Kaup, 1829
Mouse-eared bats
The ears are tall and slender and occasionally rather large. The tragus of each ear is also slender; it is spear-shaped and nearly or quite straight (Fig. 129, Myo1). The tail is entirely enclosed within the interfemoral membrane, except for the extreme tip (Fig. 143, Mbl1). It is about equal in length to the hind limbs. The feet are variable in size. The skull is slender and lightly built, without special peculiarities of form. The rostrum is about equal in length to the braincase (Mbl2). The palate is deeply emarginated in front and constricted behind. The tympanic bullae are well developed and cover more than half the surface area of the cochleae. It is a dentally primitive genus, retaining the maximum number of teeth known in the Order. There are three upper and three lower premolars (Fig. 146). Occasionally the second upper (PM3) and/ or second lower premolar (pm3) may be absent.
Dental formula: i - 2 3 c 1 pm - 2 3 4 m 1 2 3 = 38.
1 2 3 1 - 2 3 4 1 2 3
The genus includes 84 species and has an extensive geographical range which includes South, Central and North America, Eurasia, Africa, Madagascar and Australia (Koopman, 1993). Twelve species are recorded from the Indian subcontinent:
Species of Myotis encountered in the Indian Subcontinent:
Myotis blythii
Myotis sicarius
Myotis formosus
Myotis mystacinus
Myotis muricola
Myotis siligorensis
Myotis montivagus
Myotis annectans
Myotis longipes
Myotis daubentonii
Myotis horsfieldii
Myotis hasseltii
Species identification
Jump to the Text Key of this genus Page 77: Genus Myotis.