Kaup, 1829
Pipistrelles
These are small Vespertilionid bats (Ppi1). Externally they are very similar to Eptesicus (Ese2). The nostrils are directed antero-laterally and there is a distinct internarial groove. The pararhinal glandular swellings on the muzzle are well marked and nearly naked. The ears tend to be short and broad. The antitragus of each is virtually obsolete; it is distinguishable as a minute lobular projection at the base of the external border of the pinna. The tragus is usually about half the height of the pinna; its anterior border is faintly concave (Fig. 211). Only the extreme tip of the tail projects from the interfemoral membrane. The genus Pipistrellus cannot be diagnosed globally by any universally applicable morphological characters, although it can be separated from most other vespertilionine genera by the bacular morphology (Hill and Harrison, 1987). The current definition is that of Miller, 1907 who based his diagnosis primarily on dental structure. The first upper incisor (I2) is simple and usually has a well developed secondary cusp; the second incisor (I3) is reduced and smaller than I2 (often absent in P. dormeri ) but usually extends above the cingulum of that tooth. The upper canine is relatively short, it usually but not always has an incipient secondary cusp on its posterior edge (Fig. 199). The small upper premolar (PM2) is present, except in some specimens of P. savii (it is absent in Eptesicus ) and is usually situated internally to the toothrow (Fig. 207). PM3 and pm3 are absent.
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 Pipistrellus is geographically widespread with a range that extends from central southern Africa, throughout Eurasia to Japan, Indonesia, New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and northern Australia. It also occurs in Canada, USA and Mexico. Of the 51 species currently recognised (Koopman, 1993), twelve occur within the Indian Subcontinent:
Species of Pipistrellus encountered in the Indian Subcontinent:
Pipistrellus pipistrellus
Pipistrellus paterculus
Pipistrellus javanicus
Pipistrellus coromandra
Pipistrellus tenuis
Pipistrellus ceylonicus
Pipistrellus kuhlii
Pipistrellus savii
Pipistrellus cadornae
Pipistrellus affinis
Pipistrellus circumdatus
Pipistrellus dormeri
Species identification
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