| Austronomus | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Chiroptera |
| Family: | Molossidae |
| Genus: | Austronomus Troughton, 1944 |
Austronomus, known as Australasian free-tailed bats, [1] is a molossid genus of microchiropterans. The two recognised species are the white-striped Austronomus australis , found in a wide distribution range across Australia, and the New Guinea species Austronomus kuboriensis . [2]
The genus name was first proposed by Tom Iredale and Ellis Troughton in 1934, but this lacked a formal description until Troughton included one in his Furred animals of Australia (1944). The type species of the genus is Molossus australis Gray, 1838.
Austronomus has previously been considered a synonym of Tadarida , a widespread genus of freetail bats. However, morphological evidence suggests that this broad concept of Tadarida is not monophyletic. [3]
