List of chiropterans

Chiroptera is an order of flying placental mammals. Members of this order are called chiropterans, or colloquially bats. The order currently comprises 1318 extant species, which are grouped into 226 genera. The second largest order of mammals after rodents, bats comprise about 20% of all classified mammal species worldwide. The majority of bats live in South and Central America, Africa, and southern and Southeast Asia, but the order as a whole can be found in most of the world outside of Antarctica and the arctic. They live in a variety of habitats, particularly forests and caves but also including grasslands, savannas, shrublands, wetlands, deserts, and rocky areas. With their forelimbs adapted as wings, they are the only mammals capable of true and sustained flight. They range in length from Kitti's hog-nosed bat, at 2 cm (1 in), to the great flying fox, at 37 cm (15 in), both with no tail. Bat wings are relatively proportionate to their size, with the large flying fox having the largest overall wingspan, up to 1.7 m (5.6 ft).
Chiroptera is divided into two suborders: Yangochiroptera and Yinpterochiroptera. The suborders are further subdivided into clades and families. Yangochiroptera contains fourteen families grouped into three superfamilies: Emballonuroidea, containing the sheath-tailed bats of the family Emballonuridae and the slit-faced bats of the family Nycteridae; Noctilionoidea, divided into the families Furipteridae, Mormoopidae, Mystacinidae, Myzopodidae, Noctilionidae, Phyllostomidae, and Thyropteridae and containing the mustached, sucker-footed, bulldog, leaf-nosed, vampire, long-tongued, big-eared, broad-nosed, and disk-winged bats; and Vespertilionoidea, containing the families Cistugidae, Miniopteridae, Molossidae, Natalidae, and Vespertilionidae and containing the bent-winged, free-tailed, funnel-eared, and vesper bats. Yinpterochiroptera contains seven families grouped into two superfamilies: Pteropodoidea, consisting of the family Pteropodidae, or fruit bats, and Rhinolophoidea, containing the families Craseonycteridae, Hipposideridae, Megadermatidae, Rhinolophidae, Rhinonycteridae, and Rhinopomatidae and containing the Old World leaf-nosed, false vampire, horseshoe, trident, and mouse-tailed bats. The exact organization of the species is not fixed, with many recent proposals made based on molecular phylogenetic analysis. Nine species have been recorded as going extinct since 1500 CE, but over 100 species are considered endangered or critically endangered.
Range maps are provided wherever possible; if a range map is not available, a description of the collective range of species in that genera is provided. Ranges are based on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species unless otherwise noted. All extinct genera or species listed alongside extant species went extinct after 1500 CE, and are indicated by a dagger symbol "†".
The order Chiroptera consists of 1318 extant species belonging to 226 genera. This does not include hybrid species or extinct prehistoric species. Modern molecular studies indicate that the 226 genera can be grouped into 21 families; these families are divided between two named suborders and are grouped in those suborders into named clades, and some of these families are subdivided into named subfamilies. An additional nine species have been recorded as going extinct since 1500 CE: three in the family Vespertilionidae, and six in the family Pteropodidae.
The following classification is based on the taxonomy described by 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.
Members of the Emballonuridae family are called emballonurids, and include sheath-tailed bats, sac-winged bats, ghost bats, pouched bats, and tomb bats. They are all insectivorous and eat a variety of insects and spiders, and occasionally fruit. Emballonuridae comprises 54 extant species, divided into 14 genera. These genera are grouped into two subfamilies: Emballonurinae, containing sheath-tailed, sac-winged, ghost, and other bat species, and Taphozoinae, containing pouched and tomb bats.
Members of the Nycteridae family are called nycterids, or colloquially slit-faced bats. Nycteridae comprises 16 extant species in a single genus. They are all insectivorous, though the large slit-faced bat also regularly eats fish, frogs, birds, and bats.
Members of the Furipteridae family are called furipterids, and include two extant species, each in their own genus. They are both insectivorous.
Members of the Mormoopidae family are called mormoopids, and include ghost-faced bats, naked-backed bats, and mustached bats. Mormoopidae comprises eleven extant species, divided into two genera. They are all insectivorous.
Members of the Mystacinidae family are called mystacinids, or colloquially New Zealand short-tailed bats, and include two extant species in a single genus. They are both omnivorous, eating insects, fruit, carrion, pollen, and nectar.
Members of the Myzopodidae family are called myzopodids, or colloquially sucker-footed bats, and include two extant species in a single genus. They are both insectivorous.
Members of the Noctilionidae family are called noctilionids, or colloquially bulldog bats, and include two extant species in a single genus. They are both insectivorous, but the greater bulldog bat primarily eats fish.
Members of the Phyllostomidae family are called phyllostomids, or colloquially leaf-nosed bats, and include vampire bats, long-tongued bats, big-eared bats, broad-nosed bats, and yellow-shouldered bats. They primarily eat a variety of insects, fruit, nectar, and pollen, though a few will also eat birds, bats, and small mammals, and the three vampire bat species of the subfamily Desmodontinae solely consume blood. Phyllostomidae comprises 203 extant species, divided into 60 genera. These genera are grouped into eleven subfamilies: Carolliinae, Desmodontinae, Glossophaginae, Glyphonycterinae, Lonchophyllinae, Lonchorhininae, Macrotinae, Micronycterinae, Phyllostominae, Rhinophyllinae, and Stenodermatinae.
Members of the Thyropteridae family are called thyropterids, or colloquially disk-winged bats, and include five extant species in a single genus. They are all insectivorous.
Members of the Cistugidae family are called cistugids, or colloquially wing-gland bats, and include two extant species in a single genus. They are both insectivorous.
Members of the Miniopteridae family are called miniopterids, and include bent-winged bats, or long-fingered bats. They are all insectivorous. Miniopteridae comprises 31 extant species in a single genus.
Members of the Molossidae family are called molossids, or colloquially free-tailed bats. They are all insectivorous. Miniopteridae comprises 120 extant species, divided into 19 genera. These genera are grouped into two subfamilies: Molossinae, containing 119 species, and Tomopeatinae, which consists of a single species.
Members of the Natalidae family are called natalids, or colloquially funnel-eared bats. They are all insectivorous. Natalidae comprises eleven extant species, divided into three genera.
Members of the Vespertilionidae family are called vespertilionids, or colloquially vesper bats, and include woolly bats, tube-nosed bats, mouse-eared bats, pipistrelles and serotines. They are all insectivorous, though one species also eats small birds. Vespertilionidae comprises 461 extant species, divided into 53 genera. These genera are grouped into four subfamilies: Kerivoulinae, or woolly bats; Murininae, or tube-nosed bats; Myotinae, or mouse-eared bats; and Vespertilioninae, which includes pipistrelles, serotines, and other bat species. Vespertilioninae additionally contins three species which have been made extinct since 1500 CE.
Members of the Pteropodidae family are called pteropodids, or colloquially fruit bats, flying foxes, or megabats. Most species primarily or exclusively eat fruit, though the species of the subfamily Macroglossusinae primarily eat pollen and nectar and many of the species of the subfamily Nyctimeninae sometimes eat insects. Pteropodidae comprises 193 extant species, divided into 46 genera. These genera are grouped into seven subfamilies: Eidolinae, Harpyionycterinae, Nyctimeninae, Pteropodinae, Rousettinae, and Macroglossusinae. Pteropodinae additionally contins six species which have been made extinct since 1500 CE.
Members of the Craseonycteridae family are called craseonycterids. The family contains a single insectivorous species.
Members of the Hipposideridae family are called hipposiderids, or colloquially Old World leaf-nosed bats. They are all insectivorous. Hipposideridae comprises 86 extant species, divided into 7 genera.
Members of the Megadermatidae family are called megadermatids, or colloquially false vampire bats. They are primarily insectivorous, but will also eat a wide range of small vertebrates. Megadermatidae comprises six extant species, each in their own genus.
Members of the Rhinolophidae family are called rhinolophids, or colloquially horseshoe bats. They are all insectivorous. Rhinolophidae comprises 92 extant species in a single genus.
Members of the Rhinonycteridae family are called rhinonycterids, or colloquially trident bats. They are all insectivorous. Rhinolophidae comprises nine extant species in four genera.
Members of the Rhinopomatidae family are called rhinopomatids, or colloquially mouse-tailed bats. They are all insectivorous. Rhinopomatidae comprises ninsixe extant species in a single genus.