Family VESPERTILIONIDAE

(VESPER BATS)

• Small to medium-sized bats, with stout bodies, short to moderately long rostra, no elaborate nose appendages (except in a few genera), small to big ears, complete uropatagiumstretching to ends or just before ends of long tails, and generally long narrow wings.

• 5-22 cm.

• Worldwide, except Antarctica.

• From arid deserts to temperate and tropical forests.

• 54 genera, 496 species, at least 708 extant taxa.

• 6 species Critically Endangered, 15 species Endangered, 27 species Vulnerable; 1 species Extinct since 1600.