Welcome to "the Bats of the Indian Subcontinent"

This is the first publication of the ETI Bats Network founded in 1995 and co-ordinated by the Harrison Institute (HI). The network seeks to promote the study, understanding and conservation of bats worldwide through the release of a series on bat systematics and ecology. Such publications will be both geographically based, for example this present program, or taxa based, where titles might include for example 'Old World Fruit bats' or 'Horseshoe bats of the World'.

There are two main objectives for each publication. First, to synthesise current knowledge, drawing on the hundreds of existing sources of information in zoological collections and reference libraries. And second, to contribute new data whether it be systematic or ecological, resulting from field work or study of the zoological collections, presented as the written word or as a series of illustrations and maps.

The ultimate aim is to ensure that information on all aspects of bat systematics and ecology is repatriated to those most able to contribute to the conservation of the World's 950+ bat species.

Bats of the Indian Subcontinent
The current program includes all 119 bat species (representing 37 genera and 8 families) recorded from the Indian Subcontinent. The subcontinent is here defined as India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and the Maldives. In addition, the distribution maps include locality data from Afghanistan, Tibet and northern Myanmar. The biological and ecological discussions often include information from Arabia, Iran, the former USSR, China and South-East Asia, especially for those species that are relatively little known. The synonymies of the species are simplified with the exclusion of all taxa that are not directly relevant to the region.

The project was generously supported and encouraged by the British Council (India Division), The Lindeth Charitable Trust, The Royal Society London and the Systematics Association, UK.

Paul J. J. Bates and David L. Harrison
Harrison Institute
Centre for Systematics and Biodiversity Research.