Molecular sequence data indicate
Tadarida is not a
monophyletic taxon. The closest relative of
Tadarida aegyptiaca of Africa and southwest Asia is
Chaerephon jobimena of
Madagascar. These two species plus
T. brasiliensis of the Americas form a clade believed to be about 9.8 million years old. The genus name
Tadarida is attributed to the naturalist
Constantine Samuel Rafinesque, who gave no clues to its etymology. It has been suggested that the name comes from the
Corsican word for bat,
taddarita. but no such word exists in the
Corsican language (where bat is called
topu pinnutu). Indeed, Rafinesque, being in
Palermo,
Sicily, during its studies, probably took this name from
Sicilian, where the bat is called
taḍḍarita, from
Greek λαχταρίδα (lachtarida)
Species list for genus: •
Tadarida aegyptiaca - Egyptian free-tailed bat •
Tadarida brasiliensis (now in subgenus
Rhizomops) - Mexican free-tailed bat or Brazilian free-tailed bat • †
Tadarida constantinei - Constantine's free-tailed bat •
Tadarida fulminans - Madagascan large free-tailed bat •
Tadarida insignis - East Asian free-tailed bat •
Tadarida latouchei - La Touche's free-tailed bat •
Tadarida lobata - Kenyan big-eared free-tailed bat •
Tadarida teniotis European free-tailed bat •
Tadarida ventralis - African giant free-tailed bat ==References==