Macroderma malugara
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| Macroderma malugara | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Chiroptera |
| Family: | Megadermatidae |
| Genus: | Macroderma |
| Species: | M. malugara |
| Binomial name | |
| Macroderma malugara | |
Macroderma malugara is a species of bat known from fossil material found in Australia. The name describes a 'good killer' in the local language, and was similar in size and probably habits of the modern Macroderma gigas (known as the ghost bat). They ate a wide variety of animals in their rainforest environment, including birds, turtles, small crocodiles and other bats.
Macroderma malugara was described by the Australian palaeontologist Suzanne Hand in 1996. The author placed the new species in the genus Macroderma, recognising an affinity with the only extant species Macroderma gigas (ghost bat). The type location is the Gotham City Site at the Riversleigh World Heritage Area. The specific epithet malugara is derived from the indigenous Wanyi language and means 'good killer'.
The species is megadermatid of the suborder Microchiroptera within superfamily Rhinolophoidea.[1]