Family MOLOSSIDAE

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Introduction

Molossid bats are characterised by the absence of postorbital processes and only the palatal branch of the premaxillae may be present. There is articulation between the greater tuberosity of the humerus and the scapula. The upper lip is heavy and often has vertical folds. The ears are broad, often joined across the head and the tragus is present. The fifth manal digit is short, half or less the length of the third. The wing, therefore, is long and narrow and this family includes some of the fastest flying species of bats. The fibula is well developed, the legs short and strong. Conspicuous stiff bristle-like hairs are present on the feet. The tail extends well beyond the trailing edge of the interfemoral membrane.

Molossids are usually cavernicolous; roosts may be found in a variety of situations. All species are insectivorous. Although brief periods of torpor may occur, prolonged hibernation does not. Seasonal migration does occur. Although some species are solitary, most are social and colonies of enormous numbers of individuals are documented.

Reardon et al. (2014) show that Mormopterus Peters, 1865 is not present in Australia, but limited to New Guinea.

Excluded Taxa

Misidentifications

MOLOSSIDAE: Mormopterus beccarii Peters, 1881 — Reardon, T.B., McKenzie, N.L., Cooper, S.J.B., Appleton, B., Carthew, S. & Adams, M. 2014. A molecular and morphological investigation of species boundaries and phylogenetic relationships in Australian free-tailed bats Mormopterus (Chiroptera : Molossidae). Australian Journal of Zoology 62(2): 109–136 (restricted to Indo-Papuan region)

Mormopterus beccarii astrolabiensis (Meyer, 1899) [subsequently identified as new species M. lumsdenae Reardon, McKenzie & Adams, 2014] — Reardon, T.B., McKenzie, N.L., Cooper, S.J.B., Appleton, B., Carthew, S. & Adams, M. 2014. A molecular and morphological investigation of species boundaries and phylogenetic relationships in Australian free-tailed bats Mormopterus (Chiroptera : Molossidae). Australian Journal of Zoology 62(2): 109–136 (New Guinea species)

MOLOSSIDAE: Tadarida Rafinesque, 1814 — Gregorin, R. 2000. Filogenia de Molossidae Gervais, 1856 (Mammalia: Chiroptera). Ph.D. dissertation, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.; Ammerman, L. K., Lee, D. N. & Tipps, T. M. 2012. First molecular phylogenetic insights into the evolution of free-tailed bats in the subfamily Molossinae (Molossidae, Chiroptera). Journal of Mammalogy 93: 12–28 (following Gregorin (2000))

General References

Allison, F.R. 1988. Molossidae. pp. 892-909 in Walton, D.W. & Richardson, B.J. (eds). Fauna of Australia. Volume 1B Mammalia. Canberra : Australian Government Publishing Service 827 pp.

Gregorin, R. & Cirranello, A. 2015. Phylogeny of Molossidae Gervais (Mammalia: Chiroptera) inferred by morphological data. Cladistics 32(2016): 2–35

Jackson, S. & Groves, C. 2015. Taxonomy of Australian Mammals. Melbourne : CSIRO Publishing 520 pp. [256]

Reardon, T.B., McKenzie, N.L., Cooper, S.J.B., Appleton, B., Carthew, S. & Adams, M. 2014. A molecular and morphological investigation of species boundaries and phylogenetic relationships in Australian free-tailed bats Mormopterus (Chiroptera : Molossidae). Australian Journal of Zoology 62(2): 109–136

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