Overview
Evening bats or, perhaps more correctly, Vesper bats (family Vespertilionidae) are the largest and best-known family of . They belong to the suborder Microchiroptera (microbats). There are over 300 species distributed all over the world, on every continent except Antarctica. Sometimes the family is called "common bats". It owes its name to the latin word vesper, meaning "evening".
Characteristics
Almost all Vesper bats are insect-eaters, exceptions being some Myotis and Pizonyx that catch fish and the larger Nyctalus species that have been known on occasion to catch small Passerine birds in flight. The dental formula of vesper bats varies between species:
They rely mainly on echolocation, but they lack the enlarged noses that some microbats have in order to improve the ultrasou nd beam, and instead "shout" through their open mouths to project their ultrasound beam. In compensation many species have relatively large ears.
As a group, Vesper bats cover the full gamut of flight ability with the relatively weak flying Pipistrellus that have fluttery, almost insect-like flight to the long winged and fast flying genera such as Lasiurus, Nyctalus and Miniopteris. The family size range is from 3 to 13 cm in length, excluding the tail, which is itself quite long in most species. They are generally brown or grey in color, but some have brightly colored fur, with reds, oranges, and yellows all being known, and many having white patches or stripes[2].
Most species roost in caves, although some make use of hollow trees, rocky crevices, animal burrows, or other forms of shelter. There is also a great variation in the size of vesper bat colonies, with some roosting alone, and others in groups of anything up to a million individuals. Species native to temperate latitudes typically hibernate, while a few of the tropical species aestivate[2].
Classification
Five subfamilies are recognized:
- Subfamily Vespertilioninae
- Eudiscopus (Disk-footed bat)
- Pipistrellus (Pipistrelles or Pipistrelle bats)
- Scotozous (Dormer's bat)
- Nyctalus (Noctule bats)
- Glischropus (Thick-thumbed bats)
- Eptesicus (House bats)
- Ia (Great evening bats)
- Vespertilio (Frosted bats)
- Laephotis (long-eared bata)
- Histiotus (Big-eared Brown bats)
- Philetor (Rohu's Bat)
- Tylonycteris (Bamboo bats)
- Mimetillus (Moloney's Mimic Bat)
- Hesperoptenus
- Chalinolobus (Wattled bats)
- Glauconycteris (Butterfly bats)
- Nycticeius (Evening bats)
- Nycticeinops (Schlieffen's Twilight bat)
- Scoteanax (Greater Broad-nosed bats)
- Scotorepens (Lesser Broad-nosed bats)
- Scotoecus (House bats)
- Rhogeessa (Rhogeessa bats)
- Scotomanes (Harlequin bat)
- Scotophilus (Yellow bats)
- Otonycteris (Desert Long-eared bats)
- Lasiurus (Hairy-tailed bats)
- Barbastella (Barbastelles or Barbastelle bats)
- Plecotus (Lump-nosed bats)
- Idionycteris (Allen's Big-eared bat)
- Euderma (Spotted bat)
- Nyctophilus (New Guinean and Australian Big-eared bats)
- Pharotis (New Guinea Big-eared Bat)
- Corynorhinus (American Lump-nosed bats)
- Hypsugo (Asian pipistrelles)
- Subfamily Murininae
- Murina (Tube-nosed Insectivorous bats)
- Harpiocephalus (Hairy-winged bats)
- Subfamily Myotinae
- Cistugo (Wing-gland bats)
- Myotis (Little Brown bats)
- Lasionycteris (Silver-haired bats)
- Subfamily Miniopterinae
- Miniopterus (Long-winged bats)
- Subfamily Kerivoulinae
- Kerivoula (Painted bats)
- Phoniscus
The above grouping of subfamilies is the classification according to Simmons and Geisler (1998). Other authorities raise three subfamilies more: Antrozoinae (which is here the separate family of Pallid bats), Tomopeatinae (now regarded as a subfamily of the Free-tailed bats) and Nyctophilinae (here included in Vespertilioninae).
Photos
Taxonomy
The Family Vespertilionidae is a member of the Superfamily Vespertilionoidea. Here is the complete "parentage" of Vespertilionidae:
- Domain: Eukaryota
Whittaker & Margulis,1978 - eukaryotes
- Kingdom: Animalia
Linnaeus, 1758 - animals
- Subkingdom: Bilateria
(Hatschek, 1888) Cavalier-Smith, 1983 - bilaterians
- Branch: Deuterostomia
Grobben, 1908 - Deuterostomes
- Infrakingdom: Chordonia
(Haeckel, 1874) Cavalier-Smith, 1998
- Phylum: Chordata
Bateson, 1885 - Chordates
- Subphylum: Vertebrata
Cuvier, 1812 - Vertebrates
- Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Auct. - Jawed Vertebrates
- Superclass: Tetrapoda
Goodrich, 1930 - Tetrapods
- Class: Mammalia
C. Linnaeus, 1758 - Mammals
- Subclass: Theriiformes
(Rowe, 1988) M.c. Mckenna & S.k. Bell, 1997
- Infraclass: Holotheria
(Wible Et Al., 1995) M.c. Mckenna & S.k. Bell, 1997
- Superlegion: Trechnotheria
Mckenna, 1975
- Legion: Cladotheria
Mckenna, 1975
- Sublegion: Zatheria
Mckenna, 1975
- Infralegion: Tribosphenida
(Mckenna, 1975) M.c. Mckenna & S.k. Bell, 1997
- Supercohort: Theria
(Parker & Haswell, 1897) M.c. Mckenna & S.k. Bell, 1997 - a genus of Click Beetles (Elateridae)
- Cohort: Placentalia
(Owen, 1837) M.c. Mckenna & S.k. Bell, 1997 - Placentals
- Magnorder: Epitheria
(Mckenna, 1975) M.c. Mckenna & S.k. Bell, 1997
- Superorder: Preptotheria
(Mckenna, 1975) Mckenna, in Stucky & Mckenna, in Benton, Ed., 1993
- Grandorder: Archonta
(Gregory, 1910) Mckenna, 1975
- Order: Chiroptera
Blumenbach, 1779 - Bats
- Suborder: Microchiroptera
Dobson, 1875
- Infraorder: Yangochiroptera
Koopman, 1984
- Superfamily: Vespertilionoidea
(Gray, 1821) Gill, 1872
- Family: Vespertilionidae Gray, 1821 - Vespertilionid Bats
- Superfamily: Vespertilionoidea
(Gray, 1821) Gill, 1872
- Infraorder: Yangochiroptera
Koopman, 1984
- Suborder: Microchiroptera
Dobson, 1875
- Order: Chiroptera
Blumenbach, 1779 - Bats
- Grandorder: Archonta
(Gregory, 1910) Mckenna, 1975
- Superorder: Preptotheria
(Mckenna, 1975) Mckenna, in Stucky & Mckenna, in Benton, Ed., 1993
- Magnorder: Epitheria
(Mckenna, 1975) M.c. Mckenna & S.k. Bell, 1997
- Cohort: Placentalia
(Owen, 1837) M.c. Mckenna & S.k. Bell, 1997 - Placentals
- Supercohort: Theria
(Parker & Haswell, 1897) M.c. Mckenna & S.k. Bell, 1997 - a genus of Click Beetles (Elateridae)
- Infralegion: Tribosphenida
(Mckenna, 1975) M.c. Mckenna & S.k. Bell, 1997
- Sublegion: Zatheria
Mckenna, 1975
- Legion: Cladotheria
Mckenna, 1975
- Superlegion: Trechnotheria
Mckenna, 1975
- Infraclass: Holotheria
(Wible Et Al., 1995) M.c. Mckenna & S.k. Bell, 1997
- Subclass: Theriiformes
(Rowe, 1988) M.c. Mckenna & S.k. Bell, 1997
- Class: Mammalia
C. Linnaeus, 1758 - Mammals
- Superclass: Tetrapoda
Goodrich, 1930 - Tetrapods
- Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Auct. - Jawed Vertebrates
- Subphylum: Vertebrata
Cuvier, 1812 - Vertebrates
- Phylum: Chordata
Bateson, 1885 - Chordates
- Infrakingdom: Chordonia
(Haeckel, 1874) Cavalier-Smith, 1998
- Branch: Deuterostomia
Grobben, 1908 - Deuterostomes
- Subkingdom: Bilateria
(Hatschek, 1888) Cavalier-Smith, 1983 - bilaterians
- Kingdom: Animalia
Linnaeus, 1758 - animals
The Family Vespertilionidae is further organized into finer groupings including:
- Subfamily (5): Kerivoulinae · Miniopterinae · Murininae · Tomopeatinae · Vespertilioninae
- Tribe (7): Antrozoini · Lasiurini · Myotini · Nycticeini · Nyctophilini · Plecotini · Vespertilionini
- Genus (76): Amblyotus · Ancenycteris · Antrozous · Anzanycteris · Arielulus · Atalapha · Barbastella · Bauerus · Chadronycteris · Chalinolobus · Cistugo · Corynorhinus · Dasypterus · Eptescus · Eptesicus · Eptesius · Euderma · Eudiscopus · Falsistrellus · Glauconycteris · Glischropus · Harpiocephalus · Hesperoptenus · Histiotus · Hypsugo · Ia · Idionycteris · Karstala · Kerivoula · Laephotis · Lasionycteris · Lasiurus · Leuconoe · Mimetillus · Miniopterus · Miomyotis · Miostrellus · Murina · Myotis · Mytois · Neoromicia · Nyctalus · Nycticeinops · Nycticeius · Nycticejus · Nycticeus · Nyctophilus · Oligomyotis · Otonycteris · Paleptesicus · Perimyotis · Pharotis · Philetor · Phoniscus · Pipistrellus · Pizonyx · Plecotus · Plionycteris · Potamonycteris · Rhogeesa · Rhogeessa · Scoteanax · Scotoecus · Scotomanes · Scotophilus · Scotorepens · Scotozous · Shanwangia · Simonycteris · Stehlinia · Svaptenos · Tomopeas · Tylonycteris · Vespadelus · Vespertilio · Vesperugo
- Species: ZipcodeZoo has pages for 1,021 species and subspecies in the Family Vespertilionidae.
Genera
Amblyotus
Ancenycteris
Antrozous
The Pallid Bat (Antrozous pallidus) is a species of , which ranges from western Canada to central Mexico. Pallid bats have larger eyes than most other species of bats in North America and have pale, long, and wide ears; their fur is generally lightly colored. They have on average a total length of 92 to 135mm. [more]
Anzanycteris
Arielulus
Atalapha
Barbastella
Barbastella is a genus of vespertilionid bats. [more]
Bauerus
Chadronycteris
Chalinolobus
Bats of the genus Chalinolobus are commonly known as pied, wattled, or long-tailed bats. They have fleshy lobes at the bottom edge of their ears and on their lower lips. The bats otherwise classified in the genus are included in Chalinolobus by some zoologists. [more]
Cistugo
Cislugo is a genus of vespertilionid bats. It is one of the three genera in the subfamily . [more]
Corynorhinus
The Corynorhinus consists of the lump-nosed bats, or American long-eared bats. Only three species occur in the genus, all occurring in North America. Members of this group were previously in the genus Plecotus. Populations of these species are generally uncommon and declining. Two sub-species, the Virginia big-eared bat (C. t. virginianus) and the Ozark big-eared bat (C. t. ingens) are federally endangered. [more]
Dasypterus
Eptescus
Eptesicus
Eptesicus or House bats are a genus of in the Vespertilionidae family. [more]
Eptesius
Euderma
Eudiscopus
The Disk-Footed Bat (Eudiscopus denticulus ) is a species of in the Vespertilionidae family found in Laos and Myanmar. [more]
Falsistrellus
Falsistrellus is a genus of . [more]
Glauconycteris
Glauconycteris is a genus of vespertilionid bats. [more]
Glischropus
Harpiocephalus
Hesperoptenus
Histiotus
Histiotus is a genus of . Species within this genus are: [more]
Hypsugo
The genus Hypsugo contains many referred to as pipistrelles or pipistrelle bats. They belong to the family Vespertilionidae or vesper bats within the order Chiroptera. [more]
Ia
IA or ia may mean: [more]
Idionycteris
Karstala
Kerivoula
Kerivoula is a of vesper bats in the subfamily Kerivoulinae. [more]
Laephotis
Laephotis is a genus of bats in the family . Species within this genus are: [more]
Lasionycteris
The Silver-haired Bat (Lasionycteris noctivagans) is a species of in the Vespertilionidae family and the only member of the Lasionycteris genus. [more]
Lasiurus
A Genus in the Kingdom Animalia. [more]
Leuconoe
Mimetillus
Moloney's Mimic Bat (Mimetillus moloneyi) is a species of in the Vespertilionidae family. It can be found in the following countries: Angola, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Liberia, Mozambique, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, and Zambia. It is found in these habitats: subtropical or tropical dry forests, subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, subtropical or tropical mangrove forests, subtropical or tropical moist montanes, dry savanna, and moist savanna. [more]
Miniopterus
Miniopterus (long winged bat) is a of vesper bats and the only genus of subfamily Miniopterinae. [more]
Miomyotis
Miostrellus
Murina
Murina is a genus of . [more]
Myotis
The mouse-eared bats, Myotis, are a genus of around 90 species of bat, found around the globe with 10 species in Europe. [more]
Mytois
Neoromicia
Neoromicia is a genus of in the Vespertilionidae family. It contains the following species: [more]
Nyctalus
The bat genus Nyctalus (Noctule bats) are members of the family Vespertilionidae () or sometimes Evening bats. They are distributed in the temperate and subtropical areas of Europe, Asia and North Africa. [more]
Nycticeinops
Schlieffen's Bat or Schlieffen's Twilight Bat (Nycticeinops schlieffeni) is a species of in the Vespertilionidae family found in Africa. Its natural habitats are dry savanna, moist savanna, subtropical or tropical dry shrubland, and hot deserts. [more]
Nycticeius
The genus Nycticeius is in the family and contains two species, the Evening Bat (N. humeralis) and the Cuban Evening Bat (N. cubanus). Some authorities include several other old world species in Nycticeius, but recent genetic work shows that is a completely new world genus. [more]
Nycticejus
Nycticeus
Nyctophilus
Oligomyotis
Otonycteris
The desert long-eared bat (Otonycteris hemprichii) is a species of in the Vespertilionidae family. [more]
Paleptesicus
Perimyotis
Pharotis
The New Guinea big-eared bat (Pharotis imogene) is a endemic to Papua New Guinea. It is listed as a critically endangered species due to ongoing habitat loss. It is the only known member of the genus Pharotis. [more]
Philetor
Phoniscus
Phoniscus is a genus of in the Vespertilionidae family. It contains the following species: [more]
Pipistrellus
Pipistrellus is a genus of in the family Vespertilionidae and subfamily Vespertilioninae. The name of the genus is derived from the Italian word Pipistrello, meaning "bat". [more]
Pizonyx
Plecotus
A Genus in the Kingdom Animalia. [more]
Plionycteris
Potamonycteris
Rhogeesa
Rhogeessa
Scoteanax
Scotoecus
Scotoecus is a genus of bats in the family . [more]
Scotomanes
Scotophilus
Scotophilus is a genus of vespertilionid bats. [more]
Scotorepens
Scotozous
Dormer's Bat or Dormer's Pipistrelle (Scotozous dormeri) is a species of in the Vespertilionidae family. It is found in Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, and Pakistan. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests, arable land, plantations , rural gardens, and urban areas. [more]
Shanwangia
Simonycteris
Stehlinia
Svaptenos
Tomopeas
The Blunt-eared Bat (Tomopeas ravus) is a species of in the Molossidae family. It is monotypic within the genus Tomopeas and subfamily Tomopeatinae. It is endemic to Peru. It is threatened by habitat loss. [more]
Tylonycteris
Vespadelus
Vespadelus is a genus of in the Vespertilionidae family. It contains the following species: [more]
Vespertilio
Vespertilio is a genus of bats in the family. Species within this genus are: [more]
Vesperugo
At least 16 species and subspecies belong to the Genus Vesperugo.
More info about the Genus Vesperugo may be found here.
References
- ^ Fenton, M. Brock (2001). Bats. New York: Checkmark Books. pp. 5. ISBN 0-8160-4358-2.
- ^ a b Macdonald, D., ed (1984). The Encyclope dia of Mammals. New York: Facts on File. pp. 807. ISBN 0-87196-871-1.
Further Reading
- Corbet, GB, Hill JE. 1992. The mammals of the Indomalayan region: a systematic review. Oxford University Press, Oxford.
- Karim, C., A.A. Tuen and M.T. Abdullah. 2004. Mammals. Sarawak Museum Journal Special Issue No. 6. 80: 221-234.
- Wilson DE, Reeder DM. 2005. Mammal species of the world. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington DC.
Sources
- The text on this page is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It includes material from Wikipedia retrieved Thursday, August 13, 2009.
- The distribution map on the Distribution tab comes from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility and is used with permission.
- Photographs on this page are copyrighted by individual photographers, and individual copyrights apply.
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