New fossil localities for Macroderma (Chiroptera: Megadermatidae) in New South Wales and its past and present distribution in Australia.

Abstract

Remains of the Ghost Bat Macroderma gigas (Dobson, 1880) are reported from cave deposits at Cliefden, Wellington and Yessabah Caves, New South Wales. These localities lie well south of the previously known range for M. gigas in eastern Australia. Another specimen, from Ashford Cave, N.S.W. , can be identified only as Macroderma sp. All are Quaternary in age. Remains of M. gigas dating from this time are also known from South Australian and Western Australian localities south of the area where the species now occurs. The Ghost Bat is presently found in Queensland, the Northern Territory and as far south as latitude 28oS in Western Australia. Its environments range from dry, hot mulga country to humid, hot rainforest. Previous understanding of the factors limiting the range of M. gigas is inadequate and microclimates of the caves used by this bat may be an important factor.