Mystacina fossil map
Where fossils of Mystacina have been found, shown on the Earth as it looked about 0 million years ago and on today’s map.
Dots are fossil collections recorded in the Paleobiology Database. The “then” view moves today’s fossil sites back to their positions 0 million years ago (the time slice nearest the median age of the fossils) using the Merdith et al. (2021) plate model; positions are approximate. Open on the timeline map →
| Group | Early mammals |
|---|---|
| Lived | 18.7 million years ago to the present (Burdigalian to Holocene) |
| Periods | Neogene, Quaternary |
| Family | Mystacinidae |
| Named by | Gray 1843 |
| Fossil records | 38 occurrences at 13 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | New Zealand |
| Rock formations | txn:66295, Bannockburn |
About Mystacina
Mystacina is the sole surviving genus of the Mystacinidae family of bats. It has three known species, of which only the New Zealand lesser short-tailed bat (Mystacina tuberculata) is confirmed to survive today. The closely related New Zealand greater short-tailed bat (Mystacina robusta) has not had a confirmed sighting since 1965 and is thought to be extinct. The third species, Mystacina miocenalis, is known from the Middle Miocene, some 19–16 million years ago.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Mystacina (revision 1314257788), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0; introduction excerpted verbatim, formatting removed. Ages, family, authority and fossil records: Paleobiology Database, accessed 23 October 2026. Ages are those of the rock layers the fossils were found in. Wikidata: Q368565.
