Velvety free-tailed bat

The velvety free-tailed bat (Molossus molossus) is a medium-sized bat of the family Molossidae, described by Pallas in 1766 according to the GBIF taxonomic backbone. It is brown, though it looks black when seen flying at dusk, and it has large round ears and a long tail that extends beyond the tail membrane. It measures about 100 millimetres in length with a wingspan of 280 to 330 millimetres. It forages in open areas, above tree canopies and around forest edges, streams and ponds, taking moths, beetles and flying ants. It ranges from Argentina north to Cuba and Mexico, including the Florida Keys, and is very common in the Caribbean. The International Union for Conservation of Nature rates it Least Concern.