Vespertilioninae is one of the four subfamilies of Vespertilionidae, itself one of twenty families of bats in the mammalian order Chiroptera and part of the microbat suborder. A member of this subfamily is called a vespertilionine, or a vesper bat. They are found in all continents besides Antarctica, primarily in caves, forests, and rocky areas, though some species can also be found in shrublands, grasslands, or deserts. They range in size from the pygmy bamboo bat, at plus a tail, to the Schreber's yellow bat, at plus a tail. Like all bats, vespertilionines are capable of true and sustained flight, and have forearm lengths ranging from to . They are all insectivorous and eat a variety of insects and spiders, with the exception of the greater noctule bat, which regularly eats small birds. Almost no vespertilionines have population estimates, though seven species—the New Caledonian wattled bat, Socotran pipistrelle, Rosevear's serotine, Japanese noctule, Madeira pipistrelle, Kityo's serotine, and Genoways's yellow bat—are categorized as endangered species, and five species—the New Zealand long-tailed bat, New Caledonian long-eared bat, New Guinea big-eared bat, Canary long-eared bat, and Sardinian long-eared bat—are categorized as critically endangered with populations as low as 40. Three species—the Lord Howe long-eared bat, Christmas Island pipistrelle, and Sturdee's pipistrelle—have been made extinct since 1500 CE.

The 323 extant species of Vespertilioninae are divided between 53 genera, ranging in size from 1 to 19 species. A few extinct prehistoric vespertilionine species have been discovered, though due to ongoing research and discoveries the exact number and categorization is not fixed.

Conventions

The author citation for the species or genus is given after the scientific name; parentheses around the author citation indicate that this was not the original taxonomic placement. Conservation status codes listed follow the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. Range maps are provided wherever possible; if a range map is not available, a description of the vespertilionine's range is provided. Ranges are based on the IUCN Red List for that species unless otherwise noted. All extinct species or subspecies listed alongside extant species went extinct after 1500 CE, and are indicated by a dagger symbol "". Population figures are rounded to the nearest hundred.

Classification Vespertilioninae, one of the four subfamilies of the family Vespertilionidae, contains 323 extant species divided into 53 genera, plus 3 species that have been made extinct in the modern era.

Subfamily Vespertilioninae Genus Afronycteris (African serotines): three species Genus Afropipistrellus (African pipistrelles): five species Genus Alionoctula (eastern pipistrelles): nineteen species Genus Antrozous (pallid bats): two species Genus Arielulus (gilded sprites): six species Genus Baeodon (yellow bats): two species Genus Barbastella (barbastelles): six species Genus Bauerus (Van Gelder's bat): one species Genus Cassistrellus (helmeted bats): two species Genus Chalinolobus (wattled bats): eight species Genus Cnephaeus (Old World serotine bats): fifteen species Genus Corynorhinus (American lump-nosed bats): four species Genus Eptesicus (serotine bats): two species Genus Euderma (spotted bat): one species Genus Falsistrellus (false pipistrelles): two species Genus Glauconycteris (butterfly bats): fifteen species Genus Glischropus (thick-thumbed bats): five species Genus Hesperoptenus (false serotines): five species Genus Histiotus (big-eared brown bats): eleven species Genus Hypsugo (Asian pipistrelles): sixteen species Genus Ia (great evening bat): one species Genus Idionycteris (Allen's big-eared bat): one species Genus Laephotis (African long-eared bats): nine species Genus Lasionycteris (silver-haired bat): one species Genus Lasiurus (red bats): twenty species Genus Mimetillus (Moloney's mimic bat): one species Genus Mirostrellus (Moloney's mimic bat): one species Genus Neoeptesicus (New World serotine bats): ten species Genus Neoromicia (serotines): six species Genus Nyctalus (noctule bats): eight species Genus Nycticeinops (serotines): three species Genus Nycticeius (evening bats): three species Genus Nyctophilus (Australian big-eared bats): seventeen species (one extinct) Genus Otonycteris (long-eared bats): two species Genus Parastrellus (canyon bat): one species Genus Perimyotis (tricolored bat): one species Genus Pharotis (New Guinea big-eared bat): one species Genus Philetor (Rohu's bat): one species Genus Pipistrellus (pipistrelles): sixteen species (two extinct) Genus Plecotus (lump-nosed bats): eighteen species Genus Pseudoromicia (sub-Saharan serotines): nine species Genus Rhogeessa (yellow bats): twelve species Genus Rhyneptesicus (Sind bat): one species Genus Scoteanax (Rüppell's broad-nosed bat): one species Genus Scotoecus (lesser house bats): five species Genus Scotomanes (harlequin bat): one species Genus Scotophilus (Old World yellow bats): twenty species Genus Scotorepens (broad-nosed bats): four species Genus Scotozous (Dormer's bat): one species Genus Tylonycteris (bamboo bats): six species Genus Vansonia (Rüppell's bat): one species Genus Vespadelus (forest bats): nine species Genus Vespertilio (parti-coloured bats): two species

Vespertilionines The following classification is based on the taxonomy described by the reference work Mammal Species of the World (2005), with augmentation by generally accepted proposals made since using molecular phylogenetic analysis, as supported by both the IUCN SSC Bat Specialist Group and the American Society of Mammalogists.

References Nowak, pp. 184–186

Wilson, Reeder, pp. 451–497

Chernasky; Motis; Burgin, pp. 528–529 Chernasky; Motis; Burgin, pp. 530–531 Chernasky; Motis; Burgin, pp. 532–533 Chernasky; Motis; Burgin, pp. 534–535 Chernasky; Motis; Burgin, pp. 536–537 Chernasky; Motis; Burgin, pp. 538–539 Chernasky; Motis; Burgin, pp. 540–541 Chernasky; Motis; Burgin, pp. 542–543 Chernasky; Motis; Burgin, pp. 544–545 Chernasky; Motis; Burgin, pp. 546–547 Chernasky; Motis; Burgin, pp. 548–549 Chernasky; Motis; Burgin, p. 550

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