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.
Mormopterus is a genus of molossid microchiropterans, small flying mammals referred to as free-tailed bats. The genus has been the subject of several revisions, and the diversity of taxa centred on Australia were separated to a new genus Ozimops, and two monotypic genera, Setirostris and Micronomus. The species of Mormopterus, in this stricter sense, are only found in areas outside of Australia and West Papua.
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 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.
Ozimops planiceps is a small bat in the family Molossidae, native to Australia and Indonesia.
The Natal free-tailed bat is a species of bat in the family Molossidae, the free-tailed bats. It is native to the islands of Mauritius and Réunion. It is known from fewer than five locations in its range, but it is common at a few sites. It roosts in caves, and it is considered to be an endangered species due to disturbance of its cave habitat.
Peters's wrinkle-lipped bat(Mormopterus jugularis), also called Peters's goblin bat, is a species of bat in the family Molossidae, the free-tailed bats. It is endemic to Madagascar, where it is widespread and in some areas abundant. It commonly roosts in human-made structures, sometimes in colonies with other free-tailed bat species. It forages in the open, often in agricultural areas. The bat is sexually dimorphic, with males larger than females.
The little goblin bat is a species of bat in the family Molossidae, the free-tailed bats. It is endemic to Cuba.
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 gland-tailed free-tailed bat is a species of bat in the family Molossidae. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist montane forests, dry savanna, and caves. It is threatened by habitat loss.
The Sulawesi free-tailed bat is a species of bat in the family Molossidae. It is found in Indonesia and the Philippines.
The Bini free-tailed bat is a species of bat in the family Molossidae. It is found in Cameroon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Ghana, Nigeria, and Uganda. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.
Setirostris eleryi is a species of small insectivorous bat found in inland eastern Australia. It is the sole species of the molossid genus Setirostris, a name that refers to the coarse bristles on their faces. Earlier common names have referred to this unique feature and the 'free-tail' that is a common feature of the microchiropteran family Molossidae; no single common name emerged during taxonomic revisions that identified what was referred to as the 'bristle-faced freetail'.
Cynomops milleri is a species of bat that is native to South America. It was previously considered a subspecies of the Para dog-faced bat. It is considered a small- to medium-sized member of its genus. It is classified as least concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature because it appears to be common and widespread. It is found in Venezuela, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, Brazil, and Peru.
Platyrrhinus ismaeli is a species of bat found in South America.
Ozimops ridei is a species of molossid bat found in eastern Australia.
Ozimops petersi, the inland free-tailed bat is a species of bat found in Australia.
Eumops wilsoni is a species of bat native to Ecuador and Peru. The bat has a distinct karyotype, sequence of the mitochondrial cytochrome-b gene, and other distinct genetic markers that distinguish it from closely related bats such as Eumops glaucinus and Eumops ferox. However, there are no morphological distinctions from those related species and thus there is uncertainty of its geographic distribution and population status, leading to its classification as "data deficient". Local threats to the bat's dry forest habitat further impede efforts to study the bats. Transition to farmland and urbanization threatens the dry forest habitat of the bat in the Andes. As an endemic species, the bat may be threatened by this habitat loss.
Ozimops kitcheneri, the south-western free-tailed bat, is a species of molossid bat found in Southwest Australia. A small flying mammal, it forages in forests and woodlands for insects.
Ozimops is a genus of molossid bats found in Australia, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.
