Species within this genus are widely distributed across Australia and to the north at Papua New Guinea and Indonesia.

The genus was erected by Ellis Troughton in his 1943 volume on Australian mammals,[1] having previously identified new taxa of "broad-nosed bats".

Scotorepens has been allied to the Vespertilionini tribe of the subfamily Vespertilioninae, or grouped with Nycticeiini in earlier revisions.

An undescribed species somewhat resembling Scotorepens orion, although smaller in size and weight, is designated the "central-eastern broad-nosed bat" pending further investigation.

[4][3] A genus of moderately small microchiropterans, the face is distinguished the lack of hair on the muzzle or the elaborate nose-leaf structure of other genera.