RIVERSLEIGHA WILLIAMSI GEN. ET SP. NOV., A LARGE MIOCENE HIPPOSIDERID(MICROCHIROPTERA) FROM RIVERSLEIGH, QUEENSLAND

A new genus and species of Old World leaf-nosed bats is described from skull material collected from a Miocene limestone cave deposit at Riv ersleigh in northwestern Queensland. Riversleigha williamsi gen, et sp . nov, is one of nine hipposiderid species identified from the Bitesan tennary Site deposit. Its phylogenetic relationships to other hipposid erids remain unclear but it probably represents an early branch of thi s Old World tropical family. It is a relatively large hipposiderid and at least some of its features suggest it was capable of consuming wel l-armoured beetles among other insect prey.