In the genus Rhinolophus, 77 species are recognized. These are small to medium-sized bats, some of which were formerly regarded as belonging to the family Hipposideridae. At first glance at Rhinolophus, one can notice special adaptations of the bat’s structure to the way members of the family use echolocation: horseshoe-shaped skin membranes on the nose, which are also the source of the Hebrew name (horseshoe + nose).

Rhinolophidae have long calls at very high frequency, often above 100 kHz. The call emitted from the nose is mainly of constant frequency, Constant Frequency, and produces a flutelike sound in a heterodyne detector. The ears are large, without a tragus, and the pinna follows the sounds in space quickly and accurately.