List of emballonurids

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 emballonurid's range is provided. Ranges are based on the IUCN Red List for that species unless otherwise noted. Population figures are rounded to the nearest hundred.

The family Emballonuridae consists of two subfamilies: Emballonurinae, containing 36 species divided into 12 genera, and Taphozoinae, which contains 18 species in 2 genera.

Family Emballonuridae

• Subfamily Emballonurinae
  • Genus Balantiopteryx (sac-winged bats): three species
  • Genus Centronycteris (shaggy bats): two species
  • Genus Coleura (sheath-tailed bats): three species
  • Genus Cormura (chestnut sac-winged bat): one species
  • Genus Cyttarops (short-eared bat): one species
  • Genus Diclidurus (ghost bats): four species
  • Genus Emballonura (sheath-tailed bats): eight species
  • Genus Mosia (dark sheath-tailed bat): one species
  • Genus Paremballonura (false sheath-tailed bats): two species
  • Genus Peropteryx (dog-like bats): five species
  • Genus Rhynchonycteris (proboscis bat): one species
  • Genus Saccopteryx (sac-winged bats): five species
• Subfamily Taphozoinae
  • Genus Saccolaimus (pouched bats): four species
  • Genus Taphozous (tomb bats): fourteen species

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 and the American Society of Mammalogists.^[3]

Subfamily Emballonurinae

Main article: Emballonurinae

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Genus Balantiopteryx – Peters, 1867 – three species

Common name	Scientific name and subspecies	Range	Size and ecology	IUCN status and estimated population
Ecuadorian sac-winged bat	B. infusca (Thomas, 1897)	Colombia and Ecuador	Size: 3–5 cm (1–2 in), plus 1–2 cm (0.4–0.8 in) tail 3–5 cm (1–2 in) forearm length[4] Habitat: Forest and caves[5]	VU  Unknown [5]
Gray sac-winged bat	B. plicata Peters, 1867 Two subspecies B. p. pallida B. p. plicata	Mexico and Central America	Size: 4–6 cm (2 in), plus 1–3 cm (0.4–1.2 in) tail 3–5 cm (1–2 in) forearm length[4] Habitat: Forest and shrubland[6]	LC  Unknown [6]
Thomas's sac-winged bat	B. io Thomas, 1904	Mexico and Central America	Size: 3–5 cm (1–2 in), plus 1–2 cm (0.4–0.8 in) tail 3–5 cm (1–2 in) forearm length[4] Habitat: Caves and forest[7]	VU  Unknown [7]

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Genus Centronycteris – Gray, 1838 – two species

Common name	Scientific name and subspecies	Range	Size and ecology	IUCN status and estimated population
Shaggy bat	C. maximiliani J. B. Fischer, 1829	Northern and eastern South America	Size: 4–7 cm (2–3 in), plus 2–3 cm (1 in) tail 4–5 cm (2 in) forearm length[8] Habitat: Forest[9]	LC  Unknown [9]
Thomas's shaggy bat	C. centralis Thomas, 1912	Mexico, Central America, and northern South America	Size: 4–6 cm (2 in), plus 1–4 cm (0.4–1.6 in) tail 4–5 cm (2 in) forearm length[8] Habitat: Forest[10]	LC  Unknown [10]

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Genus Coleura – Peters, 1867 – three species

Common name	Scientific name and subspecies	Range	Size and ecology	IUCN status and estimated population
African sheath-tailed bat	C. afra (Peters, 1852)	Scattered Sub-Saharan Africa	Size: 5–7 cm (2–3 in), plus 1–2 cm (0.4–0.8 in) tail 4–6 cm (2 in) forearm length[4] Habitat: Desert, caves, shrubland, savanna, and forest[11]	LC  Unknown [11]
Madagascar sheath-tailed bat	C. kibomalandy Goodman, Puechmaille, Friedli-Weyeneth, Gerlach, Ruedi, Schoeman, Stanley, & Teeling, 2012	Madagascar	Size: 6–7 cm (2–3 in), plus 1–2 cm (0.4–0.8 in) tail 4–6 cm (2 in) forearm length[4] Habitat: Forest[12]	DD  Unknown [12]
Seychelles sheath-tailed bat	C. seychellensis (Peters, 1868) Two subspecies C. s. seychellensis C. s. silhouettae	Seychelles	Size: 5–7 cm (2–3 in), plus unknown tail 4–6 cm (2 in) forearm length[4] Habitat: Forest, inland wetlands, and caves[13]	CR  50–100 [13]

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Genus Cormura – Peters, 1867 – one species

Common name	Scientific name and subspecies	Range	Size and ecology	IUCN status and estimated population
Chestnut sac-winged bat	C. brevirostris (Wagner, 1843)	Central America and northern South America	Size: 4–6 cm (2 in), plus 1–2 cm (0.4–0.8 in) tail 4–5 cm (2 in) forearm length[4] Habitat: Forest[14]	LC  Unknown [14]

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Genus Cyttarops – Thomas, 1913 – one species

Common name	Scientific name and subspecies	Range	Size and ecology	IUCN status and estimated population
Short-eared bat	C. alecto Thomas, 1913	Central America and northern South America	Size: 4–6 cm (2 in), plus 2–3 cm (1 in) tail 4–5 cm (2 in) forearm length[4] Habitat: Forest[15]	LC  Unknown [15]

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Genus Diclidurus – Wied-Neuwied, 1820 – four species

Common name	Scientific name and subspecies	Range	Size and ecology	IUCN status and estimated population
Greater ghost bat	D. ingens Hernandez-Camacho, 1955	Northern South America	Size: About 8 cm (3 in), plus about 2 cm (1 in) tail 6–8 cm (2–3 in) forearm length[4] Habitat: Forest[16]	DD  Unknown [16]
Isabelle's ghost bat	D. isabellus Thomas, 1920	Northern South America	Size: About 7 cm (3 in), plus 1–3 cm (0.4–1.2 in) tail about 5 cm (2 in) forearm length[4] Habitat: Forest[17]	LC  Unknown [17]
Lesser ghost bat	D. scutatus Peters, 1869	Northern South America	Size: 5–7 cm (2–3 in), plus 1–2 cm (0.4–0.8 in) tail 5–6 cm (2 in) forearm length[4] Habitat: Forest[18]	LC  Unknown [18]
Northern ghost bat	D. albus Wied-Neuwied, 1820 Two subspecies D. a. albus D. a. virgo	Mexico, Central America, and South America	Size: 6–9 cm (2–4 in), plus 1–8 cm (0.4–3.1 in) tail 6–7 cm (2–3 in) forearm length[4] Habitat: Forest[19]	LC  Unknown [19]

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Genus Emballonura – Temminck, 1838 – eight species

Common name	Scientific name and subspecies	Range	Size and ecology	IUCN status and estimated population
Beccari's sheath-tailed bat	E. beccarii Peters & Doria, 1881 Three subspecies E. b. beccarii E. b. clavium E. b. meeki	Indonesia and Papua New Guinea	Size: 3–5 cm (1–2 in), plus 1–3 cm (0.4–1.2 in) tail 3–5 cm (1–2 in) forearm length[20] Habitat: Forest and caves[21]	LC  Unknown [21]
Greater sheath-tailed bat	E. furax Thomas, 1911	Indonesia and Papua New Guinea	Size: 5–7 cm (2–3 in), plus 1–2 cm (0.4–0.8 in) tail 4–6 cm (2 in) forearm length[20] Habitat: Forest and caves[22]	LC  Unknown [22]
Large-eared sheath-tailed bat	E. dianae Hill, 1956 Three subspecies E. d. dianae E. d. fruhstorferi E. d. rickwoodi	Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands	Size: 4–7 cm (2–3 in), plus 1–2 cm (0.4–0.8 in) tail 4–5 cm (2 in) forearm length[20] Habitat: Forest and caves[23]	LC  Unknown [23]
Lesser sheath-tailed bat	E. monticola Temminck, 1838	Southeastern Asia	Size: 4–5 cm (2 in), plus 1–2 cm (0.4–0.8 in) tail 3–5 cm (1–2 in) forearm length[20] Habitat: Forest, rocky areas, and caves[24]	LC  Unknown [24]
Pacific sheath-tailed bat	E. semicaudata Peale, 1848 Four subspecies E. s. palauensis E. s. rotensis E. s. semicaudata E. s. sulcata	Polynesia and Micronesia	Size: 4–5 cm (2 in), plus unknown tail 4–5 cm (2 in) forearm length[4] Habitat: Forest, rocky areas, and caves[25]	EN  Unknown [25]
Raffray's sheath-tailed bat	E. raffrayana Dobson, 1879 Three subspecies E. r. cor E. r. raffrayana E. r. stresemanni	Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands	Size: 3–6 cm (1–2 in), plus 1–2 cm (0.4–0.8 in) tail 3–5 cm (1–2 in) forearm length[20] Habitat: Caves and forest[26]	LC  Unknown [26]
Seri's sheath-tailed bat	E. serii Flannery, 1994	Indonesia and Papua New Guinea	Size: 4–7 cm (2–3 in), plus 1–2 cm (0.4–0.8 in) tail 4–6 cm (2 in) forearm length[4] Habitat: Forest and caves[27]	VU  Unknown [27]
Small Asian sheath-tailed bat	E. alecto (Eydoux & Gervais, 1836) Four subspecies E. a. alecto E. a. anambensis E. a. palawanensis E. a. rivalis	Borneo, Sulawesi, and the Philippines	Size: 4–5 cm (2 in), plus 1–2 cm (0.4–0.8 in) tail 4–5 cm (2 in) forearm length[20] Habitat: Forest and caves[28]	LC  Unknown [28]

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Genus Mosia – Gray, 1843 – one species

Common name	Scientific name and subspecies	Range	Size and ecology	IUCN status and estimated population
Dark sheath-tailed bat	M. nigrescens Gray, 1843 Three subspecies M. n. nigrescens M. n. papuana M. n. solomonis	Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands	Size: 3–5 cm (1–2 in), plus 1–2 cm (0.4–0.8 in) tail 3–4 cm (1–2 in) forearm length[4] Habitat: Forest, rocky areas, and caves[29]	LC  Unknown [29]

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Genus Paremballonura – Goodman, Puechmaille, Friedli-Weyeneth, Gerlach, Ruedi, Schoeman, Stanley, & Teeling, 2012 – two species

Common name	Scientific name and subspecies	Range	Size and ecology	IUCN status and estimated population
Peters's sheath-tailed bat	P. atrata Peters, 1874	Eastern Madagascar	Size: 4–5 cm (2 in), plus 1–2 cm (0.4–0.8 in) tail 3–5 cm (1–2 in) forearm length[4] Habitat: Forest and caves[30]	LC  Unknown [30]
Western sheath-tailed bat	P. tiavato (Goodman, Cardiff, Ranivo, Russell, & Yoder, 2006)	Western Madagascar	Size: 4–5 cm (2 in), plus 1–2 cm (0.4–0.8 in) tail 3–5 cm (1–2 in) forearm length[4] Habitat: Forest and caves[31]	LC  Unknown [31]

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Genus Peropteryx – Peters, 1867 – five species

Common name	Scientific name and subspecies	Range	Size and ecology	IUCN status and estimated population
Greater dog-like bat	P. kappleri Peters, 1867 Two subspecies P. k. intermedia P. k. kappleri	Mexico, Central America, and South America	Size: 6–8 cm (2–3 in), plus 1–2 cm (0.4–0.8 in) tail 4–6 cm (2 in) forearm length[4] Habitat: Forest and caves[32]	LC  Unknown [32]
Lesser dog-like bat	P. macrotis Wagner, 1843	Mexico, Central America, and South America	Size: 4–6 cm (2 in), plus 1–2 cm (0.4–0.8 in) tail 3–5 cm (1–2 in) forearm length[4] Habitat: Forest and shrubland[33]	LC  Unknown [33]
Pale-winged dog-like bat	P. pallidoptera Lim, Engstrom, Reid, Simmons, Voss, & Fleck, 2010	Northwestern South America	Size: 4–6 cm (2 in), plus 1–2 cm (0.4–0.8 in) tail 3–5 cm (1–2 in) forearm length[8] Habitat: Forest[34]	DD  Unknown [34]
Trinidad dog-like bat	P. trinitatis Miller, 1899 Two subspecies P. t. phaea P. t. trinitatis	Northeastern South America	Size: 4–5 cm (2 in), plus 1–2 cm (0.4–0.8 in) tail 3–5 cm (1–2 in) forearm length[4] Habitat: Forest and caves[35]	DD  Unknown [35]
White-winged dog-like bat	P. leucoptera Peters, 1867 Two subspecies P. l. cyclops P. l. leucoptera	Northern South America	Size: 4–6 cm (2 in), plus 1–2 cm (0.4–0.8 in) tail 4–6 cm (2 in) forearm length[8] Habitat: Forest and caves[36]	LC  Unknown [36]

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Genus Rhynchonycteris – Peters, 1867 – one species

Common name	Scientific name and subspecies	Range	Size and ecology	IUCN status and estimated population
Proboscis bat	R. naso (Wied-Neuwied, 1820)	Mexico, Central America, and South America	Size: 3–5 cm (1–2 in), plus 1–2 cm (0.4–0.8 in) tail 3–4 cm (1–2 in) forearm length[8] Habitat: Forest and caves[37]	LC  Unknown [37]

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Genus Saccopteryx – Illiger, 1811 – five species

Common name	Scientific name and subspecies	Range	Size and ecology	IUCN status and estimated population
Amazonian sac-winged bat	S. gymnura Thomas, 1901	Northern South America	Size: 3–4 cm (1–2 in), plus 1–2 cm (0.4–0.8 in) tail 3–4 cm (1–2 in) forearm length[8] Habitat: Forest[38]	DD  Unknown [38]
Antioquian sac-winged bat	S. antioquensis Muñoz & Cuartas, 2001	Colombia	Size: 4–5 cm (2 in), plus 1–2 cm (0.4–0.8 in) tail 3–4 cm (1–2 in) forearm length[8] Habitat: Forest and caves[39]	EN  Unknown [39]
Frosted sac-winged bat	S. canescens Thomas, 1901 Two subspecies S. c. canescens S. c. pumila	Northern South America	Size: 3–5 cm (1–2 in), plus 1–2 cm (0.4–0.8 in) tail 3–4 cm (1–2 in) forearm length[8] Habitat: Forest[40]	LC  Unknown [40]
Greater sac-winged bat	S. bilineata (Temminck, 1838)	Mexico, Central America, and South America	Size: 4–6 cm (2 in), plus 1–3 cm (0.4–1.2 in) tail 4–5 cm (2 in) forearm length[8] Habitat: Forest and caves[41]	LC  Unknown [41]
Lesser sac-winged bat	S. leptura Schreber, 1774	Mexico, Central America, and South America	Size: 3–6 cm (1–2 in), plus 1–2 cm (0.4–0.8 in) tail 3–5 cm (1–2 in) forearm length[8] Habitat: Forest[42]	LC  Unknown [42]

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Subfamily Taphozoinae

Main article: Taphozoinae

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Genus Saccolaimus – Temminck, 1838 – four species

Common name	Scientific name and subspecies	Range	Size and ecology	IUCN status and estimated population
Naked-rumped pouched bat	S. saccolaimus Temminck, 1838 Five subspecies S. s. affinis S. s. crassus S. s. nudicluniatus S. s. pluto S. s. saccolaimus	Southern and southeastern Asia and northern Australia	Size: 8–10 cm (3–4 in), plus 2–4 cm (1–2 in) tail 6–8 cm (2–3 in) forearm length[20] Habitat: Forest, savanna, and caves[43]	LC  Unknown [43]
Papuan sheath-tailed bat	S. mixtus Troughton, 1925	Southern New Guinea and northern Australia	Size: 7–8 cm (3 in), plus 2–3 cm (1 in) tail 6–7 cm (2–3 in) forearm length[20] Habitat: Forest, savanna, and caves[44]	NT  Unknown [44]
Pel's pouched bat	S. peli Temminck, 1853	Western and central Africa	Size: 11–14 cm (4–6 in), plus 2–4 cm (1–2 in) tail 8–10 cm (3–4 in) forearm length[20] Habitat: Forest[45]	LC  Unknown [45]
Yellow-bellied sheath-tailed bat	S. flaviventris Peters, 1867	Australia and Papua New Guinea	Size: 7–9 cm (3–4 in), plus 2–4 cm (1–2 in) tail 7–9 cm (3–4 in) forearm length[20] Habitat: Forest, savanna, and shrubland[46]	LC  Unknown [46]

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Genus Taphozous – Geoffroy, 1818 – fourteen species

Common name	Scientific name and subspecies	Range	Size and ecology	IUCN status and estimated population
Arnhem sheath-tailed bat	T. kapalgensis McKean & Friend, 1979	Northwestern Australia	Size: 7–9 cm (3–4 in), plus 2–3 cm (1 in) tail 5–7 cm (2–3 in) forearm length[20] Habitat: Forest, savanna, and grassland[47]	LC  Unknown [47]
Black-bearded tomb bat	T. melanopogon Temminck, 1841 Five subspecies T. m. bicolor T. m. cavaticus T. m. fretensis T. m. melanopogon T. m. phillipinensis	Southern and southeastern Asia	Size: 6–9 cm (2–4 in), plus 1–3 cm (0.4–1.2 in) tail 6–7 cm (2–3 in) forearm length[20] Habitat: Forest, shrubland, and caves[48]	LC  Unknown [48]
Coastal sheath-tailed bat	T. australis Gould, 1854	Northern Australia	Size: 7–9 cm (3–4 in), plus 2–3 cm (1 in) tail 6–7 cm (2–3 in) forearm length[20] Habitat: Forest, shrubland, caves, and coastal marine[49]	NT  9,000–10,000 [49]
Common sheath-tailed bat	T. georgianus Thomas, 1915	Northern and northwestern Australia	Size: 6–8 cm (2–3 in), plus 2–4 cm (1–2 in) tail 6–8 cm (2–3 in) forearm length[20] Habitat: Savanna, rocky areas, and caves[50]	LC  Unknown [50]
Egyptian tomb bat	T. perforatus Geoffroy, 1818 Four subspecies T. p. haedinus T. p. perforatus T. p. senegalensis T. p. sudani	Scattered Africa and western and southern Asia	Size: 7–9 cm (3–4 in), plus 2–3 cm (1 in) tail 5–7 cm (2–3 in) forearm length[20] Habitat: Savanna and inland wetlands[51]	LC  Unknown [51]
Hamilton's tomb bat	T. hamiltoni Thomas, 1920	Central Africa	Size: 8–9 cm (3–4 in), plus 2–4 cm (1–2 in) tail 6–8 cm (2–3 in) forearm length[20] Habitat: Savanna and unknown[52]	DD  Unknown [52]
Hildegarde's tomb bat	T. hildegardeae Thomas, 1909	Kenya and Tanzania	Size: 7–9 cm (3–4 in), plus 2–3 cm (1 in) tail 6–7 cm (2–3 in) forearm length[20] Habitat: Forest and caves[53]	EN  Unknown [53]
Hill's sheath-tailed bat	T. hilli Kitchener, 1980	Australia	Size: 6–9 cm (2–4 in), plus 2–4 cm (1–2 in) tail 6–8 cm (2–3 in) forearm length[20] Habitat: Savanna, shrubland, grassland, rocky areas, caves, and desert[54]	LC  Unknown [54]
Indonesian tomb bat	T. achates Thomas, 1915 Two subspecies T. a. achates T. a. minor	Indonesia	Size: 7–8 cm (3 in), plus 2–3 cm (1 in) tail 5–7 cm (2–3 in) forearm length[20] Habitat: Forest and caves[55]	DD  Unknown [55]
Long-winged tomb bat	T. longimanus Hardwicke, 1825 Four subspecies T. l. albipinnis T. l. kampenii T. l. leucopleurus T. l. longimanus	Southern and southeastern Asia	Size: 7–9 cm (3–4 in), plus 2–3 cm (1 in) tail 5–7 cm (2–3 in) forearm length[20] Habitat: Forest, savanna, rocky areas, and caves[56]	LC  Unknown [56]
Mauritian tomb bat	T. mauritianus Geoffroy, 1818	Sub-Saharan Africa	Size: 7–9 cm (3–4 in), plus 1–3 cm (0.4–1.2 in) tail 5–7 cm (2–3 in) forearm length[20] Habitat: Forest, savanna, shrubland, and rocky areas[57]	LC  Unknown [57]
Naked-rumped tomb bat	T. nudiventris Cretzschmar, 1830 Five subspecies T. n. kachhensis T. n. magnus T. n. nudaster T. n. nudiventris T. n. zayidi	Scattered Africa and western and southern Asia	Size: 8–11 cm (3–4 in), plus 2–5 cm (1–2 in) tail 7–8 cm (3 in) forearm length[20] Habitat: Savanna, shrubland, grassland, inland wetlands, caves, and desert[58]	LC  Unknown [58]
Theobald's tomb bat	T. theobaldi Dobson, 1872 Two subspecies T. t. secatus T. t. theobaldi	Southern and southeastern Asia	Size: 8–10 cm (3–4 in), plus 2–3 cm (1 in) tail 7–8 cm (3 in) forearm length[20] Habitat: Forest and caves[59]	LC  Unknown [59]
Troughton's sheath-tailed bat	T. troughtoni Tate, 1952	Northeastern Australia	Size: 7–9 cm (3–4 in), plus 3–4 cm (1–2 in) tail 7–8 cm (3 in) forearm length[20] Habitat: Savanna, rocky areas, and caves[60]	LC  Unknown [60]

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