Eptesicus is a genus of bats, commonly called house bats or serotine bats, in the family Vespertilionidae.[1] The genus name is likely derived from the Greek words ptetikos 'able to fly' or petomai 'house flier', although this is not certain.[2]
Species
Traditional
The following species have traditionally been placed in Eptesicus[3]
A 2023 study noted divisions within Eptesicus when considering physical characteristics, genetics, echolocation characteristics, and divergence timing, with the authors concluding that Eptesicus should be split into three genera. They described a new genus, Neoeptesicus, and elevated the subgenus Cnephaeus to genus rank.[5]
The Old WorldEptesicus species were moved to Cnephaeus:
Cnephaeus anatolicus
Cnephaeus bottae
Cnephaeus floweri
Cnephaeus gobiensis
Cnephaeus hottentotus
Cnephaeus isabellinus
Cnephaeus japonensis
Cnephaeus kobayashii
Cnephaeus nilssonii
Cnephaeus ognevi
Cnephaeus pachyomus
Cnephaeus pachyotis
Cnephaeus platyops
Cnephaeus serotinus
Cnephaeus tatei
The Neotropical species were placed in Neoptesicus:
Neoeptesicus andinus
Neoeptesicus brasiliensis
Neoeptesicus chiriquinus
Neoeptesicus diminutus
Neoeptesicus furinalis
Neoeptesicus innoxius
Neoeptesicus langeri
Neoeptesicus orinocensis
Neoeptesicus taddeii
Neoeptesicus ulapesensis
These revisions left only two species in Eptesicus:
^Zagorodniuk I. 2009. Morphology of post-calcarial lobe in bats and its variation in Eptesicus “serotinus” (Mammalia). Visnyk Lviv University. Series Biology. 2009. Issue 51.
