Genus: Maelestes WIBLE, ROUGIER, NOVACEK, & ASHER, 2007
Etymology: Mae is the acronym for Mongolian Academy of Sciences-American Museum of Natural History Expeditions; Greek, lestes, "robber"; often used for insectivore-like mammals.

Species: gobiensis WIBLE, ROUGIER, NOVACEK, & ASHER, 2007
Etymology: In reference to the Gobi Desert, where the specimen was found.

Holotype: PSS-AE 607

Locality: Ukhaa Tolgod, between Camel Humps and Sugar Mountain, Gurvan Tes Somon, Ömnögov (South Gobi), Mongolia.

Horizon: Djadokhta Formation or the Barun Goyot Formation.

Biostratigraphy:

Age: Middle-Late Campanian Stage, Senonian Subepoch, Gulf Epoch, Late Cretaceous.

Material: An incomplete skull, lief mandible, atlas, axis, 12 thoracic vertebrae, 8 partial ribs, incomplete scapula, clavicle, humerus, proximal radius and ulna, and incomplete astragalus.