[1][3] Both commersoni and it were formerly placed in the genus Hipposideros, but moved to the resurrected Macronycteris in 2017 on the basis of molecular evidence.

[1] In east Africa, the species ranges from Ethiopia and Somalia, through Kenya, and to Zambia and Mozambique.

The striped leaf-nosed bat can be found locally within caves and occasionally, roosting in trees and under the eaves of buildings.

However, its population is declining due to habitat destruction by excessive mining of limestone caves, disturbance by tourist, and overhunting.

[1] A number of colonies are present in some protected areas in east Africa, notably Tsavo National Park in Kenya.