The status of Vespertilio borbonicus E. Geoffroy, 1803 (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae)

The taxonomic history of Scotophilus borbonicus (E. Geoffroy, 1803) from Réunion Island is reviewed and summarised, with the designation of a lectotype. The insular form that it represents is considered conspecific with the small Scotophilus viridis (Peters, 1852) of southern Africa. As a result, Scotophilus borbonicus becomes the valid name for this species, and will also replace Scotophilus leucogaster (Cretzschmar, 1830), if the small members of the genus from more northerly localities in Africa are united with their southern congeners