In Africa, this family is represented by the single genus Nycteris, comprising at least 15 species (Monadjem 2019), of which nine have been recorded in the region. Members of this genus are immediately recognisable by the arrangement of their noseleafs, which are covered by flaps of skin, giving the appearance of a slit running down the length of the muzzle (Figure 170b). This genus has another unique feature: the last vertebra of the tail is bifurcated at its tip, creating a ‘T’ effect, which assists with supporting the tail membrane (Figure 170a) (Hill and Smith 1984, Neuweiler 1990). The wings are characteristically broad with rounded tips, adaptations for slow, manoeuvrable flight (Norberg and Rayner 1987).

African species were originally classified in the genus Petalia. Andersen (1912b) grouped the then known species into four ‘species groups’ based on tragus shape (Figure 172), size of the posterior lower premolar, and whether the upper incisors are bifid or trifid (Figure 171) (Rosevear 1965). This arrangement was amended by Aellen (1959) into five groups, and recent molecular evidence confirms this higher-level classification of Nycteris (Demos et al. 2019a).

Convergent evolution appears conspicuous in Nycteris, because species that appear very similar in external characters are in fact divergent, cryptic species. For example, the distinctive bacular morphology of the very similar N. woodi and N. parisii suggests that the latter is more closely related to N. macrotis, whilst bacular characters in N. woodi point to its affinities with N. thebaica (Thomas et al. 1994). Previously, multivariate analyses of external measurements led van Cakenberghe and de Vree (1985) to conclude that N. woodi and N. parisii were conspecific. A new phylogeny for Nycteris was published after the revisions to this book were completed, and shows deep divisions within the genus. This suggests that several species comprise complexes, including N. thebaica, N. hispida and N. macrotis (Demos et al. 2019a). Integrative taxonomy is required to resolve the relationships of these populations at a Pan-African scale.

Nycterids are aptly called ‘whispering’ bats, as they emit soft, low-intensity multi-harmonic low dutycycle frequency-modulated (LD-FM) echolocation calls (Neuweiler 1990). The distinctly elongated ears presumably assist with the detection of prey, which often consists of invertebrates that are taken off the ground (Bowie et al. 1999).