Thomas, 1903
Small Mouse-tailed bat
External characters (Table 17)
[description based on specimens from Oman]: This is the smallest species of Rhinopoma with an average forearm length of 49.4 mm (46.0-53.2 mm). The face (Rmu1) is typical of the genus but with the dermal ridge on the muzzle poorly developed (Rmu3); it consists of a low ridge that may be flat above or may have a slight median depression. The tail is long and usually exceeds the length of the forearm. The feet are small. The pelage in specimens from Oman is paler than that of R. hardwickii (Rha1) and R. microphyllum (Rmu2) but is similarly distributed on the body.
Cranial characters
The skull is small with an average condylo-canine length of 14.9 mm (14.7-15.1 mm). However, the nasals are relatively very large. In contrast to R. hardwickii and R. microphyllum , these inflations are usually clearly visible when the skull is viewed from below. The tympanic bullae are also relatively large. The mandible is smaller but otherwise similar to that of R. hardwickii (Fig. 40); the horizontal ramus of each half is particularly short and shallow.
Dentition
Upper toothrow length (C-M3) averages 5.3 mm (5.3-5.9 mm). The dentition is smaller and more delicate but otherwise similar to that of R. microphyllum and R. hardwickii (Fig. 41).
Variation
Specimens from Baluchistan, Pakistan are referred to R. m. seianum by Kock and Felten, 1980.