Nyctalus fossil map
Where fossils of Nyctalus have been found, shown on the Earth as it looked about 0 million years ago and on today’s map.
Dots are fossil collections recorded in the Paleobiology Database. The “then” view moves today’s fossil sites back to their positions 0 million years ago (the time slice nearest the median age of the fossils) using the Merdith et al. (2021) plate model; positions are approximate. Open on the timeline map →
| Group | Early mammals |
|---|---|
| Lived | 2.58 million years ago to the present (Gelasian to Holocene) |
| Periods | Quaternary |
| Family | Vespertilionidae |
| Named by | Bowdich 1925 |
| Fossil records | 14 occurrences at 6 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | Greece, Spain, Hungary, United Kingdom, Austria |
| Rock formations | txn:40663, Cromer Forest Bed |
About 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, Nyctalus aviator
Azores noctule, Nyctalus azoreum
Japanese noctule, Nyctalus furvus
Greater noctule bat, Nyctalus lasiopterus
Lesser noctule, Nyctalus leisleri
Mountain noctule, Nyctalus montanus
Common noctule, Nyctalus noctula
Chinese noctule, Nyctalus plancyi
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Nyctalus (revision 1233781575), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0; introduction excerpted verbatim, formatting removed. Ages, family, authority and fossil records: Paleobiology Database, accessed 23 October 2026. Ages are those of the rock layers the fossils were found in. Wikidata: Q319018.
