List of molossids

Molossidae is one of the twenty families of bats in the mammalian order Chiroptera and part of the microbat suborder. Members of this family are called a molossid, or a free-tailed bat. They are named for their tail, which extends past the uropatagium, a membrane that connects the legs of bats. They are found in all continents besides Antarctica, primarily in caves, forests, savannas, and shrublands, though some species can also be found in deserts, rocky areas, or coastal areas. They range in size from the blunt-eared bat, at 3 cm (1 in) plus a 2 cm (1 in) tail, to the hairless bat, at 18 cm (7 in) plus a 8 cm (3 in) tail. Like all bats, molossids are capable of true and sustained flight, and have forearm lengths ranging from 2 cm (1 in) for many species to 9 cm (4 in) in the hairless bat, big bonneted bat, and western mastiff bat. They are all insectivorous and eat a variety of insects and spiders. Almost no molossids have population estimates, though the Mexican free-tailed bat is estimated to have a population of nearly 100 million, as one of the most numerous mammals in the world, while seven species—the blunt-eared bat, equatorial dog-faced bat, Fijian mastiff bat, La Touche's free-tailed bat, Natal free-tailed bat, São Tomé free-tailed bat, and Solomons mastiff bat—are categorized as endangered species, with populations as low as 200.

The 133 extant species of Molossidae are divided between two subfamilies, Molossinae and Tomopeatinae. Molossinae contains 132 species grouped into 21 genera, while Tomopeatinae contains only a single species.