 million years ago. However, it is not clear where they originally came from, and efforts to understand their geographic history have had mixed results. Their classification is complicated because genetic studies suggest there are many undiscovered species and also species that appear different but share very similar genetics. Horseshoe bats mainly live in tropical and subtropical areas of the Old World, including Africa, Asia, Europe, and Oceania.
These bats usually weigh between 4 and 28 grams and have forearm lengths of 30 to 75 mm. Their bodies can measure 35 to 110 mm in length. Most species have long, smooth fur that can be reddish-brown, blackish, or bright orange-red. They get their name from their large nose-leafs, shaped like horseshoes, which help them use echolocation to find food. Horseshoe bats use sophisticated echolocation by sending out high-frequency calls to find insects and spiders. They usually hunt by swooping down on their prey or picking it off leaves. While not much is known about their mating systems, some species are monogamous, while others have multiple mates. The gestation period is about seven weeks, and they typically have one baby at a time. They usually live around six or seven years, but some, like the greater horseshoe bat, can live over thirty years.
Adult horseshoe bats have two mammary glands on their chests, and female bats have two additional teats called pubic nipples on their bellies — these do not connect to mammary glands but help the young attach. Only a few other bat families share these pubic nipples. In some horse bat species, males have a false nipple in each armpit.
All horseshoe bats have large, leaf-like nose-leafs that help identify the species. The front of the nose-leaf is flat and horseshoe-shaped and sits above the upper lip. The lancet is triangular and points upward between the eyes. The sella is a ridge-like part at the center of the nose. Their ears are large and leaf-shaped, lacking tragus, and have distinct anti-tragi. Their eyes are small. The skull has a bony protrusion on the snout. They lose their milk teeth while still in the womb and are born with their permanent canine teeth, allowing them to cling to their mothers. This is unusual because most bats are born with some milk teeth that are replaced quickly.
Horseshoe bats have small eyes, and their ability to see is limited.