Classification of Bats

Higher-level Classification of Bats

Nancy B. Simmons and Tenley Conway

Classification from Simmons and Geisler (1998), modified following suggestions of Kirsch et al. (1998).

Order Chiroptera
  Megachiropteramorpha (unranked name)
    Suborder Megachiroptera
      Family Pteropodidae
  Microchiropteramorpha (unranked name)
     †Family Icaronycteridae
     †Family Archaeonycteridae
     Microchiropteraformes (unranked name)
       †Family Palaeochiropterygidae
       †Family Hassianycteridae
       Suborder Microchiroptera
         Superfamily Emballonuroidea
           Family Emballonuridae
             Subfamily Taphozoinae
             Subfamily Emballonurinae
       Infraorder Yinochiroptera
         Superfamily Rhinopomatoidea
           Family Craseonycteridae
           Family Rhinopomatidae
         Superfamily Rhinolophoidea
           Family Nycteridae
           Family Megadermatidae
           Family Rhinolophidae
             Subfamily Rhinolophinae
             Subfamily Hipposiderinae
         Infraorder Yangochiroptera
           Superfamily Noctilionoidea
             Family Mystacinidae
             Family Phyllostomidae
             Family Mormoopidae
             Family Noctilionidae
           Superfamily Nataloidea
             Family Myzopodidae
             Family Furipteridae
             Family Thyropteridae
             Family Natalidae
           Superfamily Molossoidea
             Family Antrozoidae
             Family Molossidae
               Subfamily Tomopeatinae
               Subfamily Molossinae
           Superfamily Vespertilionoidea
             Family Vespertilionidae
               Subfamily Vespertilioninae
               Subfamily Miniopterinae
               Subfamily Myotinae
               Subfamily Murininae
               Subfamily Kerivoulinae


† extinct

References

Kirsch, J. A., J. M. Hutcheon, D.C. Byrnes &;B. D. Llyod. 1998. Affinites and historical zoogeography of the New Zealand Short-tailed bat, Mystacina tuberculata Gray 1843, inferred from DNA-hybridization comparisons. Journal of Mammalian Evolution 5(1): 33-64.

Simmons, N. B. & J. H. Geisler. 1998. Phylogenetic relationships of Icaronycteris, Archeonycteris, Hassianycteris, and Palaeochiropteryx to extant bat lineages,with comments in microchiroptera. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History, 235:1-182.

About This Page

Nancy B. Simmons
American Musuem of Natural History, New York, New York, USA

Tenley Conway
University of Toronto at Mississauga, Ontario, Canada

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