Submyotodon is a genus of vespertilionid bats, published as a new taxon in 2003 to describe a Miocene fossil species. Extant species and subspecies previously included in Myotis 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 specimens found near Eichstätt, Germany.
The
type species is
Submyotodon petersbuchensis.
The genus name
Submyotodon is from the
Latin prefix ('under' or 'close to'), + the
Ancient Greek roots (, 'mouse') + (, , 'ear') + (, , 'tooth'). This refers to the fact that its molars are similar to those of the
, e.g. "myotodont" molars.
Myotodont molars are characterized by a postcristid (enamel ridge linking the hypoconid and hypoconulid) that links to the entoconid (inner posterior cusp of a molar).
Submyotodon is the second extant genus included in the subfamily Myotinae. 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 (Kyukichi Kishida, 1932) - Taiwan broad-muzzled bat
-
Submyotodon moupinensis (Milne-Edwards, 1872) - Moupin broad-muzzled bat
Fossil
-
Submyotodon petersbuchensis Ziegler, 2003
Range
The extinct
S. petersbuchensis was discovered in
Germany.
The three extant species are found in
Asia, including
Taiwan,
India, and
China.
