The giant roundleaf bat (''Macronycteris gigas'') is a species of
bat in the family
Hipposideridae
The Hipposideridae are a family of bats commonly known as the Old World leaf-nosed bats. While it has often been seen as a subfamily, Hipposiderinae, of the family Rhinolophidae, it is now more generally classified as its own family.Simmons, 2 ...
found in western tropical Africa. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and caves. The species was formerly considered part of ''
M. commersoni'', which is now viewed as being restricted to
Madagascar
Madagascar (; mg, Madagasikara, ), officially the Republic of Madagascar ( mg, Repoblikan'i Madagasikara, links=no, ; french: République de Madagascar), is an island country in the Indian Ocean, approximately off the coast of East Africa ...
.
[ Both ''commersoni'' and it were formerly placed in the genus '']Hipposideros
''Hipposideros'' is one of the most diverse genera of bats, with more than 70 species. They are collectively called roundleaf bats after the shape of their nasal ornament. It is the type genus of the family Hipposideridae
The Hipposideridae ...
'', but moved to the resurrected ''Macronycteris
''Macronycteris'' is a genus of bats belonging to the family Hipposideridae
The Hipposideridae are a family of bats commonly known as the Old World leaf-nosed bats. While it has often been seen as a subfamily, Hipposiderinae, of the family ...
'' in 2017 on the basis of molecular evidence. It is threatened by habitat loss
Habitat destruction (also termed habitat loss and habitat reduction) is the process by which a natural habitat becomes incapable of supporting its native species. The organisms that previously inhabited the site are displaced or dead, thereby ...
.
References
Hipposideros
Mammals described in 1845
Taxonomy articles created by Polbot
Taxa named by Johann Andreas Wagner
Bats of Africa
{{Hipposideridae-stub