Gray, 1821
Evening bats
This family of small or medium sized insectivorous bats occurs throughout the Old and New World except in the polar and sub-polar regions and on some oceanic Islands. It is the largest among the bats and according to Corbet and Hill, 1992 is comprised of about 44 genera and 350 species. The earliest known fossil record is from the Eocene of Europe, although it is also known from the Oligocene of North America and the Pleistocene of Africa and South America. The muzzle is simple and without any leaf-like appendages and the eyes are small. The tail is well developed and entirely enclosed within the membrane or only protrudes from it for a short distance. The ears are usually, but not always, separate from each other, their anterior borders often have a distinct basal lobe. The tragus of each ear is well developed and simple in form. The skull is without postorbital processes. The premaxillae are without palatal branches. The palate is widely emarginated anteriorly and abruptly narrowed behind the toothrows. The dentition is usually normal, although in a few genera there is a reduction in the cusps. There is considerable variation in the number of teeth between the genera. This results from a reduction in the number of incisors and premolars. Nineteen genera of Vespertilionid bat are known from the Indian subcontinent:
Genera of Vespertilionidae encountered in the Indian Subcontinent:
Genus Barbastella
Genus Eptesicus
Genus Harpiocephalus
Genus Hesperoptenus
Genus Ia
Genus Kerivoula
Genus Miniopterus
Genus Murina
Genus Myotis
Genus Nyctalus
Genus Otonycteris
Genus Philetor
Genus Pipistrellus
Genus Plecotus
Genus Scotoecus
Genus Scotomanes
Genus Scotophilus
Genus Tylonycteris
Genus Vespertilio
Species identification
Jump to the Text Key of this family Page 32: Family Vespertilionidae.