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  Name Free-tailed Bats
  Regnum Animal ia
  Phylum Chordata
  Classis Mammal ia
  Ordo Chiroptera
  Familia '''Molossidae'''
  Familia Authority Gervais in De Castelnau , 1855


The Free-tailed bats in the family '''Molossidae''' are generally quite robust and consist of many strong flying forms with relatively long and narrow wings. Another common usage of name for some of this group, and indeed a few species from other families is Mastiff Bat . The Western Mastiff Bat, ''Eumops perotis'', a large species from the southwestern United States and Mexico with wings almost two feet across is perhaps one of the best known with this name.

The family name is derived from a length of "free" tail exposed (usually best seen when resting). A special ring of Cartilage slides up or down the tail Vertebrae by muscular action to stretch or retract the skin membrane between it (the tail) and the supporting rear legs. This gives many species a degree of fine tuning in their flight maneuvers to rival their day flying ecological equivalents such as Swifts Apodidae and Swallows and Martins ''' Hirundinidae '''.

There are sixteen genera and eighty five species in total:

  • '' Mormopterus '' (Little Goblin Bats)

  • --- ''M. acetabulosus'' (subgenus ''Mormopterus'')

  • --- ''M. doriae'' (''Mo.'')

  • --- ''M. jugularis'' (''Mo.'')

  • --- ''M. kalinowskii'' (''Mo.'')

  • --- ''M. minutus'' (''Mo.'')

  • --- ''M. phrudus'' (''Mo.'')

  • --- ''M. beccarii'' (subgenus ''Micronomus'')

  • --- ''M. loriae'' (''Mi.'')

  • --- ''M. norfolkensis'' (''Mi.'')

  • --- ''M. planiceps'' (''Mi.'')

  • '' Sauromys '' (South African Flat-headed Bat)

  • --- ''S. petrophilus''

  • '' Platymops '' (Flat-headed Free-tailed Bat)

  • --- ''P. setiger''

  • '' Molossops '' (Broad-faced Bats)

  • --- ''M. neglectus'' (subgenus ''Molossops'')

  • --- ''M. temminckii'' (''Mo.'')

  • --- ''M. abrasus'' (subgenus ''Cynomops'')

  • --- ''M. greenhalli'' (''Cy.'')

  • --- ''M. planirostris'' (''Cy.'')

  • '' Neoplatymops '' (South American Flat-headed Bat)

  • --- ''N. mattogrossensis''

  • ''Cabreramops''

  • --- (genus created for species first classified as ''Molossops aequatorianus'')

  • '' Myopterus ''

  • --- ''M. albatus''

  • --- ''M. daubentonii''

  • --- ''M. whitleyi''

  • '' Tadarida '' (Free-tailed Bats)

  • --- ''T. brasiliensis'' (Now in subgenus ''Rhizomops'')

  • --- ''T. aegyptiaca''

  • --- ''T. australis''

  • --- ''T. fulminans''

  • --- ''T. kuboriensis''

  • --- ''T. lobata''

  • --- ''T. teniotis''

  • --- ''T. ventralis''

  • '' Chaerephon '' (Lesser Mastiff Bats)

  • --- ''C. aloysiisabaudiae''

  • --- ''C. ansorgei''

  • --- ''C. bemmelini''

  • --- ''C. bivittata''

  • --- ''C. chapini''

  • --- '' C. Gallagheri ''

  • --- ''C. jobensis''

  • --- ''C. johorensis''

  • --- ''C. major''

  • --- ''C. nigeriae''

  • --- ''C. plicata''

  • --- ''C. pumila''

  • --- ''C. russata''

  • '' Mops '' (Greater Mastiff Bats)

  • --- ''M. condylurus'' (subgenus ''Mops'')

  • --- ''M. congica'' (''Mo.'')

  • --- ''M. demonstrator'' (''Mo.'')

  • --- ''M. midas'' (''Mo.'')

  • --- ''M. mops'' (''Mo.'')

  • --- ''M. niveiventer'' (''Mo.'')

  • --- ''M. sarasinorum'' (''Mo.'')

  • --- ''M. trevori'' (''Mo.'')

  • --- ''M. brachyptera'' (subgenus ''Xiphonycteris'')

  • --- ''M. leonis'' (''Xi.'')

  • --- ''M. nanulus'' (''Xi.'')

  • --- ''M. petersoni'' (''Xi.'')

  • --- ''M. spurrelli'' (''Xi.'')

  • --- ''M. thersites'' (''Xi.'')

  • '' Otomops '' (Big-eared Free-tailed Bats)

  • --- ''O. formosus''

  • --- ''O. martiensseni''

  • --- ''O. papuensis''

  • --- ''O. secundus''

  • --- ''O. wroughtoni''

  • '' Nyctinomops '' (New World Free-tailed Bats)

  • --- ''N. aurispinosus''

  • --- ''N. femorosaccus''

  • --- ''N. laticaudatus''

  • --- ''N. macrotis''

  • '' Eumops '' (Mastiff Bats, or Bonneted Bats)

  • --- ''E. auripendulus''

  • --- ''E. bonariensis''

  • --- ''E. dabbenei''

  • --- ''E. glaucinus''

  • --- ''E. hansae''

  • --- ''E. maurus''

  • --- ''E. perotis''

  • --- ''E. trumbulli''

  • --- ''E. underwoodi''

  • '' Promops '' (Domed-palate Mastiff Bats)

  • --- ''P. centralis''

  • --- ''P. nasutus''

  • '' Molossus '' (Velvety Free-tailed Bats)

  • --- ''M. ater''

  • --- ''M. barnesi''

  • --- ''M. bondae''

  • --- ''M. molossus''

  • --- ''M. pretiosus''

  • --- ''M. sinaloae''

  • --- ''M. trinitatus''

  • '' Cheiromeles '' (Naked Bats, or Hairless Bats)

  • --- ''C. parvidens''

  • --- ''C. torquatus''



SEE ALSO




REFERENCES IN BORNEO


Abdullah MT. 2003. Biogeography and variation of ''Cynopterus brachyotis'' in Southeast Asia. PhD thesis. The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Australia.

Corbet, GB, Hill JE. 1992. The mammals of the Indomalayan region: a systematic review. Oxford University Press, Oxford.

Hall LS, Gordon G. Grigg, Craig Moritz, Besar Ketol, Isa Sait, Wahab Marni and M.T. Abdullah. 2004. Biogeography of fruit bats in Southeast Asia. Sarawak Museum Journal LX(81):191-284.

Karim, C., A.A. Tuen and M.T. Abdullah. 2004. Mammals. Sarawak Museum Journal Special
Issue No. 6. 80: 221—234.

Mohd. Azlan J., Ibnu Maryanto , Agus P. Kartono and M.T. Abdullah. 2003 Diversity, Relative
Abundance and Conservation of Chiropterans in Kayan Mentarang National Park, East
Kalimantan, Indonesia. Sarawak Museum Journal 79: 251-265.

Hall LS, Richards GC, Abdullah MT. 2002. The bats of Niah National Park, Sarawak. Sarawak Museum Journal. 78: 255-282.

Wilson DE, Reeder DM. 2005. Mammal species of the world. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington DC.