''Petramops creaseri'' is a species of molossid bat discovered in Miocene fossil deposits at the Riversleigh sites.

Taxonomy

The species was described in 1990 by Suzanne J. Hand, a researcher at the

Riversleigh World Heritage Area Riversleigh World Heritage Area is Australia's most famous fossil location, recognised for the series of well preserved fossils deposited from the Late Oligocene to more recent geological periods. The fossiliferous limestone system is located n ...

. The author separated the species as a new genus, ''Petramops'' within the Molossidae family of microchiropterans. The holotype, a partial dentary, was discovered at the Gotham City site at Riversleigh. The genus is masculine, and combines the Latin ''petrus'' for rock with ''mops'', a common suffix of chiropteran genera. The specific epithet honours Phil Creaser, noted for his contributions in support of the research at Riverleigh.

Description

''Petramops'' was a molossid bat not closely related to modern Australian species, and apparently part of a basal group involved in the earliest dispersal of the family. It was a long distance flyer, which may have facilitated its colonisation of the Australian region before other molossids, perhaps in the

early Miocene The Early Miocene (also known as Lower Miocene) is a sub-epoch of the Miocene epoch (geology), Epoch made up of two faunal stage, stages: the Aquitanian age, Aquitanian and Burdigalian stages. The sub-epoch lasted from 23.03 ± 0.05 annum, Ma to ...

. The species is described by characteristics of the dentition that most closely resemble the genus '' Rhizomops'', found in the Americas, The type material was a lower jaw with some intact teeth, with other teeth supplementing Hand's description and diagnosis. Other specimens, including post-cranial material, were later identified as the same species. This species is presumed to have foraged over, and at the edges of, the dense rainforest that existed in the Miocene.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q65042927 Molossidae Miocene bats Fossil taxa described in 1990 Riversleigh fauna Prehistoric bat genera Monotypic prehistoric placental genera