About Molossus molossus (Pallas, 1766)
The velvety free-tailed bat, scientifically named Molossus molossus (Pallas, 1766), is a medium-sized bat. It reaches 4 inches (100 mm) in length, with a wingspan ranging from 11 to 13 inches (280–330 mm). This species is brown in color, but it appears black when flying at dusk. It has a long tail that extends beyond the tail membrane, and large, round ears. This bat is found across the Americas, ranging from Argentina northward through Mexico and Cuba to the Florida Keys of the United States, and it is very common throughout the Caribbean. A single predation event has been recorded in the Amazon: a giant centipede (Scolopendra viridicornis) killed one velvety free-tailed bat that was roosting inside a man-made wooden structure in Cristalino State Park. The centipede grabbed the bat with its legs and injected venom into the bat’s neck. This observation is notable because centipede predation on bats is very rare.
