Nycteridae

Nycteris is a genus of bats known as slit-faced or hollow-faced bats, belonging to the family Nycteridae. They are found in East Malaysia, Indonesia, and various parts of Africa. These small bats measure between 4 to 8 centimeters in body length, with grey, brown, or reddish fur. Their unique skull features an interorbital concavity and a long facial slit, which likely aids in echolocation. They have large ears, a complex nose-leaf, and T-shaped tails made of cartilage.

Slit-faced bats inhabit rainforests and savannas, roosting in caves, trees, buildings, and even animal burrows. Their diet consists mainly of insects and occasional small vertebrates, like frogs and birds. Unlike many bats, their echolocation calls are quiet and short, relying more on sound produced by their prey. The genus is found across the Afrotropics and surrounding regions.