Black-bearded Tomb Bat vs Cluster Bat

Taphozous melanopogon compared with Myotis sodalis

Key Differences

• Black-bearded Tomb Bat is Least Concern while Cluster Bat is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Black-bearded Tomb Bat	Cluster Bat
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class same	Mammalia (Mammals)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order same	Chiroptera (Bats)	Chiroptera (Bats)
Family	Emballonuridae	Vespertilionidae
Genus	Taphozous	Myotis
Species	Taphozous melanopogon	Myotis sodalis

Evolutionary Relationship

Black-bearded Tomb Bat and Cluster Bat share a common ancestor at the Order level: Chiroptera. (Bats)

Conservation Status

Black-bearded Tomb Bat

LC — Least Concern

Cluster Bat

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Black-bearded Tomb Bat	Cluster Bat
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Black-bearded Tomb Bat

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Cluster Bat

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Range

Found in United States. Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

Black-bearded Tomb Bat

The Black-bearded Tomb Bat (Taphozous melanopogon) is a species in the genus Taphozous. It is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Cluster Bat

Myotis sodalis, the Indiana bat or cluster bat, is a medium-sized insectivorous bat in the family Vespertilionidae endemic to the eastern United States. It is one of the most endangered bats in North America, listed as Endangered under the U.S. Endangered Species Act and classified as Near Threatened by the IUCN. The species is named for its behavior of clustering in extremely dense hibernation groups—sometimes thousands of bats per square meter—in specific limestone caves and mines during winter. These few critical hibernacula make the species extremely vulnerable to disturbance and disease. Since 2007, Indiana bats have suffered severe mortality from white-nose syndrome, a fungal disease caused by Pseudogymnoascus destructans that disrupts hibernation and causes mass starvation. During summer, Indiana bats roost under loose bark of dead trees and forage for insects over forested landscapes and riparian areas. Foraging individuals consume moths, beetles, and flying insects. Conservation efforts include cave gate protection, white-nose syndrome research, and summer habitat management on public and private lands across the eastern US.