Bat echolocation calls in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Abstract An echolocation call library has been established for 21 bat species from Saudi Arabia, including calls for 10 species recorded for the first time ( Rhinopoma microphyllum (Brünnich, 1782), Rhinolophus clivosus Cretzschmar, 1828, Taphozous nudiventris Cretzschmar, 1830, Taphozous perforatus (É. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1818) , Nycteris thebaica É. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1818 , Chaerephon nigeriae (Thomas, 1913), Chaerephon pumilus (Cretzschmar, 1830), Plecotus christii Gray, 1838, Rhyneptesicus nasutus (Dobson, 1877), and Myotis emarginatus (É. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1806)). Variations in calls were observed among different populations of some species in Saudi Arabia (e.g. Asellia tridens (É. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1813), R. clivosus, Nycteris thebaica, and Pipistrellus kuhlii (Kuhl, 1817)). Calls have been compared with other populations within their distribution range in the Middle East.