Cluster Bat vs Natterer's Bat

Myotis sodalis compared with Myotis nattereri

Key Differences

• Cluster Bat is Near Threatened while Natterer's Bat is Critically Endangered.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Cluster Bat	Natterer's Bat
Kingdom same	Animalia (동물)	Animalia (동물)
Phylum same	Chordata (척삭동물)	Chordata (척삭동물)
Class same	Mammalia (포유류)	Mammalia (포유류)
Order same	Chiroptera (박쥐)	Chiroptera (박쥐)
Family same	Vespertilionidae	Vespertilionidae
Genus same	Myotis	Myotis
Species	Myotis sodalis	Myotis nattereri

Evolutionary Relationship

Cluster Bat and Natterer's Bat share a common ancestor at the Genus level: Myotis.

Conservation Status

Cluster Bat

NT — Near Threatened

Natterer's Bat

CR — Critically Endangered

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Cluster Bat	Natterer's Bat
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

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.

Natterer's Bat

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including temperate broadleaf and mixed forests, temperate coniferous forests, and temperate grasslands and steppes within the Palearctic biogeographic realm. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Found across Europe (6 countries). Currently classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

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.