Molossus rufus E. Geoffroy 1805

Wilson, Don E. & Reeder, DeeAnn, 2005, Order Chiroptera - Family Molossidae, Mammal Species of the World: a Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3 rd Edition), Volume 1, Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, pp. 432-451 : 441

Molossus rufus E. Geoffroy 1805

Molossus rufus E. Geoffroy 1805 , Ann. Mus. Nat. Hist. Paris, 6: 155.

Type Locality: French Guiana, Cayenne by restriction ( Miller, 1913 b) .

Vernacular Names: Black Mastiff Bat.

Distribution: Tamaulipas, Michoacan, and Sinaloa ( Mexico) to Peru, N Argentina, Brazil and Guianas; Trinidad.

Conservation: IUCN 2003 and IUCN / SSC Action Plan (2001) – Lower Risk (lc) as M. ater . synonyms: albus Wagner, 1843; alecto Temminck, 1827; fluminensis Lataste, 1891; holosericeus Wagner, 1843; myosurus Tschudi, 1844; ursinus Spix, 1823 ; castaneus Geoffroy, 1805; nigricans Miller, 1902; macdougalli Goodwin, 1956; malagai Villa-R., 1955.

Discussion: Called ater by many authors, but see Carter and Dolan (1978) and Dolan (1989), who argued, based on descriptions of head and ear shape of both taxa, and examination of the specimens labeled as types of rufus in the Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle in Paris, that Molossus ater Geoffroy, 1805 , is really an Eumops , and that rufus is really the correct name for the large Molossus often incorrectly called ater . Lectotype designated by Carter and Dolan (1978). Unfortunately, the type of ater has been lost and its relationships are unclear. Includes malagai; see Jones (1965). Includes macdougalli; see Jones et al. (1977) and Dolan (1989).