ɪɾ ɪz wˈʌn ʌvðə tˈuː sɚvˈaɪvɪŋ bˈæt spˈiːsiːz ɛndˈɛmɪk tə nˈuː zˈiːlənd, bˌʌt ɪz klˈoʊsli ɹᵻlˈeɪɾᵻd tə fˈaɪv ˈʌðɚ wˈɑːɾəld ɔːɹ lˈoʊblˈɪpt bˈæts ɪn ɔːstɹˈeɪliə ænd ˈɛlswɛɹ.
It is one of the two surviving bat species endemic to New Zealand, but is closely related to five other wattled or lobe-lipped bats in Australia and elsewhere.