List of natalids

Mexican greater funnel-eared bat (Natalus mexicanus)

Natalidae is one of the twenty families of bats in the mammalian order Chiroptera and part of the microbat suborder. Members of this family are called natalids or funnel-eared bats. They are found in South America, Central America, and the Caribbean, in forests and caves. The majority of species in the family do not have size estimates, though those that do range in size from the Mexican greater funnel-eared bat, at 3 cm (1 in) plus a 4 cm (2 in) tail, to the Jamaican greater funnel-eared bat, at 6 cm (2 in) plus a 6 cm (2 in) tail. Like all bats, natalids are capable of true and sustained flight, and have forearm lengths ranging from 3 cm (1 in) to 5 cm (2 in). They are all insectivorous. ^[1] No natalids have population estimates, though the Jamaican greater funnel-eared bat is categorized as critically endangered.

The eleven extant species of Natalidae are divided into three genera: Chilonatalus, with three species; Natalus, with seven species; and Nyctiellus, with a single species. A few extinct prehistoric natalid species have been discovered, though due to ongoing research and discoveries the exact number and categorization is not fixed. ^[2]

Conventions

IUCN Red List categories

Conservation status
EX	Extinct (0 species)
EW	Extinct in the wild (0 species)
CR	Critically endangered (1 species)
EN	Endangered (0 species)
VU	Vulnerable (2 species)
NT	Near threatened (3 species)
LC	Least concern (4 species)
Other categories
DD	Data deficient (1 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 natalid's range is provided. Ranges are based on the IUCN Red List for that species unless otherwise noted.

Classification

Natalidae is a family consisting of eleven species in three genera: Chilonatalus, Natalus, and Nyctiellus.

Family Natalidae

• Genus Chilonatalus (lesser funnel-eared bats): three species
• Genus Natalus (greater funnel-eared bats): seven species
• Genus Nyctiellus (Gervais's funnel-eared bat): one species

Natalids

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]

Genus Chilonatalus – Miller, 1898 – three species

Common name	Scientific name and subspecies	Range	Size and ecology	IUCN status and estimated population
Bahaman funnel-eared bat	C. tumidifrons Miller, 1903	The Bahamas	Size: Unknown length 3–4 cm (1–2 in) forearm length [4] Habitat: Caves and forest [5]	NT  Unknown [5]
Cuban funnel-eared bat	C. micropus (Dobson, 1880) Two subspecies C. m. brevimanus C. m. micropus	Jamaica and Dominican Republic	Size: Unknown length 3–4 cm (1–2 in) forearm length [4] Habitat: Caves [6]	VU  Unknown [6]
Cuban lesser funnel-eared bat	C. macer Miller, 1914	Cuba	Size: Unknown length 3–4 cm (1–2 in) forearm length [4] Habitat: Forest [7]	DD  Unknown [7]

Genus Natalus – Gray, 1838 – seven species

Common name	Scientific name and subspecies	Range	Size and ecology	IUCN status and estimated population
Brazilian funnel-eared bat	N. macrourus (Gervais, 1856)	Eastern South America	Size: Unknown length 3–4 cm (1–2 in) forearm length [4] Habitat: Caves [8]	NT  Unknown [8]
Cuban greater funnel-eared bat	N. primus (Anthony, 1919)	Cuba	Size: Unknown length 3–4 cm (1–2 in) forearm length [4] Habitat: Caves [9]	VU  Unknown [9]
Hispaniolan greater funnel-eared bat	N. major (Miller, 1902)	Island of Hispaniola	Size: Unknown length 4–5 cm (2 in) forearm length [4] Habitat: Forest and caves [10]	NT  Unknown [10]
Jamaican greater funnel-eared bat	N. jamaicensis (Goodwin, 1959)	Jamaica	Size: 5–6 cm (2 in) long, plus 5–6 cm (2 in) tail 4–5 cm (2 in) forearm length [4] Habitat: Caves [11]	CR  Unknown [11]
Mexican funnel-eared bat	N. stramineus Gray, 1838 Five subspecies N. s. espiritosantensis N. s. natalensis N. s. saturatus N. s. stramineus (Lesser Antillean funnel-eared bat) N. s. tronchonii	Eastern Caribbean	Size: Unknown length 3–5 cm (1–2 in) forearm length [4] Habitat: Forest and caves [12]	LC  Unknown [12]
Mexican greater funnel-eared bat	N. mexicanus Miller, 1902	Central America	Size: 3–5 cm (1–2 in) long, plus 4–6 cm (2 in) tail 3–5 cm (1–2 in) forearm length [4] Habitat: Forest and caves [13]	LC  Unknown [13]
Trinidadian funnel-eared bat	N. tumidirostris Miller, 1900 Three subspecies N. t. continentis N. t. haymani N. t. tumidirostris	Northern South America	Size: Unknown length 3–5 cm (1–2 in) forearm length [4] Habitat: Forest and caves [14]	LC  Unknown [14]

Genus Nyctiellus – Gervais, 1855 – one species

Common name	Scientific name and subspecies	Range	Size and ecology	IUCN status and estimated population
Gervais's funnel-eared bat	N. lepidus Gervais, 1837	Cuba and The Bahamas	Size: Unknown length 2–4 cm (1–2 in) forearm length [4] Habitat: Forest and caves [15]	LC  Unknown [15]

References

1. Nowak, p. 178
2. "Fossilworks: Natalidae". Paleobiology Database . University of Wisconsin–Madison. Archived from the original on February 17, 2025. Retrieved February 17, 2025.
3. Wilson, Reeder, pp. 430-431
4. Chernasky; Motis; Burgin, p. 514
5. Solari, S. (2018). "Chilonatalus tumidifrons". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2018: e.T14361A22041195. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T14361A22041195.en .
6. Solari, S. (2018). "Chilonatalus micropus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2018: e.T88088852A22040831. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T88088852A22040831.en .
7. Solari, S. (2019). "Chilonatalus macer". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2019: e.T88088745A88088756. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-1.RLTS.T88088745A88088756.en .
8. Tejedor, A.; Davalos, L. (2016). "Natalus espiritosantensis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2016: e.T136448A21983924. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-2.RLTS.T136448A21983924.en .
9. Mancina, C. (2016). "Natalus primus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2016: e.T136777A22032828. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-1.RLTS.T136777A22032828.en .
10. Miller, B.; Reid, F. (2016). "Natalus major". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2016: e.T136548A21992984. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-2.RLTS.T136548A21992984.en .
11. Solari, S. (2016). "Natalus jamaicensis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2016: e.T136824A22043871. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-1.RLTS.T136824A22043871.en .
12. Davalos, L.; Tejedor, A. (2016). "Natalus stramineus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2016: e.T14360A22040956. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T14360A22040956.en .
13. Solari, S. (2019). "Natalus mexicanus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2019: e.T123984355A22011975. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-2.RLTS.T123984355A22011975.en .
14. Davalos, L.; Velazco, P.; Aguirre, L. (2016). "Natalus tumidirostris". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2016: e.T14362A22041401. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T14362A22041401.en .
15. Davalos, L.; Mancina, C. (2016). "Nyctiellus lepidus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2016: e.T14358A22040604. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T14358A22040604.en .

Sources

• Chernasky, Amy; Motis, Anna; Burgin, Connor, eds. (2023). All the Mammals of the World . Lynx Nature Books. ISBN   978-84-16728-66-4.
• Simmons, Nancy B. (2005). Wilson, Don E.; Reeder, DeeAnn M. (eds.). Mammal Species of the World . Vol. 1 (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. ISBN   978-0-8018-8221-0.
• Nowak, Ronald M. (1994). Walker's Bats of the World . Johns Hopkins University Press. ISBN   978-0-8018-4986-2.