The genus Vampyrum contains only one species, the Spectral bat ("V. spectrum"). Some alternate names for this species are 'Linnaeus's False vampire bat' and the 'Spectral Vampire bat'. Confusingly, they are not related to the Old World family of large carnivorous bats to be found in the Megadermatidae that are also called false vampires. The animals occur in South America, and Trinidad and Tobago.