''Otonycteris'' is a
genus of
vesper bats. Members of this genus are found in
Northern Africa and
Central Asia. Until recently, it was thought to be
monotypic, but in 2010, the
Turkestani long-eared bat
The Turkestani long-eared bat (''Otonycteris leucophaea'') is a species of bat found in Asia. Though it was initially described in 1873 as a species, for many years it was considered synonymous with the desert long-eared bat, ''Otonycteris hempri ...
was distinguished from the
desert long-eared bat
The desert long-eared bat (''Otonycteris hemprichii'') is a species of vesper bat found in North Africa and the Middle East.
Taxonomy
The taxonomic classification of ''Otonycteris'' is unclear, however their chromosomes suggest that this genus i ...
; previously, all populations were recognized as the desert long-eared bat.
Currently, it consists of two species:
*
Desert long-eared bat
The desert long-eared bat (''Otonycteris hemprichii'') is a species of vesper bat found in North Africa and the Middle East.
Taxonomy
The taxonomic classification of ''Otonycteris'' is unclear, however their chromosomes suggest that this genus i ...
(''Otonycteris hemprichii'')
**Subspecies
***''Otonycteris hemprichii hemprichii'': found in
North Africa, the
Levant, and the
Middle East
***''Otonycteris hemprichii cinerea'': found in the mountains of Iran and Oman
***''Otonycteris hemprichii jin'': found in low-elevation deserts of the eastern
Arabian Peninsula
The Arabian Peninsula, (; ar, شِبْهُ الْجَزِيرَةِ الْعَرَبِيَّة, , "Arabian Peninsula" or , , "Island of the Arabs") or Arabia, is a peninsula of Western Asia, situated northeast of Africa on the Arabian Plate ...
and southeast
Iran
*
Turkestani long-eared bat
The Turkestani long-eared bat (''Otonycteris leucophaea'') is a species of bat found in Asia. Though it was initially described in 1873 as a species, for many years it was considered synonymous with the desert long-eared bat, ''Otonycteris hempri ...
(''Otonycteris leucophaea'')
References
Taxa named by Wilhelm Peters
Bat genera
{{Vespertilionidae-stub