With a wingspan of 320-340 mm, Mehely's Horseshoe bat is larger than R. blasii and R. euryale. Its fur is dense being white in the venter and grey-brown at the dorsum.
R. mehelyi is largely restricted to the Mediterranean. It is scattered across north Africa (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and Egypt) and southern Europe (southern Portugal and Spain, possibly one occurrence in France, a few places in Italy and the Balkans).
Mehely's Horseshoe bat can be affected by disturbance and loss of underground habitats, changes in foraging habitats, and destruction of caves by tourism. Mortality due to collision with cars is a problem in some areas (e.g., Portugal). The reasons for the decline in population are not fully understood.