Vespertilionidae is a family of microbats, of the order Chiroptera, flying, insect-eating mammals variously described as the common, vesper, or simple nosed bats. The vespertilionid family is the most diverse and widely distributed of bat families, specialised in many forms to occupy a range of habitats and ecological circumstances, and it is frequently observed or the subject of research. The facial features of the species are often simple, as they mainly rely on vocally emitted echolocation. The tails of the species are enclosed by the lower flight membranes between the legs. Over 300 species are distributed all over the world, on every continent except Antarctica. It owes its name to the genus Vespertilio, which takes its name from a word for bat, vespertilio, derived from the Latin term vesper meaning 'evening'; they are termed "evening bats" and were once referred to as "evening birds".
Rüppell's bat, also known as Rüppell's pipistrelle, is a species of vesper bat found in Africa and Asian republics such as Iraq and Israel. It is the only member of the genus Vansonia. It is found in dry and moist savanna, subtropical or tropical dry shrubland, and hot deserts.
The Namib long-eared bat is a species of vesper bat in the family Vespertilionidae found in Namibia. It is found in dry savanna and temperate desert.
De Winton's long-eared bat is a species of vesper bat in the family Vespertilionidae. It can be found in the following countries: Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, South Africa, and Tanzania. It is found in these habitats: dry savanna, Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation, and subtropical or tropical high-altitude grassland. It is considered a species of Least Concern.
Anchieta's serotine, formerly known as Anchieta's pipistrelle, is a species of vesper bat. It is found in Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Madagascar. The species inhabits savanna habitats.
The dark-brown serotine is a species of vesper bat found in Central and West Africa.
Neoromicia is a genus of vesper bat in the family Vespertilionidae. It contains the following species:
The Cape serotine is a species of vesper bat occurring in Sub-Saharan Africa. 'Serotine' is from Latin 'serotinus' meaning ‘of the evening'.
The tiny serotine is a species of vesper bat. It is found in Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Nigeria, Senegal, Sudan, Togo, and Uganda. Its natural habitats are savanna and subtropical or tropical shrubland.
The Zulu serotine, also called the Zulu pipistrelle, aloe bat, or aloe serotine, is a species of vesper bat found in Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Namibia, South Africa, South Sudan, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Its natural habitats are savanna and hot deserts.
Laephotis is a genus of bats in the family Vespertilionidae. Species within this genus are:
Nycticeinops is a genus of vesper bat in the family Vespertilionidae. It contains the following species:
The Isalo serotine is a vesper bat of Madagascar in the genus Laephotis. It is known only from the vicinity of the Isalo National Park in the southwestern part of the island, where it has been caught in riverine habitats. After the first specimen was caught in 1967, it was described as a subspecies of Eptesicus somalicus in 1995. After four more specimens were collected in 2002 and 2003, it was recognized as a separate species. Because of its small distribution and the threat of habitat destruction, it is considered "vulnerable" in the IUCN Red List.
Rosevear's serotine is a species of vesper bat that lives in Guinea and Liberia. It was described as a new species in 2013. It is listed as endangered by the IUCN.
Laephotis stanleyi, also called Stanley's serotine, is a species of vesper bat in the genus Laephotis. It is found across southern Africa. The species was formerly known as N. cf. melckorum, before being named as a species in 2017.
The isabelline white-winged serotine is a species of West African bat belonging to the genus Neoromicia. It is found in Guinea.
The Kirindy serotine is a species of vesper bat in the family Vespertilionidae. It occurs in the central and south-central portions of western Madagascar. As of the most recent IUCN assessment in May 2016, it is of least concern.
Afronycteris is a genus of vesper bat containing two species, both of which are found in sub-Saharan Africa. Its members were previously classified in Neoromicia before phylogenetic analysis found them to comprise a separate genus.
Pseudoromicia is a genus of vesper bat in the family Vespertilionidae. All species in this genus are native to sub-Saharan Africa.
Vespertilionini is a tribe of bats in the family Vespertilionidae. The largest of the tribes in Vespertilioninae, it contains many genera found throughout the Old World and Australasia.
