It has been described as having "features reminiscent of Darth Vader."From head to tail, it is approximately 98 mm (3.9 in) long.Its head and body is 80–90 mm (3.1–3.5 in) long, and its tail is 35–45 mm (1.4–1.8 in) long.Its forearm is 46–52 mm (1.8–2.0 in) long.It weighs 20–30 g (0.71–1.06 oz).
It prefers to forage in the tropical savannas of Northern Australia.It is also found in urban areas, using artificial lights to forage for the insects attracted to them.
They will fly and forage in groups of two or more individuals.Its foraging style utilizes fast, direct flight suited for open areas or above canopies.It is insectivorous, consuming beetles, bugs, moths, lacewings, grasshoppers, cockroaches, flies and leafhoppers.It is one of the only species of bat in Australia that can be heard when foraging.Its echolocation frequency is relatively low (15-25kHz), overlapping with the upper range of sounds audible to humans.It is nocturnal, roosting in sheltered places during the day such as tree hollows or caves.These roosts can consist of many individuals, as it is a colonial species.
It is currently evaluated as least concern by the IUCN—its lowest conservation priority.It meets the criteria for this assessment because it has a large geographic range, a large population, it occurs in protected areas, and it tolerates human modification of landscapes.Its population trend is stable.
