Horseshoe bats, such as this greater horseshoe bat, Rhinolophus ferrumequinum, are members of the Rhinolophidae family, which has over 60 members. They are distributed widely in the Old World, from the tropics to temperate regions, and from Ireland and Africa across Europe and southern Asia eastwards to Japan and Australia. The common name, 'horseshoe', aptly describes the shape of part of the nose leaf. Many horseshoe bats are pale sandy or grey in colour, but there are black species and species with orange fur, as well as others that have two colour phases, some individuals being grey and some being orange.