Its species name xinanzhongguoensis is pronounced “shee-nan-joong-guo-en-sis.” The name xinanzhongguoensis was derived from the Pinyin words "west" (xi), "south" (nan), and "China" (Zhongguo), describing a species that can be found in southwestern China.

Phylogenetically, it belongs to the "Afro-Palearctic" lineage of the horseshoe bat family, as described by Guillén-Servent et al. in 2003.

Near its base, the sides of the sella are parallel; it narrows to a wedge-shaped, rounded tip.

Its dental formula is typical for a horseshoe bat, at 1.1.2.32.1.3.3, for a total of 32 teeth.

[2] It occurs in wet habitat within the East Asian Monsoon zone.

It is threatened by the disturbance of its roosts as caving tourism expands in China.