Genus Ia

Thomas, 1902

Great Evening bats

This is a monospecific genus which according to Miller, 1907 is closely allied to Scotozous. Ellerman and Morrison-Scott, 1951 considered it a subgenus of Pipistrellus whilst Menu, 1987 referred it to the synonymy of Eptesicus. Hill and Harrison, 1987 maintained it as a distinct genus. The single species is characterised by its relatively large size. The crown of the second upper incisor (I3) is flat, with a well developed cingulum and a barely indicated central elevation (Fig. 186). The first upper premolar (PM2) is minute; it is situated internally to the toothrow (Fig. 188). M1 and M2 have a poorly developed mesostyle which does not extend outwards as far as the parastyle or metastyle.

Dental formula:   i - 2 3   c 1   pm - 2 - 4   m 1 2 3 = 34.
                          1 2 3     1         - 2 - 4       1 2 3

The genus includes one species and is known from China, Laos, Vietnam, Thailand, India and Nepal:
Ia io

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