''Pipistrellus'' is a genus of

bat Bats are mammals of the order Chiroptera.''cheir'', "hand" and πτερόν''pteron'', "wing". With their forelimbs adapted as wings, they are the only mammals capable of true and sustained flight. Bats are more agile in flight than most ...

s in the family

Vespertilionidae 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 famili ...

and subfamily

Vespertilioninae The Vespertilioninae are a subfamily of vesper bats from the family Vespertilionidae. Classification Subfamily Vespertilioninae *Tribe Antrozoini **Genus '' Antrozous'' *** Pallid bat, ''Antrozous pallidus'' **Genus '' Bauerus'' *** Van Geld ...

. The name of the genus is derived from the

Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance language *** Regional Ita ...

word , meaning "bat" (from

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...

"bird of evening, bat"). The size of the genus has been considerably reduced as a result of work during the 1990s and 2000s, with genera such as '' Arielulus'', ''

Hypsugo The genus ''Hypsugo'' contains many bats referred to as pipistrelles or pipistrelle bats (not to be confused with the genus ''Pipistrellus''). They belong to the family Vespertilionidae or vesper bats. They are primarily found throughout Asia, t ...

'', '' Falsistrellus'', ''

Neoromicia ''Neoromicia'' is a genus of vesper bat in the family Vespertilionidae. It contains the following species: * Anchieta's serotine (''Neoromicia anchietae'') * Kirindy serotine (''Neoromicia bemainty'') * Yellow serotine (''Neoromicia flavescen ...

'', ''

Parastrellus The canyon bat (''Parastrellus hesperus''), also known as the western pipistrelle, is a species of vesper bat. It is found in Mexico and in the western United States. The species has historically been placed in the genus ''Pipistrellus ''Pip ...

'', '' Perimyotis'', ''

Scotozous Dormer's bat or Dormer's pipistrelle (''Scotozous dormeri'') is a species of vesper bat. It is the only species in its genus. It is found in Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, and Pakistan. Its natural habitats are subtropical and tropical dry forests, a ...

'', and '' Vespadelus'' being split off. Still, molecular evidence suggests the genus is not monophyletic. Several other genera in the subfamily Vespertilioninae have also been merged with ''Pipistrellus'' in previous classifications. Species in the genus may be referred to as "pipistrelles" or "pipistrelle bats", though these terms are also used for species now placed in other genera, such as the western pipistrelle (''Parastrellus hesperus'') and

eastern pipistrelle The tricolored bat (''Perimyotis subflavus'') is a species of microbat native to eastern North America. Formerly known as the eastern pipistrelle, based on the incorrect belief that it was closely related to European ''Pipistrellus'' species, th ...

(''Perimyotis subflavus'') of North America. Species of the southern hemisphere separated to genus '' Falsistrellus'' are sometimes referred to as 'false pipistrelle' or 'falsistrelle'. They are somewhat distinguished from their much larger relatives, the noctule bats ''

Nyctalus ''Nyctalus'' is a genus of vespertilionid bats commonly known as the noctule bats. They are distributed in the temperate and subtropical areas of Europe, Asia and North Africa. There are eight species within this genus: * Birdlike noctule, ''Ny ...

'' by their weak, fluttery flight reminiscent of a butterfly, though a few species are more direct in their flight.

Species

* Japanese pipistrelle, ''P. abramus'' * Forest pipistrelle, ''P. adamsi'' * Mount Gargues pipistrelle, ''P. aero'' * Anchieta's pipistrelle, ''P. anchietae'' *

Angulate pipistrelle The angulate pipistrelle (''Pipistrellus angulatus''), also known as the New Guinea pipistrelle, is a species of vesper bat found in Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. Identification This species is virtually identical in appearance to the ...

, ''P. angulatus'' * Kelaart's pipistrelle, ''P. ceylonicus'' * Greater Papuan pipistrelle, ''P. collinus'' * Indian pipistrelle, ''P. coromandra'' * Crete pipistrelle, ''P. creticus'' * Dhofar pipistrelle, ''P. dhofarensis'' * Endo's pipistrelle, ''P. endoi'' * Hanak's dwarf bat, ''P. hanaki'' * Dusky pipistrelle, ''P. hesperidus'' * Aellen's pipistrelle, ''P. inexspectatus'' * Java pipistrelle, ''P. javanicus'' * Kuhl's pipistrelle, ''P. kuhlii'' * Madeira pipistrelle, ''P. maderensis'' * Minahassa pipistrelle, ''P. minahassae'' *†

Christmas Island pipistrelle The Christmas Island pipistrelle (''Pipistrellus murrayi'') was a species of vesper bat found only on Christmas Island, Australia. The species is now extinct, with the last individual bat seen in August 2009 with no further sightings despite in ...

, ''P. murrayi'' (extinct, last sighted in August 2009) * Tiny pipistrelle, ''P. nanulus'' * Nathusius's pipistrelle, ''P. nathusii'' *

Lesser Papuan pipistrelle The lesser Papuan pipistrelle (''Pipistrellus papuanus'') is a species of vesper bat. It can be found in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea (abbreviated PNG; , ; tpi, Papua Niugini; ho, Papua Niu Gini), officially the In ...

, ''P. papuanus'' * Mount Popa pipistrelle, ''P. paterculus'' * Dar es Salaam pipistrelle, ''P. permixtus'' *

Common pipistrelle The common pipistrelle (''Pipistrellus pipistrellus'') is a small pipistrelle microbat whose very large range extends across most of Europe, North Africa, South Asia, and may extend into Korea. It is one of the most common bat species in the Brit ...

, ''P. pipistrellus'' *

Soprano pipistrelle The soprano pipistrelle (''Pipistrellus pygmaeus'') is a small species of bat. It is found in Europe and often roosts on buildings. Taxonomy Until 1999, the soprano pipistrelle was considered as conspecific with the common pipistrelle The co ...

, ''P. pygmaeus'' * Racey's pipistrelle, ''P. raceyi'' * Rüppell's pipistrelle, ''P. rueppellii'' * Rusty pipistrelle, ''P. rusticus'' * Simandou pipistrelle, ''P. simandouensis'' *

Narrow-winged pipistrelle The narrow-winged pipistrelle (''Pipistrellus stenopterus'') is a species of vesper bat. It can be found in Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, and Malaysia Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federal constitutional monarchy ...

, ''P. stenopterus'' *† Sturdee's pipistrelle, ''P. sturdeei'' ( extinct 2000) * Least pipistrelle, ''P. tenuis'' *

Watts's pipistrelle Watt's pipistrelle (''Pipistrellus wattsi'') is a species of vesper bat found only in Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea (abbreviated PNG; , ; tpi, Papua Niugini; ho, Papua Niu Gini), officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea ...

, ''P. wattsi'' * Northern pipistrelle or Koopman's pipistrelle, ''P. westralis''

References

External links

* * {{Taxonbar, from=Q221381 Bat genera Taxa named by Johann Jakob Kaup