Bats aren’t the first creatures that come to mind when you think of charming, cuddly animals. However, despite their frequently negative reputation, bats are among the most fascinating creatures in the world.
And there are well over 1,400 known varieties of bats. So, if you’re looking to learn more about these misunderstood mammals, you’ve certainly got your work cut out for you!
But don’t worry, we’ve done a bit of the heavy lifting for you. In this article, we’ll introduce you to some of the most common types of bats found around the world.
Bats are one of the most diverse and fascinating groups of mammals on Earth. With over 1,400 identified species globally, bats display an incredible array of adaptations, behaviors, and traits. In this article, we’ll provide an overview of the major groups of bats and highlight some of the most common and interesting species.
Bat Basics
Before diving into the different types, let’s review some bat basics. Bats are the only mammals capable of true, sustained flight. Their wings are formed by a thin membrane of skin called the patagium that stretches across the elongated fingers and attaches to the sides of the body and legs.
While many bats do use echolocation to orient themselves and locate prey, not all bat species rely on this capability. Bats also display a wide range of dietary preferences – most eat insects, but some consume fruit, nectar, pollen, fish, frogs, reptiles, and even blood.
In terms of behavior, roughly 70% of bat species are nocturnal However, some are active during the day or at dawn and dusk. Bats often roost in colonies and caves, but tree-roosting is also common Alright, now let’s look at some of the major bat groupings.
Megabats (Old World Fruit Bats)
Megabats constitute the family Pteropodidae. Also known as Old World fruit bats, these bats don’t use echolocation to navigate. Instead, they rely on eyesight and olfaction. As their name suggests, they primarily eat fruit, nectar, and pollen.
There are around 200 species of megabats. Some of the more well-known examples are flying foxes, which can have wing spans up to 5 feet. These bats live in tropical and subtropical areas ranging from Australia to Africa.
Microbats
Microbats constitute the suborder Yangochiroptera. As a group, microbats are smaller in size compared to megabats. Most microbats species use echolocation for navigation and hunting.
There are over 800 species of microbats divided into a number of families. Next, we’ll cover some of the more prominent microbat groupings.
Vesper Bats
The Vespertilionidae family represents the largest and most widespread family of microbats. With over 400 species, vesper bats are found across most of the world except Antarctica. They have long, narrow wings and small eyes.
The little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus) is a common North American vesper bat. These bats can consume up to 1,000 mosquito-sized insects per hour. The endangered Indiana bat (Myotis sodalist) is another example of a vesper bat.
Free-Tailed Bats
As their name suggests, free-tailed bats have tails that extend beyond the edge of their tail membrane. They are adept, fast flyers capable of speeds approaching 60 mph. Free-tailed bats use echolocation to catch insects on the wing.
One of the most abundant free-tailed species is the Brazilian free-tailed bat (Tadarida brasiliensis) Large colonies containing millions of these bats are found throughout the southern United States and Mexico
Horseshoe Bats
Horseshoe bats get their name from the horseshoe-shaped tissue surrounding their nostrils. This nasal structure assists with echolocation.
There are around 130 species of horseshoe bats, found primarily in Europe, Asia, and Africa. They roost in caves and feed on insects like moths, mosquitoes, and beetles. Several horseshoe bat species are threatened due to habitat loss.
Leaf-Nosed Bats
As the name suggests, leaf-nosed bats have a variety of leaf-like structures protruding from their noses and surrounding their nostrils. These facial projections aid in echolocation.
New World leaf-nosed bats live in the Americas. The spectral bat (Vampyrum spectrum) is the largest, growing up to 12 inches long with a 3-foot wingspan. Leaf-nosed bats in the Old World (Europe, Asia, and Africa) include the Egyptian fruit bat and false vampire bats.
Sheath-Tailed Bats
Sheath-tailed bats (family Emballonuridae) have a gland located between the tail membrane and the top of the tail. Most live in tropical regions of Asia, Africa, and the Americas. Many sheath-tailed species roost in caves. They primarily eat insects which they capture using echolocation.
Bulldog Bats
The name “bulldog bat” refers to two genera of bats that possess distinctive wrinkled lips and a stocky build reminiscent of bulldogs. Most bulldog bats live in tropical areas and roost in trees, rock crevices, and caves.
Some are exclusively insectivorous, while others like the fishing bulldog will prey on fish in addition to insects. Bulldog bats use echolocation to detect water ripples and grab unwitting fish that swim close to the surface.
Fruit Bats
Fruit bats mostly belong to the megabat suborder. As frugivores, fruit bats play an important ecological role by dispersing the seeds of the fruits they consume.
Some examples of fruit bats include the Jamaican fruit bat (Artibeus jamaicensis), straw-colored fruit bat (Eidolon helvum), and Egyptian fruit bat (Rousettus aegyptiacus). Fruit bats are found in tropical and subtropical areas worldwide.
Vampire Bats
Only 3 bats species engage in hematophagy – the act of feeding on blood. These real-life vampires are the common vampire bat (Desmodus rotundus), hairy-legged vampire bat (Diphylla ecaudata), and white-winged vampire bat (Diaemus youngi).
Vampire bats inhabit Mexico, Central America, and South America. They typically feed on the blood of mammals like cattle, horses, tapirs, and capybaras. Vampire bats will also opportunistically feed on the blood of humans at times.
How Bats Are Classified
Chiroptera is the scientific term for all bat species, broken down into two suborders: Megabats and microbats.
As their name suggests, megabats are the larger of the two groups. These creatures typically have good eyesight, muscular legs for climbing, and long claws on their digits that enable them to grasp fruit. Megabats eat a diet consisting mainly of fruits, flowers, and leaves.
Meanwhile, microbats are much smaller than their megabat cousins. They use echolocation to navigate and hunt in the dark, and typically eat insects. Microbats make up the vast majority of known bat species with over 1,200 different varieties.
A suborder of the Chiroptera that includes taxa previously known as megabats Pteropodidae:
Pteropodidae is also known as fruit bats and Old World fruit bats. With 191 species, they are the only members of the Pteropodoidea superfamily.
A superfamily of bats that contains five families:
Rhinopomatidae (6 species of mouse-tailed bats)
Craseonycteridae (1 specie of Kitti’s hog-nosed bat or bumblebee bat)
Hipposideridae (88 species of Old World leaf-nosed bats)
Megadermatidae (6 species of false vampire bats)
Rhinolophidae (109 species of horseshoe bats)
Pteropodoidea and Rhinolophoidea are two superfamilies that make up the Yinpterochiroptera suborder.
A suborder of the Chiroptera contains what we typically think of when we picture bats – small, mouse-eared creatures that mostly eat insects. There are about 540 different species of these microbats throughout the world.
Emballonuroidea is a bat superfamily composed of Emballonuridae (54 species sheath-tailed bats) and Nycteridae (15 species slit-faced bats).
A superfamily of bats containing seven families:
Thyropteridae (5 species of Disk-winged bats)
Furipteridae (2 species of Smoky bat and thumbless bat)
Noctilionidae (2 species of Bulldog bats)
Mormoopidae (18 species of Ghost-faced, naked-backed and mustached bats)
Phyllostomidae (217 species of New World leaf-nosed bats)
Myzopodidae (2 species of Madagascar sucker-footed bats)
Mystacinidae (2 species of New Zealand short-tailed bats)
A superfamily of bats containing five families:
Cistugidae (2 species of Wing-gland bats)
Miniopteridae (38 species of Free-tailed bats)
Molossidae (126 species of Free-tailed bats)
Natalidae (12 species of Funnel-eared bats)
Vespertilionidae (496 species of Vesper bats)
Emballonuroidea, Noctilionoidea, and Vespertilionoidea are superfamilies that make up the Yangochiroptera suborder.
Common Types Of Bats
While there are over 1,400 different species of bats, some types are much more common than others. You’re likely to encounter these varieties of bats more often.
A small, brown or gray bat with long nose, the lesser long-nosed bat is found in the southwestern U.S., Mexico, and Central America, this species feeds on nectar and pollen from agave and cacti flowers. Thanks to its long tongue (up to 4 inches!), it’s able to reach deep into the flowers to lap up the nectar.
This bat plays a vital role in the pollination of these plants. Lesser long nosed bats travels what’s known as the “nectar trail” from Mexico to the southwestern U.S., following the blooming of various flowers to ensure a consistent food supply.
During the day, they roost in caves or other sheltered areas. At night, they emerge to forage for food.
Hoary bats are one of the largest types of bats in North America. They’re easily recognizable by their rusty-brown or gray fur, which is interspersed with white hairs – hence the “hoary” name. These bats are found across Canada, the U.S., and Mexico.
Hoary bats primarily eat moths, but they will also feast on other insects, like beetles and wasps. They’re able to eat up to half their body weight in a single night! During the day, they roost in trees. At night, they emerge to forage for food.
Hoary bats have a wide distribution , but they’re not particularly common. In fact, they’re considered a species of “least concern” by the IUCN.
Pallid bats are found in the southwestern U.S., Mexico, and Central America. They get their name from their pale fur, which can range in color from creamy white to tan. Pallid bats are relatively large, with a wingspan of up to 16 inches.
Pallid bats primarily eat insects, like beetles and grasshoppers. One of its favorite foods, the Arizona bark scorpion, is also one of the most venomous scorpions in North America! Pallid bats are immune to the scorpion’s venom, however, so they can eat them, no problem.
During the day, pallid bats roost in caves or other sheltered areas. At night, they emerge to forage for food.
Little brown bats are one of the most common types of bats in North America. As their name suggests, they’re small, with a wingspan of only 8-10 inches. They’re also brown, with darker brown fur on their wings and lighter brown fur on their bodies.
Little brown bats typically eat insects, like moths and beetles and can consume up to 1,000 insects in a single night! The bat has smaller eyes and a less developed sense of smell than other types of bats, so it relies primarily on echolocation to find food. During the day, little brown bats roost in trees, caves, or attics, in small groups of 10-20 bats. At night, they emerge to forage for food.
These bats have helped farmers immensely by eating large numbers of crop pests, like moths. Unfortunately, little brown bats are currently facing a population decline due to a fungal disease called white-nose syndrome.
It’s Freaking Bats!
FAQ
What are the three types of bats?
These were traditionally divided into two suborders: the largely fruit-eating megabats, and the echolocating microbats. But more recent evidence has supported dividing the order into Yinpterochiroptera and Yangochiroptera, with megabats as members of the former along with several species of microbats.
What are the 7 classifications of a bat?
- Kingdom: Animalia (Animals)
- Phylum: Chordata (Possess a basic ‘backbone’)
- Class: Mammalia (Mammals)
- Order: Chiroptera (Bats)
- Sub-Order: Microchiroptera (Micro-bats)
- Family: Verspertilionidae (Evening Bats)
- Genus: Chalinolobus.
- Species: gouldii.
What is the most common type of bat?
| Common name | Binomial name | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Southern red bat | Lasiurus blossevillii | 526 000 000 |
| Brown fruit-eating bat | Artibeus concolor | 488 000 000 |
| Greater bulldog bat | Noctilio leporinus | 511 000 000 |
| Egyptian slit-faced bat | Nycteris thebaica | 503 000 000 |
What is the friendliest type of bat?
However, vampire bats can actually be quite tame, and even friendly to humans. One researcher reported that he had vampire bats that would come to him when he called their names.