Tylonycteris tonkinensis

Tilcayo Cats original · Bats · Sources and editorial assessment · Originals retention rule

Tylonycteris tonkinensis is a small bamboo bat of the family Vespertilionidae. Described in 2017, it was distinguished from other bats formerly grouped under Tylonycteris robustula by combined anatomical and genetic evidence.

Appearance

The bat has a markedly flattened head, dark wing membranes and fleshy pads beneath the feet and at the bases of the thumbs. The description reports forearms measuring 25.1–27.8 mm. Upper fur varies from golden-red at its base to dark brown at the tips, while the underside is lighter golden-brown.

It is larger than the Tylonycteris fulvida found alongside it in northern Indochina. However, its measurements overlap those of Tylonycteris malayana and T. robustula. DNA evidence was consequently important in establishing its distinct identity.

Distribution and habitat

The original description recorded the species in northern Vietnam and northeastern Laos. Vietnamese captures came from beside bamboo groves at forest edges near rural settlements, including sites above 1,000 metres. The reported Laotian sites were lower, at 500–800 metres.

The July 2026 Mammal Diversity Database also lists China, while marking Myanmar as uncertain. That later compilation should not be mistaken for the narrower distribution known when the species was described.

Classification and name

The 2017 revision compared mitochondrial DNA, seven nuclear genes and skull measurements across Southeast Asian bamboo bats. It restored T. fulvida and T. malayana as distinct species and described T. tonkinensis for a northern Indochinese lineage. The name refers to Tonkin, a historical name for northern Vietnam.