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Vespertilionidae Temporal range: Early Eocene to Recent[1]
Greater mouse-eared bat (Myotis myotis)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Clade:	Scrotifera
Order:	Chiroptera
Suborder:	Yangochiroptera Gray, 1821
Family:	Vespertilionidae Gray, 1821
Subfamilies
Vespertilioninae Murininae Myotinae Kerivoulinae

Vespertilionidae is a family of micro-bats, of the order Chiroptera, flying insect-eating mammals variously described as the common, vesper, or simple nosed bats. The vespertilionid family is the most diverse and widely distributed of bat genera, specialised in many forms to occupy a range of habitats and ecological circumstances, and it is frequently observed or the subject of research. The facial features of the species are often simple, as they mainly rely on vocally emitted echolocation. The tail of the species are enclosed by the lower flight membranes between the legs, Over 300 species are distributed all over the world, on every continent except Antarctica. It owes its name to the genus Vespertilio, which takes its name from a word for bat, vespertilio, derived from the Latin term vesper meaning 'evening'; they are termed as evening bats and once referred to as 'evening birds'.

Evolution

They are allied to the suborder Microchiroptera, the families of microbats separated from the flying foxes and fruit bats of the mega bat group Megachiroptera. The treatments of bat taxonomy have also included a placement amongst the Vespertilioniformes, or Yangochiroptera, as suborder Vespertilionoidea.

Molecular data indicate Vespertilionidae diverged from Molossidae in the early Eocene period.^[2] The family is thought to have originated somewhere in Laurasia, possibly North America.^[3] A recently extinct species, Synemporion keana, is known from the Holocene of Hawaii.^[4]

Characteristics

All species are carnivorous and most are insectivores, exceptions are bats of genera Myotis and Pizonyx that catch fish and the larger Nyctalus species known to capture small passerine birds in flight. The dentition of the family varies between species, the dental formula of the family is:

They rely mainly on echolocation to navigate and obtain food, but they lack the elaborate nose appendages of microbats that focus nasal emitted ultrasound. The ultrasound signal is usually produced orally, and many species have large ears to refine the reflected sound to discriminate as information.

The vespertilionids employ a range of flight techniques. The wing surface is extended to the lower limbs, and the tail of this family is enclosed in an interfemoral membrane.^[5] Some are relatively slow flying genera, such as Pipistrellus, that manipulate the configuration of their broader wing shape and may give a fluttery appearance as they forage and glean. Others are specialised as long-winged genera, such as Lasiurus and Nyctalus, that use rapid pursuit to capture insects. The size range family is 3 to 13 cm (1.2 to 5.1 in) in head and body length; this excludes the tail which is itself quite long in many species. They are generally brown or grey in colour, often an indiscriminate appearance as an 'little brown bat', although some species have fur that is brightly colored with reds, oranges, and yellows all being known. The patterns of the superficial appearance include white patches or stripes that may distinguish some species.^[6]

Most species roost in caves, although some make use of hollow trees, rocky crevices, animal burrows, or other forms of shelter. Colony sizes also vary greatly, with some roosting alone, and others in groups up to one million individuals. Species native to temperate latitudes typically hibernate to avoid cooler weather, while a few of the tropical species employ aestivation as a method of evading higher extremes of climate.^[6]

Systematics

There are four subfamilies of Vespertilionidae that separate the presumably related taxa, tribes and genera of extant and extinct taxa.
The subfamilial treatments, based on morphological, geographical and ecological comparisons have been recombined since the inclusion of the phylogenetic implications of molecular genetics; only the Murininae and Kerivoulinae have not been changed in light of genetic analysis.^[7]
Subfamilies that were once recognized as valid, such as Nyctophilinae, are considered dubious, as molecular evidence suggest they are paraphyletic conditions the arrangements.^[7]
Within the concept Yangochiroptera, an acknowledged cladistic treatment, the closest relatives to the family are the free-tailed bats of family Molossidae.^[7]

The monotypic genus Tomopeas, represented by the blunt-eared bat (Tomopeas ravus), is acknowledged as the potentially closest link between Vespertilionidae and Molossidae, as it is the most basal member of Molossidae and has intermediate characteristics of both families.^[8]

Classification

The grouping of these subfamilies is the classification published by Simmons and Geisler (1998).^{[citation needed]} 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).

Four subfamilies are recognized by Mammal Species of the World (2005),^[9] the highly diverse Vespertilioninae is also separated as tribes. Newer or resurrected genera are noted. The genus Cistugo is no longer included following its move to the separate family Cistugidae.^[10][11] Miniopterinae is additionally no longer recognized as a subfamily, as it was elevated to family status.^[12][13]

Family Vespertilionidae

• subfamily Vespertilioninae
  

• tribe Eptesicini
  

• genus Arielulus
  


• genus Eptesicus – House bats


• genus Hesperoptenus – false serotine bats

• tribe Lasiurini
  

• genus Lasiurus – hairy-tailed bats

• tribe Nycticeiini
  

• genus Nycticeinops
  


• genus Nycticeius – evening bats


• genus Rhogeessa – Rhogeessa bats


• genus Scoteanax
  


• genus Scotoecus – house bats


• genus Scotomanes
  


• genus Scotophilus – yellow bats


• genus Scotorepens – lesser broad-nosed bats

• tribe Nyctophilini
  

• genus Nyctophilus – New Guinean and Australian big-eared bats


• genus Pharotis
  

• tribe Pipistrellini
  

• genus Glischropus – thick-thumbed bats


• genus Nyctalus – noctule bats


• genus Parastrellus^[14]


• genus Perimyotis^[15]


• genus Pipistrellus – Pipistrelles or Pipistrelle bats


• genus Scotozous
  

• tribe Plecotini
  

• genus Barbastella – barbastelles or barbastelle bats


• genus Corynorhinus – American lump-nosed bats


• genus Euderma
  


• genus Idionycteris
  


• genus Otonycteris
  


• genus Plecotus – lump-nosed bats

• tribe Vespertilionini
  

• genus Chalinolobus – wattled bats


• genus Eudiscopus
  


• genus Falsistrellus
  


• genus Glauconycteris – butterfly bats


• genus Histiotus – big-eared brown bats


• genus Hypsugo – Asian pipistrelles


• genus Ia
  


• genus Laephotis – long-eared bats


• genus Mimetillus
  


• genus Neoromicia
  


• genus Niumbaha
  


• genus Philetor
  


• genus Tylonycteris – bamboo bats


• genus Vespadelus
  


• genus Vespertilio – frosted bats

• tribe Antrozoini^[7][12]

• genus Antrozous
  


• genus Bauerus
  

• subfamily Myotinae

• genus Myotis – mouse-eared bats


• genus Lasionycteris
  

• subfamily Murininae
  

• genus Harpiocephalus – hairy-winged bats


• genus Harpiola
  


• genus Murina – tube-nosed insectivorous bats

• subfamily Kerivoulinae
  

• genus Kerivoula – painted bats


• genus Phoniscus
  

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Vespertilionidae.

Wikispecies has information related to Vespertilionidae

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.