NEW YORK: A PREHISTORIC mammal dubbed “Batman” that roamed the earth 16 million years ago has been discovered in New Zealand.
Researchers found the fossilised remains of the bat species which is three times as large as an average modern bat and walked on its limbs.
The fossils were found in sediment from a prehistoric lake near Central Otago in the South Island, researchers reported in the journal PLOS ONE.
The new species, Mystacina miocenalis, is related to another bat, Mystacina tuberculata, which still lives in New Zealand’s old growth forests, the study said.
“Our discovery shows for the first time that Mystacina bats have been present in New Zealand for upwards of 16 million years, residing in habitats with very similar plant life and food sources,” said lead author Suzanne Hand, an associate professor from the University of NSW in Sydney.
Three different species of bats make up New Zealand’s only native terrestrial mammals, according to the study.
Two belong to the Mystacina family, which are known as burrowing bats because they forage on the ground. The bats move on the ground using their wrists and feet.
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