Thomas, 1901
Lesser bats
This genus is similar externally to Eptesicus (Ese4). Males have very large penis (Spa1). The skull is greatly broadened with the zygomatic breadth equal to the condylobasal length. Orbital breadth exceeds the breadth of the palate across the outer edge of the toothrows. The braincase is elevated anteriorly to give a slightly convex frontal profile. The narial and pre-palatal emarginations are exceptionally deep. The zygomata are very delicate (Fig. 221) and are often lost in skull preparation. The single upper incisor (I2) is simple, unicuspid and nearly half as high as the canine, with which it is in contact or nearly so (Fig. 222). The upper premolar (PM4) is without a cusp on the inner side. The canines, molars and lower premolars are as in Eptesicus. M3 has a crown area more than half that of M1 or M2, its mesostyle, metacone and three commissures are well developed.
Dental formula: i - 2 - c 1 pm - - - 4 m 1 2 3 = 30.
1 2 3 1 - 2 - 4 1 2 3
The genus includes two African species with a geographical range that includes Senegal to Ethiopia south to Angola and Mozambique; in Asia, one species is known from Pakistan and India (Koopman, 1993):
Scotoecus pallidus