Traditionally, taxonomists have divided the Chiroptera into two suborders, Megachiroptera and Microchiroptera, with the Microchiroptera comprised of two infraorders, Yinochiroptera and Yangochiroptera (Simmons 2005). Recently, molecular analyses confirmed the two suborders, Yinpterochiroptera and Yangochiroptera (Vaughan et al. 2013), despite support for the traditional taxonomy (i.e., Megachiroptera and Microchiroptera) based on echolocation (O’Leary et al. 2013).
Four chiropteran families exist in Korea. The Rhinolophidae and Molossidae, each represented by a single species, the Miniopteridae by two species (one indigenous and one vagrant), whereas, 20 species represent the Vespertilionidae (including one vagrant species). Of the 26 species listed in Korea, we confirmed 24 species (representing 11 genera) and regard Eptesicus kobayashii and Pipistrellus pipistrellus as erroneous identifications.