Endocranial Cast Anatomy of the Extinct Hipposiderid Bats Palaeophyllophora and Hipposideros (Pseudorhinolophus) (Mammalia: Chiroptera)

Bat fossil endocasts have been little studied in the literature (nine published works, only one XXIth century), and macromorphology of brain extant bats has characterized at family-level. We describe here detail endocranial casts four hipposiderid species based on μCT-scans data propose a revised nomenclature structures that leave their imprint casts. Exhaustive comparisons external morphology our cranial endocast sample allow us to discuss distribution both qualitative quantitative features this family for different epochs. A conservatism is considered be rule during evolution. Indeed, we found encephalization did not increase since Eocene (contrary other mammals) close between Paleogene, Miocene, species. However, subtler but promising fine anatomical characters might distinguishing genera Eventually, expanding and/or adding could shake paradigm temporal homogeneity bring new light morpho-anatomical evolutionary history Hipposideridae.