North American Yellow Bats, 'Dasypterus,' and a List of the Named Kinds of the Genus Lasiurus Gray

This insightful study takes listeners on a clear‑cut journey through the tangled history of North America’s yellow bats. Beginning with the earliest descriptions of the small and large species, it follows the shifting scientific labels—from Nycticejus and Atalapha to the now‑favored Dasypterus—while explaining why those changes mattered to researchers. The authors weave in fascinating anecdotes about 19th‑century naming battles, giving a vivid sense of how early naturalists wrestled with classification.

The second half offers a concise, well‑organized catalogue of every named member of the genus Lasiurus, setting each species in its geographic and taxonomic context. Along the way, listeners learn about the “law of priority” that governs zoological nomenclature and how it reshaped bat taxonomy in the early 1900s. Whether you’re a seasoned chiropterologist or simply curious about the meticulous world of scientific naming, this work provides a compelling snapshot of bat diversity and the scholarly effort to bring order to it.