When it was realized that the name senegalensis was not available, the specimens of the bat from the Ivory Coast were referred to as M. albatus by Thomas in 1915.

In 1993, Adam designated one neotype and four neoparatypes for M. daubentonii (Desmarest, 1820) a name that was also based on the 'rat-volant' of Daubenton, from a series collected in Senegal.

The terminal portion of the tail projects freely from the posterior margin of the interfemoral membrane.

The dorsal pelage is dark cream, reddish-brown or greyish-brown in color, usually with two lateral bands of whitish or pale yellowish-fawn fur on each side of the mid-dorsal line.

The wings are white near the arm-wing and transparent near the hand-wings, with red veins and enclosed spots of fat visible.

[4] The bat possesses robust and powerful mandibles, which indicates that it can consume large and hard-shelled prey.

[1] The bat is listed as data-deficient due to lack of knowledge about its habitat, distribution, and threats.

Other threats to the species include agriculture and logging, both of which result in habitat degradation and ecosystem stress.