''Submyotodon'' is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

vespertilionid Vespertilionidae is a family of microbats, of the order Chiroptera, flying, insect-eating mammals variously described as the common, vesper, or simple nosed bats. The vespertilionid family is the most diverse and widely distributed of bat familie ...

bats, published as a new taxon in 2003 to describe a

Miocene The Miocene ( ) is the first epoch (geology), geological epoch of the Neogene Period and extends from about (Ma). The Miocene was named by Scottish geologist Charles Lyell; the name comes from the Greek words (', "less") and (', "new") and mea ...

fossil species. Extant species and subspecies previously included in ''

Myotis The mouse-eared bats or myotises are a diverse and widespread genus (''Myotis'') of bats within the family Vespertilionidae. The noun "''myotis''" itself is a Neo-Latin construction, from the Greek "''muós'' (meaning "mouse") and "''oûs''" ( ...

'' were later transferred to this genus. Species in this genus are referred to as broad-muzzled bats or broad-muzzled myotises.

Taxonomy and etymology

''Submyotodon'' was described as a new genus of bat in 2003, based on

fossil A fossil (from Classical Latin , ) is any preserved remains, impression, or trace of any once-living thing from a past geological age. Examples include bones, shells, exoskeletons, stone imprints of animals or microbes, objects preserve ...

specimens found near Eichstätt, Germany. The

type species In International_Code_of_Zoological_Nomenclature, zoological nomenclature, a type species (''species typica'') is the species name with which the name of a genus or subgenus is considered to be permanently taxonomically associated, i.e., the spe ...

is '' Submyotodon petersbuchensis''. The genus name ''Submyotodon'' is from the

Latin Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...

prefix ('under' or 'close to'), + the

Greek Greek may refer to: Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor of all kno ...

roots (, 'mouse') + (, , 'ear') + (, , 'tooth'). This refers to the fact that its

molars The molars or molar teeth are large, flat tooth, teeth at the back of the mouth. They are more developed in mammal, mammals. They are used primarily to comminution, grind food during mastication, chewing. The name ''molar'' derives from Latin, '' ...

are similar to those of the

mouse-eared bat The mouse-eared bats or myotises are a diverse and widespread genus (''Myotis'') of bats within the family Vespertilionidae. The noun "''myotis''" itself is a Neo-Latin construction, from the Greek language, Greek "''muós'' (meaning "mouse") an ...

s, e.g. "myotodont" molars. Myotodont molars are characterized by a postcristid (enamel ridge linking the

hypoconid Many different terms have been proposed for features of the tooth crown in mammals. The structures within the molars receive different names according to their position and morphology. This nomenclature was developed by Henry Fairfield Osborn i ...

and hypoconulid) that links to the entoconid (inner posterior cusp of a molar). ''Submyotodon'' is the second extant genus included in the

subfamily In biological classification, a subfamily (Latin: ', plural ') is an auxiliary (intermediate) taxonomic rank, next below family but more inclusive than genus. Standard nomenclature rules end botanical subfamily names with "-oideae", and zo ...

Myotinae Myotinae is a subfamily of vesper bats. It contains three genera: '' Eudiscopus'', ''Myotis'', and ''Submyotodon''. Before the description of ''Submyotodon'' and analysis of its phylogenetics, as well as a phylogenetic analysis of '' Eudiscopus'', ...

. Before the description of ''Submyotodon'' and analysis of its phylogenetics, the only member of Myotinae was the genus ''Myotis''.

Species

Extant

* '' Submyotodon caliginosus'' ( Tomes, 1859) - Himalayan broad-muzzled bat * '' Submyotodon latirostris'' ( Kishida, 1932) - Taiwan broad-muzzled bat * '' Submyotodon moupinensis'' (

Milne-Edwards Milne-Edwards is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Henri Milne-Edwards (1800–1885), French zoologist * Alphonse Milne-Edwards (1835–1900), French ornithologist and carcinologist, a son of Henri Milne-Edwards See also * Miln ...

, 1872) - Moupin broad-muzzled bat

Fossil

* '' Submyotodon petersbuchensis'' Ziegler, 2003

Range

The extinct ''S. petersbuchensis'' was discovered in

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

. The three extant species are found in

Asia Asia ( , ) is the largest continent in the world by both land area and population. It covers an area of more than 44 million square kilometres, about 30% of Earth's total land area and 8% of Earth's total surface area. The continent, which ...

, including

Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia. The main geography of Taiwan, island of Taiwan, also known as ''Formosa'', lies between the East China Sea, East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocea ...

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

, and

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q19521380 Submyotodon Bat genera Extant Miocene first appearances