An international consortium of 137 researchers from 64 countries has produced what researchers describe as the most comprehensive study yet of bat evolution, incorporating genetic information from 103 bat genomes alongside evidence from 44 fossil specimens. The analysis examined all 21 recognized living bat families and utilized newly generated chromosome-level genetic assemblies to construct a detailed evolutionary timeline.
The findings indicate that bats first emerged in Europe during the late Paleocene period, approximately 65 to 60 million years ago. From this presumed origin point, bat populations subsequently dispersed to Africa and later expanded into the Americas, Asia, and Australia, eventually giving rise to the diverse bat species documented today across the globe.
The research also illuminates when two defining characteristics of modern bats—powered flight and echolocation—first appeared. Evidence from the ancient fossil species Vielasia, which occupies a position near the base of the bat family tree, suggests that echolocation capabilities were already present early in bat evolutionary history. Both powered flight and echolocation appear to have developed before the modern diversity of bat groups emerged, potentially contributing to the exceptional evolutionary success of these mammals.
As part of the investigation, researchers computationally reconstructed the genome of the common ancestor shared by all living bats. This ancestral genome reconstruction provides researchers with a genetic resource for studying how bats developed traits including flight capability, echolocation, extended lifespans, and disease resistance. Scientists anticipate that continued analysis of this genomic dataset may yield insights applicable to human research on aging, immune function, and disease resistance mechanisms.
The project drew on biological samples collected over many decades from researchers working in remote locations worldwide, including rare bat species found only in isolated regions. The analysis also clarified several longstanding questions regarding the relationships between different bat families, revealing previously unrecognized evolutionary connections among certain groups.
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