Gray, 1842
Tube-nosed bats
The peculiar form of the projecting tubular nostrils (Mule1) has led to the inclusion of this genus in the subfamily Murininae (Miller, 1907). Otherwise, it resembles Myotis (Myo1). The skull (Mule2, Mule3) is essentially similar to a medium-sized species of Myotis (Mbl2, Mbl3). The upper incisors are well developed. They are usually without distinct secondary cusps; the second (I3) is larger than the first (I2) and closely crowded against the canine. The second upper premolar (PM4) is unusually large, but not peculiar in form. The first premolar (PM2) is smaller (except in M. grisea ) but essentially of the same structure. M1 and M2 have the W pattern present but somewhat distorted by the reduced condition of the parastyle and mesostyle; the hypocone is absent. M3 is greatly reduced, comprising a parastyle, paracone and protocone only (Fig. 250).
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 15 species with a geographical range that extends from Pakistan to Japan and north-east Australia (Koopman, 1993). Six species are known from the Indian subcontinent:
Species of Murina encountered in the Indian Subcontinent:
Murina aurata
Murina cyclotis
Murina grisea
Murina huttonii
Murina leucogaster
Murina tubinaris
Species identification
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