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Coloration is reddish brown or dark brown above and paler below.
The bats of this genus may be recognized by the greatly flattened skull and the presence of cushions or pads on the thumb and foot. The ears are about as long as the head, and the tragus is short and bluntly rounded at the tip. Mimetillus, from Africa, has been referred to as the African counterpart of Tylonycteris, as it also has a flattened and broadened skull. The special adaptations of Tylonycteris may be another case of similar or parallel development that fits the animal for a certain mode of life. These bats are remarkably adapted for gaining access to and roosting in the hollow joints of bamboo stems.