The Molossidae, or free-tailed bats, are a family of bats within the order Chiroptera. The Molossidae is the fourth-largest family of bats, containing about 110 species as of 2012. They are generally quite robust, and consist of many strong-flying forms with relatively long and narrow wings with wrinkled lips shared through their genus. Their strong flying forms allows them to fly 60 miles per hour using tail winds and at altitudes over 10,000 feet. This makes them unique among bats, as they are the only bat family that withstands the elevation. They are widespread, being found on every continent except Antarctica. They are typically found in caves, abandoned mines, or tunnels.
The cinnamon dog-faced bat, is a South American bat species of the family Molossidae. It is found in northern and central South America.
The southern dog-faced bat, is a Central and South American bat species of the family Molossidae. It is found in northern Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, French Guiana, Guyana, Panama, Peru, Paraguay, Suriname and Venezuela.
The rufous dog-faced bat, is a bat species from South America. It is found in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Guyana, Peru and Suriname.
The dwarf dog-faced bat is a species of free-tailed bat from South America. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Paraguay and Uruguay, typically at lower elevations. It is one of two species in the genus Molossops, the other being the rufous dog-faced bat. Three subspecies are often recognized, though mammalogist Judith Eger considers it monotypic with no subspecies. It is a small free-tailed bat, with a forearm length of 28.9–32.5 mm (1.14–1.28 in) and a weight of 5–8 g (0.18–0.28 oz); males are larger than females. It is brown, with paler belly fur and darker back fur. Its wings are unusual for a free-tailed bat, with exceptionally broad wingtips. Additionally, it has low wing loading, meaning that it has a large wing surface area relative to its body weight. Therefore, it flies more similarly to a vesper bat than to other species in its own family. As it forages at night for its insect prey, including moths, beetles, and others, it uses two kinds of frequency-modulated echolocation calls: one type is to navigate in open areas and to search for prey, while the other type is used for navigating in cluttered areas or while approaching a prey item.
The Mato Grosso dog-faced bat, is a bat species from South America. It is found in Brazil, Colombia, Guyana and Venezuela.
The Para dog-faced bat, also called the brown dog-faced bat, is a South American bat species of the family Molossidae. It is found in Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela, Guyana, Surinam, French Guiana, Brazil, and northern Argentina.
Andersen's fruit-eating bat is a bat species from South America. It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, and Peru.
Eumops is a genus of bats in the family Molossidae. A total of 17 species of this genus have been described. The name "Eumops" comes from the Greek prefix "Eu-", meaning "good" or "true," and the Malayan word "mops," which means bat.
Greenhall's dog-faced bat is a South American bat species of the family Molossidae. It is found in Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, Venezuela, the Guianas, northeastern Brazil and Trinidad.
Kalinowski's mastiff bat is a species of bat in the family Molossidae, the free-tailed bats. It is native to Peru and northern Chile. Relatively little is known about the species, but it is thought to be common in its range. It is sometimes seen in urban areas. Molecular sequencing data indicates that the closest relatives of M. kalinowski are members of another genus, Nyctinomops.
The Incan little mastiff bat is a species of bat in the family Molossidae, the free-tailed bats. It belongs to the subgenus Micronomus.
The equatorial dog-faced bat is a species of bat in the family Molossidae. It is endemic to Ecuador. They are found in dry, tropical forests. The species is now endangered. The equatorial dog-faced bat feeds on insects.
Molossops is a genus of bat in the family Molossidae. The four member species are found in nearly every country of South America, with the dwarf dog-faced bat being found in the most countries. It contains only two species:
The blunt-eared bat or Peruvian crevice-dwelling bat is a species of bat in the family Molossidae. It is monotypic within the genus Tomopeas and subfamily Tomopeatinae. It is endemic to Peru, where it is considered critically endangered. It is threatened by habitat loss.
The Patagonian bonneted bat, also called the Patagonian dwarf bonneted bat, is a species of free-tailed bat found in Argentina, Bolivia and Paraguay.
Cynomops is a genus of Central and South American dog-faced bats in the family Molossidae. It has sometimes been considered a subgenus of Molossops. It contains the following species:
The Mexican dog-faced bat is a bat species of the family Molossidae from Central America. It is found from Nayarit in Mexico to Costa Rica at elevations up to 1500 m. It was formerly considered a subspecies of C. greenhalli. It roosts in deciduous and evergreen forest, and is usually found near small bodies of water.
Eumops nanus is a species of bat found in Central and South America.
Platyrrhinus ismaeli is a species of bat found in South America.
