Oldest Australian vespertilionid (Microchiroptera) from the early Miocene of Riversleigh, Queensland

Abstract

An upper molar of a small bat, here described from an early Miocene freshwater lime-stone deposit at Riversleigh, northwestern Queensland, is the oldest record in Australia of the microchiropteran family Vespertilionidae. The new taxon is referred to the cosmopolitan genus Leuconoe, but it does not appear to be closely related to the two extant Australian species of this genus.

Keywords:

• Vespertilionidae
• Leuconoe
• bat
• early Miocene
• Riversleigh
• Australia