(This section about Taxonomy has been developed primarily from the books "Bats - A Natural History" and from "Walker's Bats of the World")
TAXONOMY
There are approximately 978 species in the Order Chiroptera. They can be found worldwide, except in extreme polar regions. Chiroptera are the second largest order of mammals, outnumbered only by rodents!
Order Chiroptera
Suborder Megachiroptera
Family Pteropodidae (Old world fruit bats or 'flying foxes' - 166 species)
Suborder Michrochiroptera
Infraorder Yinochiroptera
Superfamily Emballonuroidea
Family Emballonuridae (sac-winged or sheath-tailed bats - 48 species)
Family Craseonycteridae (bumble bee bat - 1 species)
Family Rhinopomatidae (mouse-tailed or long-tailed bats - 3 species)
Superfamily Rhinolophoidea
Family Nycteridae (split-faced or hollow-faced bats - 13 species)
Family Megadermatidae (false vampire and yellow-winged bats - 5 species)
Family Rhinolophidae (horseshoe bats - 69 species)
Family Hipposideridae (old-world leaf-nosed bats - 63 species)
Infraorder Yangochiroptera
Superfamily Phyllostomoidea
Family Desmodontinae (vampire bats)
Family Mormoopidae (naked-backed, ghost-faced or moustached bats - 8 species)
Family Noctilionidae (fishing & bulldog bats - 2 species)
Family Phyllostomatidae (new world leaf-nosed & spear-nosed bats - 148 species)
Superfamily Vespertilionidea
Family Thyropteridae (disk-winged or New world sucker-footed bats - 2 species)
Family Myzopdidae (Old World sucker-footed bat - 1 species)
Family Furipteridae (thumbless or smoky bats - 2 species)
Family Natalidae (funnel-eared & long-legged bats - 5 species)
Family Mystacinidae (New Zealand short-tailed bat - 1 species)
Family Molossidae (free-tailed and mastiff bats - 86 species)
Family Vespertilionidae (vespertilionid, evening or plain-faced bats - 355 species)
Approximate composition of bats by food type by percentage:
70% are Insectivores
23% are Frugivorous
5% are Nectarivorous
0.7% are Carnivorous
0.3% are Sanguinivorous
