The bat genus Mormopterus belongs to a group commonly referred to as "free-tailed bats" (although that term can refer to any bat in the family Molossidae). Mormopterus bats were once included in the genus Tadarida but they have since been proven genetically distinct.^[1]

This genus is currently in a state of ongoing study as to its true affinities within the rest of the Molossidae, but as it currently stands, it contains two subgenera, one Australasian containing five species, the other a wide-ranging group with seven species including the western side of South America as far south as northern Chile, Cuba, Sumatra, South Africa and East Africa including Madagascar within its far-flung range.

They are as a group somewhat smaller in size in comparison to the majority of the family though still have the long, narrow wings for fast direct flight, very characteristic of this family though some of the Australian species can also scurry after prey on the ground, which is quite unusual behaviour for such aerial animals.

There are twelve species within two subgenera:

• subgenus Mormopterus
  • Natal Free-Tailed Bat (M. acetabulosus)
  • Mormopterus francoismoutoui
  • Sumatran Mastiff Bat (M. doriae)
  • Peter's Wrinkle-Lipped Bat (M. jugularis)
  • Kalinowski's Mastiff Bat (M. kalinowskii)
  • Little Goblin Bat (M. minutus)
  • Incan Little Mastiff Bat (M. phrudus)
• subgenus Micronomus
  • Beccari's Mastiff Bat (M. beccarii)
  • Mormopterus eleryi
  • Mormopterus loriae
  • Eastern Little Mastiff Bat (M. norfolkensis)
  • Southern Free-Tailed Bat (M. planiceps)

In addition, Peters's Flat-headed Bat (Platymops setiger) and Roberts's Flat-headed Bat (Sauromys petrophilus) were once thought to belong to this genus.

References

Mormopterus is a subgenus of the identically-named Mormopterus genus of bats.

It is wide-ranging with six species, and includes the western side of South America as far south as northern Chile, Cuba, Sumatra, South Africa and East Africa including Madagascar within its far-flung range. Species in this subgenus are:

• Natal Free-Tailed Bat (M. acetabulosus)
• Sumatran Mastiff Bat (M. doriae)
• Peter's Wrinkle-Lipped Bat (M. jugularis)
• Kalinowski's Mastiff Bat (M. kalinowskii)
• Little Goblin Bat (M. minutus)
• Incan Little Mastiff Bat (M. phrudus)

References

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