PBDB Taxon

Basic info	Taxonomic history	Classification	Included Taxa
Morphology	Ecology and taphonomy	External Literature Search	Age range and collections

Vespertilionidae (vesper bat)

Mammalia - Chiroptera - Vespertilionidae

Taxonomy

Vespertilionidae was named by Gray (1821). It is extant. Its type is Vespertilio.

It was assigned to Insectivorae by Gray (1821); to Primates by Gray (1825); to Animalivora by Cope (1889); to Vespertilionoidae by Hay (1930); to Microchiroptera by Flower (1883), Flower and Lydekker (1891), Jaekel (1911), Kurten and Anderson (1980) and Czaplewski (1991); to Vespertilionoidea by Carroll (1988) and Ravel et al. (2016); and to Chiroptera by Bonaparte (1850), Hay (1902), Sherman (1952), Kurten (1968), Butler (1984), Nowak (1991), Wilson and Reeder (2005), Korth and Evander (2016) and Korth et al. (2022).

Synonymy list

Year	Name and author
1821	Vespertilionidae Gray p. 299
1825	Vespertilionidae Gray p. 338
1850	Vespertilionidae Bonaparte p. 1
1883	Vespertilionidae Flower p. 185
1889	Vespertilionidae Cope p. 876
1891	Vespertilionidae Flower and Lydekker p. 92
1902	Vespertilionidae Hay p. 742
1911	Vespertilionidae Jaekel p. 213
1930	Vespertilionidae Hay p. 453
1952	Vespertilionidae Sherman p. 87
1968	Vespertilionidae Kurten p. 52
1980	Vespertilionidae Kurten and Anderson p. 118
1984	Vespertilionidae Butler
1988	Vespertilionidae Carroll
1991	Vespertilionidae Czaplewski p. 716
1991	Vespertilionidae Nowak
2005	Vespertilionidae Wilson and Reeder
2016	Vespertilionidae Korth and Evander
2016	Vespertilionidae Ravel et al. p. 398
2022	Vespertilionidae Korth et al.

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Rank	Name	Author
kingdom	Animalia	()
—	Bilateria
—	Eubilateria	Ax 1987
—	Deuterostomia
phylum	Chordata	Haeckel 1874
subphylum	Vertebrata
superclass	Gnathostomata
—	Osteichthyes	()
subclass	Sarcopterygii	()
subclass	Dipnotetrapodomorpha	(Nelson 2006)
subclass	Tetrapodomorpha	()
—	Tetrapoda
—	Reptiliomorpha
—	Anthracosauria
subclass	Amphibiosauria	Kuhn 1967
—	Cotylosauria	()
—	Amniota

Rank	Name	Author
subclass	Synapsida
—	Therapsida	()
infraorder	Cynodontia	()
—	Mammaliamorpha
—	Mammaliaformes
class	Mammalia
—	Cladotheria
—	Zatheria
subclass	Tribosphenida	()
subclass	Theria
—	Eutheria	()
—	Placentalia
order	Chiroptera	Blumenbach 1779
suborder	Yangochiroptera	Koopman 1984
superfamily	Vespertilionoidea
family	Vespertilionidae
family	Vespertilionidae

If no rank is listed, the taxon is considered an unranked clade in modern classifications. Ranks may be repeated or presented in the wrong order because authors working on different parts of the classification may disagree about how to rank taxa.

Fm. Vespertilionidae Gray 1821 [vesper bat]

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G. †Ancenycteris Sutton and Genoways 1974

G. Antrozous Allen 1862 [pallid bat]

Antrozous pallidus Le Conte 1856 [pallid bat]

Invalid names: Pizonyx wheeleri Dalquest and Patrick 1989 [synonym]

G. †Anzanycteris White 1969

†Anzanycteris anzensis White 1969

G. Barbastella Gray 1821

Barbastella barbastella Schreber 1775

Barbastella leucomelas Cretzschmar 1826

G. †Chadronycteris Ostrander 1983

†Chadronycteris rabenae Ostrander 1983

G. †Corynorhinus Allen 1865

Corynorhinus rafinesquii Lesson 1827

Corynorhinus townsendii Cooper 1837

†Plecotus (Corynorhinus) atavus Topal 1989

G. Eptesicus Rafinesque 1820 [house bat]

†Eptesicus aurelianensis Ziegler 1993

†Eptesicus campanensis Baudelot 1970

Eptesicus fuscus Beauvois 1796 [big brown bat]

Eptesicus fuscus wetmorei Jackson 1916

Invalid names: Eptesicus grandis Brown 1908 [synonym]

†Eptesicus kowalskii Woloszyn 1987

†Eptesicus mossoczyi Woloszyn 1987

†Eptesicus noctuloides Lartet 1851

†Eptesicus praeglacialis Kormos 1930

G. †Hanakia Horáček 2001

†Hanakia agadjaniani Rosina and Rummel 2012

G. Hypsugo Kolenati 1856

Hypsugo lanzai Benda 2011 [Socotran pipistrelle]

G. †Ia Thomas 1902

†Ia lamna Mein and Ginsburg 1997

G. †Karstala Czaplewski and Morgan 2001

†Karstala silva Czaplewski and Morgan 2001

Subfm. Kerivoulinae Miller 1907

G. †Chamtwaria Butler 1984

†Chamtwaria pickfordi Butler 1984

G. †Khonsunycteris Gunnell et al. 2008

†Khonsunycteris aegypticus Gunnell et al. 2008

G. Lasionycteris Peters 1865

Lasionycteris noctivagans Le Conte 1831 [silver-haired bat]

G. Lasiurus Gray 1831 [hairy-tailed bat]

†Lasiurus borealis Muller 1776

Lasiurus borealis minor Miller 1931

†Lasiurus cinereus Palisot de Beauvois 1796

†Lasiurus fossilis Hibbard 1950

†Lasiurus golliheri Hibbard 1960

Lasiurus intermedius Allen 1862 [northern yellow bat]

Invalid names: Dasypterus floridanus Miller 1902 [synonym]

Lasiurus seminolus Rhoads 1895

G. Miniopterus Bonaparte 1837 [bend-winged bat]

†Miniopterus approximatus Woloszyn 1987

†Miniopterus fossilis Zapfe 1950

Miniopterus schreibersi Natterer 1819

†Miniopterus tao Woloszyn 1986

G. †Miomyotis Lawrence 1943

†Miomyotis floridanus Lawrence 1943

G. †Miostrellus Rachl 1983

†Miostrellus risgoviensis Rachl 1983

G. Murina Gray 1842

Murina suilla Temminck 1840

G. Myotis Kaup 1829

†Myotis antiquus Gaillard 1899

†Myotis austroriparius Rhoads 1897

†Myotis baranensis Kormos 1934

Myotis bechsteini Leisler 1818

†Myotis belgicus Gunnell et al. 2017

Myotis blythi Tomes 1857 [lesser mouse-eared bat]

†Myotis boyeri Mein 1965

Myotis brandtii Eversmann 1845 [Brandts myotis]

†Myotis californicus Audubon and Bachman 1842

†Myotis danutae Kowalski 1956

Myotis dasycneme Boie 1825

Myotis daubentoni Kuhl 1817

Myotis davidii Peters 1869 [Davids myotis]

†Myotis elegans Baudelot 1972

Myotis emarginatus Geoffroy 1806

†Myotis estramosensis Topál 1983

†Myotis evotis Allen 1864

†Myotis exilis Heller 1936

†Myotis grisecens Howell 1909

Myotis grisescens Howell 1909 [gray bat]

†Myotis helleri

Invalid names: Myotis insignis Heller 1936 [replaced]

Myotis ikonnikovi Ognev 1912 [Ikonnikov's bat]

†Myotis janossyi Topál 1983

†Myotis keenii Merriam 1895

†Myotis leibii Audubon and Bachman 1842

†Myotis lucifugus Le Conte 1831

†Myotis mangamolaris Choate and Hall 1967

†Myotis murinoides Trouessart 1904

Myotis myotis Borkhausen 1797 [greater mouse-eared bat]

Myotis mystacinus Leisler 1819

Myotis nattereri Kuhl 1818

Myotis oxygnathus Monticelli 1885

†Myotis paradaubentoni Topál 1983

†Myotis rectidens Choate and Hall 1967

†Myotis salodorensis Revilliod 1922

†Myotis sanctialbani Viret 1951

Myotis septentrionalis Trouessart 1897

Myotis siligorensis Horsfield 1855 [Himalayan whiskered bat]

†Myotis sodalis Miller and Allen 1928

Myotis subulatus Say 1823

†Myotis thysanodes Miller 1897

Myotis velifer Allen 1890 [cave myotis]

†Myotis volans Allen 1866

†Myotis yumanensis Allen 1864

Invalid names: Pizonyx Miller 1906 [synonym]

Tr. Noctilioninia Gray 1825

G. Dysopes Illiger 1811

G. Nyctalus Bowdich 1925

Nyctalus noctula Schreber 1774

G. Nycticeius Rafinesque 1819

Nycticeius humeralis Rafinesque 1818 [evening bat]

G. †Oligomyotis Galbreath 1962

G. †Paleptesicus Zapfe 1970

†Paleptesicus priscus Zapfe 1950

Tr. Phyllostomina Gray 1825

G. Diphylla Spix 1823

Diphylla centralis Thomas 1903

G. Medateus Gray 1825

G. Vampyrus Spix 1823

Vampyrus spectrum Linnaeus 1758 [spectral bat]

G. Pipistrellus Kaup 1829 [pipistrelle bat]

†Pipistrellus anemophilus Cope 1880

Pipistrellus hesperus Allen 1864 [western pipistrelle]

Pipistrellus kuhlii Natterer 1819 [Kuhl's pipistrelle]

Pipistrellus nathusii Keyserling and Blasius 1839

Pipistrellus pipistrellus Schreber 1774

Pipistrellus savii Bonaparte 1837

Pipistrellus subflavus Cuvier 1832 [eastern pipistrelle bat]

Pipistrellus tenuis Temminck 1840 [least pipistrelle]

Invalid names: Vesperugo Cope 1873 [synonym]

G. †Plionycteris Lindsay and Jacobs 1985

G. †Potamonycteris Czaplewski 1991

†Potamonycteris biperforatus Czaplewski 1991

Tr. Pteropina Gray 1825

G. Cynopterus Cuvier 1824

Cynopterus titthaecheilus Temminck 1827 [Indonesian short-nosed fruit bat]

G. Harpyia Illiger 1811

G. Macroglossus Cuvier 1824

Macroglossus minimus Geoffroy 1810

Macroglossus minimus lagochilus Matschie 1899

Tr. Rhinolophina Gray 1825

G. Nyctophilus Leach 1821

G. Rhogeessa Allen 1866 [lesser yellow bat]

G. Scotomanes Dobson 1875 [harlequin bat]

G. Scotophilus Leach 1821

Scotophilus nux Thomas 1904

Scotophilus viridis Peters 1852

G. †Shanwangia Yang 1977

†Shanwangia unexpectata Yang 1977

G. †Simonycteris Stirton 1931

G. †Stehlinia Revilliod 1919

†Stehlinia bonisi Sigé 1990

†Stehlinia gracilis Revilliod 1919

Invalid names: Nycterobius gracilis Revilliod 1922 [objective synonym], Pseudorhinolophus egerkingensis Revilliod 1922 [synonym]

Invalid names: Nycterobius Revilliod 1922 [objective synonym], Paleunycteris Revilliod 1919 [synonym], Revilliodia Simpson 1945 [objective synonym]

G. †Suaptenos Lawrence 1943

†Suaptenos whitei Lawrence 1943

G. †Synemporion Ziegler et al. 2016

†Synemporion keana Ziegler et al. 2016

G. Tylonycteris Peters 1872 [bamboo bat]

G. Vespertilio Linnaeus 1758

†Vespertilio caliginosus Tomes 1859

Vespertilio majori Kormos 1934

Vespertilio mastivus Vahl 1797

Vespertilio murinus Linnaeus 1758

Invalid names: Vespertilio discolor Wagner 1843 [synonym]

Vespertilio nilssoni Keyserling and Blasius 1839

Vespertilio praeglacialis Kormos 1934

Vespertilio serotinus Schreber 1774

Subfm. Vespertilionae Kurten and Anderson 1980

G. Dasypterus Reuter 1871

G. Histiotus Gervais 1855

†Histiotus stocki Stirton 1931

G. Plecotus Geoffroy 1818

Subg. †Plecotus (Paraplecotus) Rabaeder 1973

†Plecotus (Paraplecotus) rabederi Woloszyn 1987

†Plecotus alleganiensis Gidley and Gazin 1933

Plecotus auritus Linnaeus 1758 [common long-eared bat]

Plecotus austriacus Fischer 1829

†Plecotus crassidens Kormos 1930

†Plecotus rafinesquii Lesson 1818

†Plecotus tetralophodon Handley 1955

Plecotus townsendii Cooper 1837 [Townsend's big-eared bat]

Tr. Vespertilionina Gray 1825

G. Proboscidea Spix 1823

Invalid names: Myotinae Tate 1942 [empty], Nyctophylinae [empty], Vespertilioninae Gray 1821 [empty]

Diagnosis

No diagnoses are available

Measurements

No measurements are available

Composition:

phosphaticsubp

Environment:

terrestrialo

Locomotion:

actively mobilec

Life habit:

volanto

Diet:

omnivoref

Reproduction:

viviparouso

Created:

2005-06-08 10:11:10

Modified:

2005-06-08 12:11:10

Source: f = family, o = order, c = class, subp = subphylum

References: Carroll 1988, Ji et al. 2002, Nowak 1991, Simmons et al. 2008, Hendy et al. 2009

Age range

Maximum range based only on fossils: base of the MP 13 to the top of the Holocene or 48.60000 to 0.00000 Ma
Minimum age of oldest fossil (stem group age): 41.3 Ma

Collections (331 total)

Time interval	Ma	Country or state	Original ID and collection number
Oldest occurrences
Ypresian - Lutetian	56.0 - 41.3	Tunisia	Vespertilionidae indet. (87795)
MP 13 - MP 14	48.6 - 40.4	France (Quercy)	Stehlinia ruetimeyeri, Stehlinia pusilla (36875)
Bartonian	41.3 - 38.0	Switzerland (Canton de Vaud)	Stehlinia minor (182607)
Bartonian	41.3 - 38.0	Switzerland (Baselland)	Paleunycteris pusilla, Pseudorhinolophus egerkingensis (31720) Paleunycteris rutimeyeri (31721)
Bartonian	41.3 - 38.0	France (Nord-Pas-de-Calais-Picardie)	Stehlinia sp. (177581)
Priabonian	38.0 - 33.9	France (Quercy, Midi-Pyrenees Region)	Stehlinia gracilis (12849)
Priabonian	38.0 - 33.9	France (Languedoc-Roussillon Region Region)	Stehlinia sp. (31756)
Priabonian	38.0 - 33.9	France (Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur Region)	Stehlinia minor (31747)
Chadronian	37.2 - 33.9	USA (Nebraska)	Chadronycteris rabenae (16941) Stehlinia sp., Chadronycteris rabenae (17014)
Late/Upper Eocene	37.2 - 33.9	France (Quercy)	Stehlinia minor, Stehlinia quercyi, Stehlinia gracilis (12850)
Late/Upper Eocene	37.2 - 33.9	United Kingdom (England)	Stehlinia minor, Stehlinia gracilis (41665)
Late/Upper Chadronian - Orellan	37.2 - 33.3	USA (Nebraska)	Vespertilionidae indet. (230806)
MP 20 - MP 21	37.2 - 28.4	France (Occitanie)	Stehlinia minor, Stehlinia gracilis (183382)
Orellan	33.9 - 33.3	USA (Montana)	Vespertilionidae indet. (17090)
Orellan	33.9 - 33.3	USA (Colorado)	Oligomyotis casementi (17082)
Early/Lower Oligocene	33.9 - 28.4	Belgium	Myotis belgicus (31748)
MP 22	33.9 - 28.4	France	Stehlinia gracilis, Stehlinia bonisi (183452)
Rupelian	33.9 - 28.1	France	Stehlinia minor, Stehlinia sp. (183381)
Rupelian	33.9 - 28.1	Germany (Baden-Württemberg)	Chiroptera indet. (68021)
Rupelian	33.9 - 28.1	Egypt (Fayum)	Khonsunycteris aegypticus (60127)