Great Evening Bat

The great evening bat, Ia io, has the shortest scientific name of any living animal under zoological nomenclature. It is a very large vespertilionid with dark fur, broad wings and powerful teeth. Molecular and morphological work places it among evening-bat relatives rather than the unrelated false-vampire bats (Mammal Diversity Database; specialist phylogenetic studies).

It ranges from the Himalaya and southern China through mainland Southeast Asia. Colonies roost in limestone caves in montane forest and emerge to hunt large insects; occasional predation on small birds has also been documented. Cave disturbance is a localized pressure (species-level dietary and roost studies). It is Nationally Vulnerable (Thailand Red Data 2025).