Lesser Long-eared Bat

About the Lesser Long-eared Bat

Nyctophilus geoffroyi is a vespertilionid bat. a flying nocturnal mammal found in Australia, The species is relatively common. They have been referred to as the lesser long-eared bat. It is the type species of genus Nyctophilus.

Molecular data indicate Vespertilionidae, the family to which the lesser long-eared bat belongs, diverged from the family Molossidae (free-tailed bats) in the early Eocene period. The family is thought to have originated somewhere in Laurasia, possibly North America. The genus Nyctophilus itself has a limited fossil record, dating back only to the Pleistocene.

The species was recognised by Oldfield Thomas in his examinations of the genus, and indicated the diversity by three subspecies, Nyctophilus geoffroyi, Leach 1821, Noted as 1822 by the author, but the publication date was ascertained as 1821 by later workers.

Nyctophilus geoffroyi geoffroyi, the nominate subspecies, which refers to the first description of Leach. Nyctophilus geoffroyi pacificus, the taxon published by Gray as Barbastellus pacificus and the description of Tomes (monograph, 1858) for species Nyctophilus unicolor.

Nyctophilus geoffroyi pallescens, distinguished and described... Wikipedia →