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".
Eonycteris is a genus of megabats found in Asia. They are the only members of the tribe Eonycterini. Species within this genus are:
Neoromicia is a genus of vesper bat in the family Vespertilionidae. It contains the following species:
The Vespertilioninae are a subfamily of vesper bats from the family Vespertilionidae.
Glauconycteris is a genus of vespertilionid bats found in Africa.
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:
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.
Plecotini is a tribe of bats in the family Vespertilionidae. It contains several genera found throughout the Northern Hemisphere, in Eurasia, North Africa, and North America. Several genera in this tribe are known as big-eared bats or long-eared bats. It also contains the spotted bat and barbastelles.
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.
