[3] Bat populations of Africa or São Tomé and Príncipe formerly considered part of this species are now classified separately as M. gigas, M. thomensis or M. vittata,[2] while one from Madagascar was split off to become M.

[4] It was formerly placed in the genus Hipposideros, but moved to the resurrected Macronycteris in 2017 on the basis of molecular evidence.

Large harvests of them are apparently taken throughout west Madagascar wherever their roosting sites are in proximity to settlements.

[1] Hunting in west Madagascar is thought to have caused in a 20-25% population decline in that region over 15 years.

However, the species is widespread across the island and appears to tolerate a degree of habitat degradation.