Northern free-tailed bat

Not to be confused with the species Ozimops lumsdenae, which is also called the northern free-tailed bat.

The northern free-tailed bat (Mops johorensis) is a species of bat in the family Molossidae. It is found in Indonesia and Malaysia.

Northern free-tailed bat
Ears of the Northern free-tailed bat as seen from the back
Conservation status
Vulnerable  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Chiroptera
Family:	Molossidae
Genus:	Mops
Species:	M. johorensis
Binomial name
Mops johorensis (Dobson, 1873)

Taxonomy and etymology

It was described as a new species in 1873 by Irish zoologist George Edward Dobson. Dobson had obtained the holotype from James Wood-Mason. Dobson initially placed it in the genus Molossus and the subgenus Nyctinomus, with a scientific name of Molossus (Nyctinomus) johorensis.^[2] Its species name "johorensis" is Latin for "belonging to Johor." Johor is a state in Malaysia; the holotype was collected there.

Description

Its ears are large and round. Its tragi are small and squarish in shape. Its ears are connected to each other by a band of tissue called the interaural membrane. As a free-tailed bat, its tail extends beyond the uropatagium. Its dental formula is 2.1.2.34.1.2.3, for a total of 36 teeth.^[2]

Conservation

It is currently listed as vulnerable by the IUCN. It meets the criteria for this designation because its population have declined by more than 30% from 2004–2014.^[1]