Chaerephon (known as Chaerephon bats or lesser mastiff bats) is a genus of Old World free-tailed bats in the family Molossidae.[1] Molecular sequence data indicates that Chaerephon, Mops and Tadarida are not monophyletic taxa. The closest relatives of Chaerephon jobimena of Madagascar are Tadarida aegyptiaca of Africa and southwest Asia, and Tadarida brasiliensis of the Americas, which form a clade believed to be about 9.8 million years old. However, the grouping of Chaerephon minus C. jobimena plus Mops was found to be monophyletic.[2]
Species within this genus are:
Chaerephon (known as Chaerephon bats or lesser mastiff bats) is a genus of Old World free-tailed bats in the family Molossidae. Molecular sequence data indicates that Chaerephon, Mops and Tadarida are not monophyletic taxa. The closest relatives of Chaerephon jobimena of Madagascar are Tadarida aegyptiaca of Africa and southwest Asia, and Tadarida brasiliensis of the Americas, which form a clade believed to be about 9.8 million years old. However, the grouping of Chaerephon minus C. jobimena plus Mops was found to be monophyletic.
Species within this genus are:
Chaerephon atsinanana Duke of Abruzzi's free-tailed bat, Chaerephon aloysiisabaudiae Ansorge's free-tailed bat, Chaerephon ansorgei Gland-tailed free-tailed bat, Chaerephon bemmeleni Spotted free-tailed bat, Chaerephon bivittatus Fijian mastiff bat, Chaerephon bregullae Chapin's free-tailed bat, Chaerephon chapini Gallagher's free-tailed bat, Chaerephon gallagheri Northern freetail bat, Chaerephon jobensis Black and red free-tailed bat, Chaerephon jobimena Northern free-tailed bat, Chaerephon johorensis Grandidier's free-tailed bat, Chaerephon leucogaster Lappet-eared free-tailed bat, Chaerephon major Nigerian free-tailed bat, Chaerephon nigeriae Wrinkle-lipped free-tailed bat, Chaerephon plicatus Little free-tailed bat, Chaerephon pumilus Chaerephon pusillus Russet free-tailed bat, Chaerephon russatus Solomons mastiff bat, Chaerephon solomonis São Tomé free-tailed bat, Chaerephon tomensis
