Horseshoe Bat - Classification

Classification

Horseshoe bats are closely related to the family Hipposideridae, which is often included within Rhinolophidae; however, it is now considered a separate family (Simmons, 2005; Hutcheon and Kirsch, 2006). In addition to the sole living genus, Rhinolophus, Rhinolophidae contains one extinct genus, Palaeonycteris (McKenna and Bell, 1997). Many species are extremely difficult to distinguish.

Although horseshoe bats have traditionally been included in the suborder Microchiroptera ("microbats"), genetic evidence suggests they and a few other microbat families are more closely related to Pteropodidae, the only family of "megabats" (Megachiroptera). Therefore, Pteropodidae, horseshoe bats, and related families are now placed in a single suborder, called Yinpterochiroptera or Pteropodiformes (Hutcheon and Kirsch, 2006).