Yinpterochiroptera

Yinpterochiroptera is a clade within the order Chiroptera that, in contemporary molecular-based classifications, is recognized as one of two major suborders of bats. The other suborder is Yangochiroptera. Yinpterochiroptera includes the family Pteropodidae, the megabats or fruit bats, as well as several echolocating lineages that were historically grouped with Microchiroptera, particularly the horseshoe bats and their relatives within the Rhinolophoidea.

Characteristics and distribution: Members of Yinpterochiroptera show a wide range of sizes and diets. Pteropodidae are generally larger, rely on sight and smell, and mostly do not use echolocation. By contrast, many echolocating microbats in Yinpterochiroptera use laryngeal echolocation for navigation and foraging. In the broader bat fauna, other echolocating lineages reside in Yangochiroptera, which includes families such as Vespertilionidae and Phyllostomidae.

Evolution and taxonomy: The split between Yinpterochiroptera and Yangochiroptera is inferred from molecular phylogenies dating to the early Paleogene, roughly 50–60 million years ago. The framework, notably advanced in studies such as Teeling et al. (2005), has been widely adopted to reinterpret chiropteran relationships, although some classifications continue to use the older Megachiroptera/Microchiroptera terminology.

Notes: The concept reflects a clade-based approach that has become standard in modern bat systematics. As genetic data accumulate, arrangements within Yinpterochiroptera and its relation to Yangochiroptera remain subject to revision, illustrating ongoing efforts to resolve bat evolution.