Rhinolophus euryale Blasius, 1853 (Chiroptera, Rhinolophidae) in Abruzzo, Italy: true rarity or lack of surveys? 

Rhinolophus euryale Blasius, 1853 is a cave-dwelling species, whose occurrence in Abruzzo, Italy, has long remained uncertain. During monitoring activities carried out in a karstic cave located in Stiffe village (L’Aquila), we captured 34 bats, including 14 R. euryale . This record confirms this species’ presence in Abruzzo and highlights the importance of the site as a hibernaculum. Given the populations’ decline reported across the species’ range, these findings are crucial for conservation and underline the need for systematic surveys to monitor strictly protected bat species.