Molossus molossus

(Pallas, 1766)

Pallas's Mastiff Bat

Taxonomy

Subclass : Theria
Infraclass : Placentalia
Magnorder : Boreoeutheria
Superorder : Laurasiatheria
Order : Chiroptera
Suborder : Vespertilioniformes
Superfamily : Vespertilionoidea
Family : Molossidae
Subfamily : Molossinae
Genus : Molossus

Species status

Living
Found in the wild
Listed in MSW3 2005

Authority citation

Pallas, P.S. 1766. Miscellanea Zoologica Quibus novæ imprimis atque obscuræ Animalium Species describuntur et observationibus iconibusque illustrantur. Petrus van Cleef, The Hague, 224 pp.

Authority publication link

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/43320966

Original name as described

Vespertilio Molossus

Other common names

Pallas's Free-tailed Bat · Velvety Free-tailed Bat

Type material

larger specimen of Daubenton

Type kind

lectotype

Type locality

America. Restricted by A. M. Husson in 1962 to Martinique, Lesser Antilles.

Biogeographic realm

Nearctic · Neotropic

Country distribution

United States · Puerto Rico · British Virgin Islands · United States Virgin Islands · Antigua and Barbuda · Anguilla · Saint Kitts and Nevis · Montserrat · Guadeloupe · Dominica · Martinique · Saint Lucia · Saba · Sint Eustatius · Saint Vincent and the Grenadines · Barbados · Grenada · Mexico · Belize · Guatemala · Honduras · El Salvador · Nicaragua · Costa Rica · Panama · Colombia · Venezuela · Bonaire · Curaçao · Trinidad and Tobago · Guyana · Suriname · French Guiana · Ecuador · Peru · Bolivia · Brazil · Paraguay · Argentina · Uruguay

Subregion distribution

USA(FL)

Taxonomy notes

previously included M. tropidorhynchus (formerly under the name milleri) and M. verrilli

Taxonomy notes citation

Loureiro, L. O., Engstrom, M., Lim, B., González, C. L., & Juste, J. (2019). Not all Molossus are created equal: genetic variation in the mastiff bat reveals diversity masked by conservative morphology. Acta Chiropterologica, 21(1), 51-64.

IUCN Red List status

Least Concern

Species Permalink

https://www.mammaldiversity.org/taxon/1005202

Country distribution map

The map below provides a general overview. Most species inhabit only specific regions within countries. Hover over the highlighted regions to see the country name.

Names and synonyms

Present and past (if available) associated names to the species. Click on a name to view its details. If the list is long, scroll down to see more.

Molossus daulensis

J. A. Allen, 1916

Family

Molossidae

Root name

daulensis

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

AMNH M-36257

Type kind

holotype

Type specimen URI

http://portal.vertnet.org/o/amnh/mammals?id=urn-catalog-amnh-mammals-m-36257

Authority page

530

Authority publication

Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History

Name usages

Simmons (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8551)

Molossus crassicaudatus tecticola

Osgood, 1916

Family

Molossidae

Root name

tecticola

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

FMNH:Mamm:20221

Type kind

holotype

Type specimen URI

http://portal.vertnet.org/o/fmnh/mammals?id=2b57d0fa-7397-4790-a9ad-e8388aa0d9d4

Authority page

213

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/2651492

Authority publication

Field Museum of Natural History, Zoological Series

Vespertilio Molossus major

(Kerr, 1792)

Family

Molossidae

Root name

major

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

larger specimen of Daubenton

Type kind

holotype

Authority page

97

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/38664115

Authority publication

Edinburgh

Name usages

Simmons (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8551)

Molossus fusci-venter

É. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1805

Family

Molossidae

Root name

fusciventer

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

larger specimen of Daubenton

Type kind

holotype

Authority page

279

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/5495417

Authority publication

Bulletin des Sciences, par la Société philomatique de Paris (1791-1805)

Name usages

  1. Fischer (1814:xix, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/29130080) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/12226)
  2. Lesson (1827:103, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/54207571) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/36839)
  3. Simmons (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8551)

Vespertilio Molossus

(Pallas, 1766)

Family

Molossidae

Root name

molossus

Validity status

species

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

larger specimen of Daubenton

Type kind

lectotype

Authority page

49

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/43320966

Authority publication

The Hague

Name usages

  1. Erxleben (1777:151, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/15872948) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/36060)
  2. Cuvier (1797:106, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/11637188) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/38531)

Molossops planirostris espiritosantensis

(Ruschi, 1951)

Family

Molossidae

Root name

espiritosantensis

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

MBML-MAMIFEROS 839 (= "MBML 10")

Type kind

holotype

Type specimen URI

http://portal.vertnet.org/o/mbml/mbml-mamiferos?id=bra-mbml-mbml-mamiferos-0000000839

Authority page

2

Authority publication

Boletim do Museu de Biologia Mello Leitão

Molossus obscurus

É. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1805

Family

Molossidae

Root name

obscurus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

MNHN ? 225a, MNHN-ZM-MO-1997-1849 (= MNHN ? 225) (= MNHN A 419)

Type kind

syntypes

Type specimen URI

http://coldb.mnhn.fr/catalognumber/mnhn/zm/mo-1997-1849

Authority page

279

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/5495417

Authority publication

Bulletin des Sciences, par la Société philomatique de Paris (1791-1805)

Name usages

  1. Fischer (1814:xix, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/29130080) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/12226)
  2. Lesson (1827:103, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/54207571) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/36839)
  3. Gervais (1837:253) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67308)
  4. Gervais (1837:61, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/13395153) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/38619)
  5. Miller (1913:91, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/7761681) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/17072)
  6. Simmons (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8551)

Vespertilio Molossus minor

(Kerr, 1792)

Family

Molossidae

Root name

minor

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

MNHN 792

Type kind

holotype

Authority page

97

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/38664115

Authority publication

Edinburgh

Name usages

Simmons (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8551)

Molossus longicaudatus

É. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1805

Family

Molossidae

Root name

longicaudatus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

MNHN-ZM-MO-1997-1817 (= MNHN ? 792)

Type kind

holotype

Type specimen URI

http://coldb.mnhn.fr/catalognumber/mnhn/zm/mo-1997-1817

Authority page

279

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/5495417

Authority publication

Bulletin des Sciences, par la Société philomatique de Paris (1791-1805)

Name usages

  1. Fischer (1814:xix, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/29130080) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/12226)
  2. Lesson (1827:103, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/54207571) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/36839)
  3. Simmons (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8551)

Molossus pygmaeus

G. S. Miller, 1900

Family

Molossidae

Root name

pygmaeus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

USNM:MAMM:102104

Type kind

holotype

Type specimen URI

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/3392b090d-1775-4b5f-914b-f4cf895617ba

Authority page

162

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/2308278

Authority publication

Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington

Name usages

Miller (1913:92, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/7761488) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/17072)

Molossus fortis

G. S. Miller, 1913

Family

Molossidae

Root name

fortis

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

USNM:MAMM:102319

Type kind

holotype

Type specimen URI

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/39b569219-834e-4a53-b77d-7934dc68e8e2

Authority page

89

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/7761683

Authority publication

Proceedings of the United States National Museum

Name usages

Miller (1913:89, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/7761683) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/17072)

Molossus debilis

G. S. Miller, 1913

Family

Molossidae

Root name

debilis

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

USNM:MAMM:110935

Type kind

holotype

Type specimen URI

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/31e5952c0-5a6e-40ae-bcc9-7405f937451d

Authority page

90

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/7761682

Authority publication

Proceedings of the United States National Museum

Name usages

Miller (1913:90, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/7761682) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/17072)

Dysopes velox

(Temminck, 1826)

Family

Molossidae

Root name

velox

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

ZMB 2468

Type kind

syntypes

Authority page

234

Authority publication

Paris

Name usages

Lesson (1842:16) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/36812)

Dysopes crassicaudatus

(Illiger, 1815)

Family

Molossidae

Root name

crassicaudatus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

109

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/11080965

Authority publication

Abhandlungen der physikalischen Klasse der Königlich-Preussischen Akademie der Wissenschaften

Name usages

  1. Illiger (1815:109, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/11080965) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/38688)
  2. Lesson (1842:17) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/36812)

Dysopes fusciventris

(Illiger, 1815)

Family

Molossidae

Root name

fusciventris

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

109

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/11080965

Authority publication

Abhandlungen der physikalischen Klasse der Königlich-Preussischen Akademie der Wissenschaften

Name usages

Illiger (1815:109, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/11080965) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/38688)

Dysopes longicaudatus

(Illiger, 1815)

Family

Molossidae

Root name

longicaudatus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

109

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/11080965

Authority publication

Abhandlungen der physikalischen Klasse der Königlich-Preussischen Akademie der Wissenschaften

Name usages

  1. Illiger (1815:109, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/11080965) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/38688)
  2. Lesson (1842:17) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/36812)

Dysopes obscurus

(Illiger, 1815)

Family

Molossidae

Root name

obscurus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

109

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/11080965

Authority publication

Abhandlungen der physikalischen Klasse der Königlich-Preussischen Akademie der Wissenschaften

Name usages

  1. Illiger (1815:109, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/11080965) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/38688)
  2. Lesson (1842:16) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/36812)

Molossus velox

Lesson, 1827

Family

Molossidae

Root name

velox

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

102

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/54207570

Authority publication

Paris

Name usages

  1. Lesson (1827:102, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/54207570) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/36839)
  2. Gray (1839:7, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/42895720) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/20193)
  3. Tschudi (1845:81, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/40007865) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/37358)
  4. Simmons (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8551)

Dysopes fusciventer

(Lesson, 1842)

Family

Molossidae

Root name

fusciventer

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

17

Authority publication

Paris

Name usages

Lesson (1842:17) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/36812)

Dysopes moxensis

(Lesson, 1842)

Family

Molossidae

Root name

moxensis

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

17

Authority publication

Paris

Name usages

Lesson (1842:17) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/36812)

Molossus major

G. S. Miller, 1913

Family

Molossidae

Root name

major

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

90

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/7761682

Authority publication

Proceedings of the United States National Museum

Name usages

Miller (1913:90, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/7761682) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/17072)

Molossus molossus

Corbet & J. Edwards Hill, 1980

Family

Molossidae

Root name

molossus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

82

Authority publication

London

Name usages

  1. Thomas (1972:151) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/50336)
  2. Corbet & Hill (1980:82) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/63069)
  3. Honacki, Kinman & Koeppl (1982:209) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/63071)
  4. Simmons (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8551)
  5. O'Brien, Menninger & Nash (2006:444) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/7321)
  6. Mammal Diversity Database (2018:ID #13648) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67336)
  7. Mammal Diversity Database (2019:ID #13648) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67337)
  8. Wilson & Mittermeier (2019:626) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/59249)
  9. Mammal Diversity Database (2024, https://www.mammaldiversity.org/taxon/1005202) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67250)
  10. International Union for the Conservation of Nature (2024, https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/13648/22106602) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67246)

Molossus molossus debilis

Simmons, 2005

Family

Molossidae

Root name

debilis

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority publication

Baltimore

Name usages

Simmons (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8551)

Molossus molossus fortis

Simmons, 2005

Family

Molossidae

Root name

fortis

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority publication

Baltimore

Name usages

Simmons (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8551)

Molossus molossus molossus

Simmons, 2005

Family

Molossidae

Root name

molossus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority publication

Baltimore

Name usages

Simmons (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8551)

Molossus molossus pygmaeus

Simmons, 2005

Family

Molossidae

Root name

pygmaeus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority publication

Baltimore

Name usages

Simmons (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8551)

Molossus crassi-caudatus

É. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1805

Family

Molossidae

Root name

crassicaudatus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

279

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/5495417

Authority publication

Bulletin des Sciences, par la Société philomatique de Paris (1791-1805)

Name usages

  1. Fischer (1814:xix, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/29130080) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/12226)
  2. Lesson (1827:103, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/54207571) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/36839)
  3. Miller (1913:91, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/7761681) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/17072)
  4. Simmons (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8551)

Molossus acuticaudatus

A. G. Desmarest, 1821

Family

Molossidae

Root name

acuticaudatus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

116

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/39523880

Authority publication

Paris

Name usages

  1. Lesson (1827:104, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/54207572) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/36839)
  2. Simmons (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8551)

Dysopes obsculus

(Temminck, 1826)

Family

Molossidae

Root name

obsculus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

incorrectsubsequentspelling

Authority page

236

Authority publication

Paris

Molossus moxensis

d'Orbigny, 1837

Family

Molossidae

Root name

moxensis

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

pl. 11 (figs. 1–4)

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/14544155

Authority publication

Paris

Name usages

Simmons (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8551)

Dysopes amplexicaudus

(J. A. Wagner, 1847)

Family

Molossidae

Root name

amplexicaudus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

notusedas_valid

Authority page

203

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/11387653

Authority publication

Abhandlungen der Bayerischen Akademie der Wissenschaften

Name usages

  1. Wagner (1847:203, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/11387653) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/38237)
  2. Simmons (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8551)

Dysopes olivaceo-fuscus

(J. A. Wagner, 1847)

Family

Molossidae

Root name

olivaceofuscus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

202

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/11387652

Authority publication

Abhandlungen der Bayerischen Akademie der Wissenschaften

Name usages

  1. Wagner (1847:202, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/11387652) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/38237)
  2. Simmons (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8551)

Molossus molussus

Willig, 1985

Family

Molossidae

Root name

molussus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

incorrectsubsequentspelling

Authority page

671

Authority publication

Journal of Mammalogy

Molosus molosus

Polanco-Ochoa, Jaimes, & Piragua, 2000

Family

Molossidae

Root name

molosus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

incorrectsubsequentspelling

Authority page

675

Authority publication

Revista de la Academia Colombiana de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales

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