Emballonuridae is one of the twenty families of bats in the mammalian order Chiroptera and part of the microbat suborder. A member of this family is called a emballonurid, a sheath-tailed bat, or a sac-winged bat. They are found in all continents besides Europe and Antarctica, primarily in forests and caves, though some species can also be found in shrublands, savannas, rocky areas, or deserts. They range in size from the Amazonian sac-winged bat, at 3 cm (1 in) plus a 1 cm (0.4 in) tail, to the Pel's pouched bat, at 14 cm (6 in) plus a 4 cm (2 in) tail. Like all bats, emballonurids are capable of true and sustained flight, and have wing lengths ranging from 3 cm (1 in) to 10 cm (4 in). They are all insectivorous and eat a variety of insects and spiders, and occasionally fruit. [1] Almost no emballonurid have population estimates, though three species—the Pacific sheath-tailed bat, Antioquian sac-winged bat, and Hildegarde's tomb bat—are categorized as endangered species, and one species—the Seychelles sheath-tailed bat—is categorized as critically endangered with a population as low as 50.
The 55 extant species of Emballonuridae are divided between two subfamilies: Emballonurinae and Taphozoinae. Emballonurinae contains 37 species in 12 genera, and Taphozoinae contains 18 species in 2 genera. A few extinct prehistoric emballonurid species have been discovered, though due to ongoing research and discoveries the exact number and categorization is not fixed. [2]
Conservation status | |
---|---|
EX | Extinct (0 species) |
EW | Extinct in the wild (0 species) |
CR | Critically Endangered (1 species) |
EN | Endangered (3 species) |
VU | Vulnerable (3 species) |
NT | Near threatened (2 species) |
LC | Least concern (38 species) |
Other categories | |
DD | Data deficient (7 species) |
NE | Not evaluated (0 species) |
Conservation status codes listed follow the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. Range maps are provided wherever possible; if a range map is not available, a description of the emballonurid's range is provided. Ranges are based on the IUCN Red List for that species unless otherwise noted. Population figures are rounded to the nearest hundred.
The family Emballonuridae consists of two subfamilies: Emballonurinae, containing 37 species divided into 12 genera, and Taphozoinae, which contains 18 species in 2 genera.
Family Emballonuridae
The following classification is based on the taxonomy described by the reference work Mammal Species of the World (2005), with augmentation by generally accepted proposals made since using molecular phylogenetic analysis, as supported by both the IUCN and the American Society of Mammalogists. [3]
Common name | Scientific name and subspecies | Range | Size and ecology | IUCN status and estimated population |
---|---|---|---|---|
Ecuadorian sac-winged bat | B. infusca (Thomas, 1897) | Colombia and Ecuador | Size: 3–5 cm (1–2 in), plus 1–2 cm (0.4–0.8 in) tail 3–5 cm (1–2 in) arm/wing length [4] Habitat: Forest and caves [5] | VU
|
Gray sac-winged bat | B. plicata Peters, 1867 Two subspecies
| Mexico and Central America | Size: 4–6 cm (2 in), plus 1–3 cm (0.4–1.2 in) tail 3–5 cm (1–2 in) arm/wing length [4] Habitat: Forest and shrubland [6] | LC
|
Thomas's sac-winged bat | B. io Thomas, 1904 | Mexico and Central America | Size: 3–5 cm (1–2 in), plus 1–2 cm (0.4–0.8 in) tail 3–5 cm (1–2 in) arm/wing length [4] Habitat: Caves and forest [7] | VU
|
Common name | Scientific name and subspecies | Range | Size and ecology | IUCN status and estimated population |
---|---|---|---|---|
Shaggy bat | C. maximiliani J. B. Fischer, 1829 | Northern and eastern South America | Size: 4–7 cm (2–3 in), plus 2–3 cm (1 in) tail 4–5 cm (2 in) arm/wing length [8] Habitat: Forest [9] | LC
|
Thomas's shaggy bat | C. centralis Thomas, 1912 | Mexico, Central America, and northern South America | Size: 4–6 cm (2 in), plus 1–4 cm (0.4–1.6 in) tail 4–5 cm (2 in) arm/wing length [8] Habitat: Forest [10] | LC
|
Common name | Scientific name and subspecies | Range | Size and ecology | IUCN status and estimated population |
---|---|---|---|---|
African sheath-tailed bat | C. afra (Peters, 1852) | Scattered Sub-Saharan Africa | Size: 5–7 cm (2–3 in), plus 1–2 cm (0.4–0.8 in) tail 4–6 cm (2 in) arm/wing length [4] Habitat: Desert, caves, shrubland, savanna, and forest [11] | LC
|
Madagascar sheath-tailed bat | C. kibomalandy Goodman, Puechmaille, Friedli-Weyeneth, Gerlach, Ruedi, Schoeman, Stanley, & Teeling, 2012 | Madagascar | Size: 6–7 cm (2–3 in), plus 1–2 cm (0.4–0.8 in) tail 4–6 cm (2 in) arm/wing length [4] Habitat: Forest [12] | DD
|
Seychelles sheath-tailed bat | C. seychellensis (Peters, 1868) Two subspecies
| Seychelles | Size: 5–7 cm (2–3 in), plus unknown tail 4–6 cm (2 in) arm/wing length [4] Habitat: Forest, inland wetlands, and caves [13] | CR
|
Common name | Scientific name and subspecies | Range | Size and ecology | IUCN status and estimated population |
---|---|---|---|---|
Chestnut sac-winged bat | C. brevirostris (Wagner, 1843) | Central America and northern South America | Size: 4–6 cm (2 in), plus 1–2 cm (0.4–0.8 in) tail 4–5 cm (2 in) arm/wing length [4] Habitat: Forest [14] | LC
|
Common name | Scientific name and subspecies | Range | Size and ecology | IUCN status and estimated population |
---|---|---|---|---|
Short-eared bat | C. alecto Thomas, 1913 | Central America and northern South America | Size: 4–6 cm (2 in), plus 2–3 cm (1 in) tail 4–5 cm (2 in) arm/wing length [4] Habitat: Forest [15] | LC
|
Common name | Scientific name and subspecies | Range | Size and ecology | IUCN status and estimated population |
---|---|---|---|---|
Greater ghost bat | D. ingens Hernandez-Camacho, 1955 | Northern South America | Size: About 8 cm (3 in), plus about 2 cm (1 in) tail 6–8 cm (2–3 in) arm/wing length [4] Habitat: Forest [16] | DD
|
Isabelle's ghost bat | D. isabellus Thomas, 1920 | Northern South America | Size: About 7 cm (3 in), plus 1–3 cm (0.4–1.2 in) tail about 5 cm (2 in) arm/wing length [4] Habitat: Forest [17] | LC
|
Lesser ghost bat | D. scutatus Peters, 1869 | Northern South America | Size: 5–7 cm (2–3 in), plus 1–2 cm (0.4–0.8 in) tail 5–6 cm (2 in) arm/wing length [4] Habitat: Forest [18] | LC
|
Northern ghost bat | D. albus Wied-Neuwied, 1820 Two subspecies
| Mexico, Central America, and South America | Size: 6–9 cm (2–4 in), plus 1–8 cm (0.4–3.1 in) tail 6–7 cm (2–3 in) arm/wing length [4] Habitat: Forest [19] | LC
|
Common name | Scientific name and subspecies | Range | Size and ecology | IUCN status and estimated population |
---|---|---|---|---|
Beccari's sheath-tailed bat | E. beccarii Peters & Doria, 1881 Three subspecies
| Indonesia and Papua New Guinea | Size: 3–5 cm (1–2 in), plus 1–3 cm (0.4–1.2 in) tail 3–5 cm (1–2 in) arm/wing length [20] Habitat: Forest and caves [21] | LC
|
Greater sheath-tailed bat | E. furax Thomas, 1911 | Indonesia and Papua New Guinea | Size: 5–7 cm (2–3 in), plus 1–2 cm (0.4–0.8 in) tail 4–6 cm (2 in) arm/wing length [20] Habitat: Forest and caves [22] | LC
|
Large-eared sheath-tailed bat | E. dianae Hill, 1956 Three subspecies
| Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands | Size: 4–7 cm (2–3 in), plus 1–2 cm (0.4–0.8 in) tail 4–5 cm (2 in) arm/wing length [20] Habitat: Forest and caves [23] | LC
|
Lesser sheath-tailed bat | E. monticola Temminck, 1838 | Southeastern Asia | Size: 4–5 cm (2 in), plus 1–2 cm (0.4–0.8 in) tail 3–5 cm (1–2 in) arm/wing length [20] Habitat: Forest, rocky areas, and caves [24] | LC
|
Pacific sheath-tailed bat | E. semicaudata Peale, 1848 Four subspecies
| Polynesia and Micronesia | Size: 4–5 cm (2 in), plus unknown tail 4–5 cm (2 in) arm/wing length [4] Habitat: Forest, rocky areas, and caves [25] | EN
|
Raffray's sheath-tailed bat | E. raffrayana Dobson, 1879 Three subspecies
| Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands | Size: 3–6 cm (1–2 in), plus 1–2 cm (0.4–0.8 in) tail 3–5 cm (1–2 in) arm/wing length [20] Habitat: Caves and forest [26] | LC
|
Seri's sheath-tailed bat | E. serii Flannery, 1994 | Indonesia and Papua New Guinea | Size: 4–7 cm (2–3 in), plus 1–2 cm (0.4–0.8 in) tail 4–6 cm (2 in) arm/wing length [4] Habitat: Forest and caves [27] | VU
|
Small Asian sheath-tailed bat | E. alecto (Eydoux & Gervais, 1836) Four subspecies
| Borneo, Sulawesi, and the Philippines | Size: 4–5 cm (2 in), plus 1–2 cm (0.4–0.8 in) tail 4–5 cm (2 in) arm/wing length [20] Habitat: Forest and caves [28] | LC
|
Common name | Scientific name and subspecies | Range | Size and ecology | IUCN status and estimated population |
---|---|---|---|---|
Dark sheath-tailed bat | M. nigrescens Gray, 1843 Three subspecies
| Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands | Size: 3–5 cm (1–2 in), plus 1–2 cm (0.4–0.8 in) tail 3–4 cm (1–2 in) arm/wing length [4] Habitat: Forest, rocky areas, and caves [29] | LC
|
Common name | Scientific name and subspecies | Range | Size and ecology | IUCN status and estimated population |
---|---|---|---|---|
Peters's sheath-tailed bat | P. atrata Peters, 1874 | Eastern Madagascar | Size: 4–5 cm (2 in), plus 1–2 cm (0.4–0.8 in) tail 3–5 cm (1–2 in) arm/wing length [4] Habitat: Forest and caves [30] | LC
|
Western sheath-tailed bat | P. tiavato (Goodman, Cardiff, Ranivo, Russell, & Yoder, 2006) | Western Madagascar | Size: 4–5 cm (2 in), plus 1–2 cm (0.4–0.8 in) tail 3–5 cm (1–2 in) arm/wing length [4] Habitat: Forest and caves [31] | LC
|
Common name | Scientific name and subspecies | Range | Size and ecology | IUCN status and estimated population |
---|---|---|---|---|
Greater dog-like bat | P. kappleri Peters, 1867 Two subspecies
| Mexico, Central America, and South America | Size: 6–8 cm (2–3 in), plus 1–2 cm (0.4–0.8 in) tail 4–6 cm (2 in) arm/wing length [4] Habitat: Forest and caves [32] | LC
|
Lesser dog-like bat | P. macrotis Wagner, 1843 | Mexico, Central America, and South America | Size: 4–6 cm (2 in), plus 1–2 cm (0.4–0.8 in) tail 3–5 cm (1–2 in) arm/wing length [4] Habitat: Forest and shrubland [33] | LC
|
Pale-winged dog-like bat | P. pallidoptera Lim, Engstrom, Reid, Simmons, Voss, & Fleck, 2010 | Northwestern South America | Size: 4–6 cm (2 in), plus 1–2 cm (0.4–0.8 in) tail 3–5 cm (1–2 in) arm/wing length [8] Habitat: Forest [34] | DD
|
Trinidad dog-like bat | P. trinitatis Miller, 1899 Two subspecies
| Northeastern South America | Size: 4–5 cm (2 in), plus 1–2 cm (0.4–0.8 in) tail 3–5 cm (1–2 in) arm/wing length [4] Habitat: Forest and caves [35] | DD
|
White-winged dog-like bat | P. leucoptera Peters, 1867 Two subspecies
| Northern South America | Size: 4–6 cm (2 in), plus 1–2 cm (0.4–0.8 in) tail 4–6 cm (2 in) arm/wing length [8] Habitat: Forest and caves [36] | LC
|
Common name | Scientific name and subspecies | Range | Size and ecology | IUCN status and estimated population |
---|---|---|---|---|
Proboscis bat | R. naso (Wied-Neuwied, 1820) | Mexico, Central America, and South America | Size: 3–5 cm (1–2 in), plus 1–2 cm (0.4–0.8 in) tail 3–4 cm (1–2 in) arm/wing length [8] Habitat: Forest and caves [37] | LC
|
Common name | Scientific name and subspecies | Range | Size and ecology | IUCN status and estimated population |
---|---|---|---|---|
Amazonian sac-winged bat | S. gymnura Thomas, 1901 | Northern South America | Size: 3–4 cm (1–2 in), plus 1–2 cm (0.4–0.8 in) tail 3–4 cm (1–2 in) arm/wing length [8] Habitat: Forest [38] | DD
|
Antioquian sac-winged bat | S. antioquensis Muñoz & Cuartas, 2001 | Colombia | Size: 4–5 cm (2 in), plus 1–2 cm (0.4–0.8 in) tail 3–4 cm (1–2 in) arm/wing length [8] Habitat: Forest and caves [39] | EN
|
Frosted sac-winged bat | S. canescens Thomas, 1901 Two subspecies
| Northern South America | Size: 3–5 cm (1–2 in), plus 1–2 cm (0.4–0.8 in) tail 3–4 cm (1–2 in) arm/wing length [8] Habitat: Forest [40] | LC
|
Greater sac-winged bat | S. bilineata (Temminck, 1838) | Mexico, Central America, and South America | Size: 4–6 cm (2 in), plus 1–3 cm (0.4–1.2 in) tail 4–5 cm (2 in) arm/wing length [8] Habitat: Forest and caves [41] | LC
|
Lesser sac-winged bat | S. leptura Schreber, 1774 | Mexico, Central America, and South America | Size: 3–6 cm (1–2 in), plus 1–2 cm (0.4–0.8 in) tail 3–5 cm (1–2 in) arm/wing length [8] Habitat: Forest [42] | LC
|
Common name | Scientific name and subspecies | Range | Size and ecology | IUCN status and estimated population |
---|---|---|---|---|
Naked-rumped pouched bat | S. saccolaimus Temminck, 1838 Five subspecies
| Southern and southeastern Asia and northern Australia | Size: 8–10 cm (3–4 in), plus 2–4 cm (1–2 in) tail 6–8 cm (2–3 in) arm/wing length [20] Habitat: Forest, savanna, and caves [43] | LC
|
Papuan sheath-tailed bat | S. mixtus Troughton, 1925 | Southern New Guinea and northern Australia | Size: 7–8 cm (3 in), plus 2–3 cm (1 in) tail 6–7 cm (2–3 in) arm/wing length [20] Habitat: Forest, savanna, and caves [44] | NT
|
Pel's pouched bat | S. peli Temminck, 1853 | Western and central Africa | Size: 11–14 cm (4–6 in), plus 2–4 cm (1–2 in) tail 8–10 cm (3–4 in) arm/wing length [20] Habitat: Forest [45] | LC
|
Yellow-bellied sheath-tailed bat | S. flaviventris Peters, 1867 | Australia | Size: 7–9 cm (3–4 in), plus 2–4 cm (1–2 in) tail 7–9 cm (3–4 in) arm/wing length [20] Habitat: Forest, savanna, and shrubland [46] | LC
|
Common name | Scientific name and subspecies | Range | Size and ecology | IUCN status and estimated population |
---|---|---|---|---|
Arnhem sheath-tailed bat | T. kapalgensis McKean & Friend, 1979 | Northwestern Australia | Size: 7–9 cm (3–4 in), plus 2–3 cm (1 in) tail 5–7 cm (2–3 in) arm/wing length [20] Habitat: Forest, savanna, and grassland [47] | LC
|
Black-bearded tomb bat | T. melanopogon Temminck, 1841 Five subspecies
| Southern and southeastern Asia | Size: 6–9 cm (2–4 in), plus 1–3 cm (0.4–1.2 in) tail 6–7 cm (2–3 in) arm/wing length [20] Habitat: Forest, shrubland, and caves [48] | LC
|
Coastal sheath-tailed bat | T. australis Gould, 1854 | Northern Australia | Size: 7–9 cm (3–4 in), plus 2–3 cm (1 in) tail 6–7 cm (2–3 in) arm/wing length [20] Habitat: Forest, shrubland, caves, and coastal marine [49] | NT
|
Common sheath-tailed bat | T. georgianus Thomas, 1915 | Northern and northwestern Australia | Size: 6–8 cm (2–3 in), plus 2–4 cm (1–2 in) tail 6–8 cm (2–3 in) arm/wing length [20] Habitat: Savanna, rocky areas, and caves [50] | LC
|
Egyptian tomb bat | T. perforatus Geoffroy, 1818 Four subspecies
| Scattered Africa and western and southern Asia | Size: 7–9 cm (3–4 in), plus 2–3 cm (1 in) tail 5–7 cm (2–3 in) arm/wing length [20] Habitat: Savanna and inland wetlands [51] | LC
|
Hamilton's tomb bat | T. hamiltoni Thomas, 1920 | Central Africa | Size: 8–9 cm (3–4 in), plus 2–4 cm (1–2 in) tail 6–8 cm (2–3 in) arm/wing length [20] Habitat: Savanna and unknown [52] | DD
|
Hildegarde's tomb bat | T. hildegardeae Thomas, 1909 | Kenya and Tanzania | Size: 7–9 cm (3–4 in), plus 2–3 cm (1 in) tail 6–7 cm (2–3 in) arm/wing length [20] Habitat: Forest and caves [53] | EN
|
Hill's sheath-tailed bat | T. hilli Kitchener, 1980 | Australia | Size: 6–9 cm (2–4 in), plus 2–4 cm (1–2 in) tail 6–8 cm (2–3 in) arm/wing length [20] Habitat: Savanna, shrubland, grassland, rocky areas, caves, and desert [54] | LC
|
Indonesian tomb bat | T. achates Thomas, 1915 Two subspecies
| Indonesia | Size: 7–8 cm (3 in), plus 2–3 cm (1 in) tail 5–7 cm (2–3 in) arm/wing length [20] Habitat: Forest and caves [55] | DD
|
Long-winged tomb bat | T. longimanus Hardwicke, 1825 Four subspecies
| Southern and southeastern Asia | Size: 7–9 cm (3–4 in), plus 2–3 cm (1 in) tail 5–7 cm (2–3 in) arm/wing length [20] Habitat: Forest, savanna, rocky areas, and caves [56] | LC
|
Mauritian tomb bat | T. mauritianus Geoffroy, 1818 | Sub-Saharan Africa | Size: 7–9 cm (3–4 in), plus 1–3 cm (0.4–1.2 in) tail 5–7 cm (2–3 in) arm/wing length [20] Habitat: Forest, savanna, shrubland, and rocky areas [57] | LC
|
Naked-rumped tomb bat | T. nudiventris Cretzschmar, 1830 Five subspecies
| Scattered Africa and western and southern Asia | Size: 8–11 cm (3–4 in), plus 2–5 cm (1–2 in) tail 7–8 cm (3 in) arm/wing length [20] Habitat: Savanna, shrubland, grassland, inland wetlands, caves, and desert [58] | LC
|
Theobald's tomb bat | T. theobaldi Dobson, 1872 Two subspecies
| Southern and southeastern Asia | Size: 8–10 cm (3–4 in), plus 2–3 cm (1 in) tail 7–8 cm (3 in) arm/wing length [20] Habitat: Forest and caves [59] | LC
|
Troughton's sheath-tailed bat | T. troughtoni Tate, 1952 | Northeastern Australia | Size: 7–9 cm (3–4 in), plus 3–4 cm (1–2 in) tail 7–8 cm (3 in) arm/wing length [20] Habitat: Savanna, rocky areas, and caves [60] | LC
|
The small Asian sheath-tailed bat is a species of sac-winged bat in the family Emballonuridae. It is found in Borneo, Sulawesi, and the Philippines.
Beccari's sheath-tailed bat is a species of sac-winged bat in the family Emballonuridae. It is found in New Guinea and in some nearby islands in both Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.
The large-eared sheath-tailed bat is a species of sac-winged bat in the family Emballonuridae. It is found in Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands.
The greater sheath-tailed bat or New Guinea sheath-tailed bat is a species of sac-winged bat in the family Emballonuridae. It is endemic to New Guinea and some nearby islands.
Raffray's sheath-tailed bat is a species of sac-winged bat in the family Emballonuridae. It is found in eastern Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands.
Seri's sheath-tailed bat is a species of sac-winged bat in the family Emballonuridae. It is found in the Bismarck Archipelago of Papua New Guinea and Yapen Island in Indonesia. Its roosts in caves.
Troughton's sheath-tailed bat is a species of sheathtail bat in the family Emballonuridae, found only in Australia.
The moss-forest blossom bat is a species of megabat in the family Pteropodidae found in New Guinea. Its natural habitat is subtropical and tropical dry forests.
Bat Conservation International (BCI) is an international nongovernmental organization working to conserve bats and their habitats through conservation, education, and research efforts.
Ozimops loriae is a species of bat found in Australia and Papua New Guinea.