See text Taphozous is a genus of the family Emballonuridae.

The wide distribution of the genus includes several regions of Australia, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and Africa.

Taphozous comes from the Greek τάφος, meaning "a tomb".

The common names for species include variants on sac-winged, sheathtail, or tomb bats.

Some populations are poorly known, the species Taphozous hilli was not recognised amongst the population of the more common species Taphozous georgianus until 1980.