Brief
Study places bat origins in Europe 65 million years ago
An international team of researchers says the earliest bats likely originated in Europe before spreading worldwide.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Researchers from the Bat1K consortium say the earliest bats most probably evolved in Europe during the late Paleocene, roughly 65 to 60 million years ago, according to a study published in Nature.
The project combined genomic data from 103 bat species—including 42 new chromosome‑level assemblies—covering all 21 recognized families, with evidence from 44 fossil bats. The analysis, involving 137 scientists from 64 countries, produced a comprehensive phylogenetic tree that points to a European origin, followed by subsequent dispersal into Africa, the Americas, Asia and Australia.
"It is extraordinary, after decades of research and conflicting findings, we finally have a robust phylogenetic tree that we can now use to properly understand how and where bats' unique traits evolved," said senior author Professor Emma Teeling, co‑founder of Bat1K and a professor at University College Dublin. Assistant professors Graham Hughes and Zixia Huang, also from UCD, contributed to the consortium.
The findings also shed light on when key bat adaptations—powered flight and echolocation—appeared, suggesting these traits emerged early in the lineage that originated in Europe.
Key facts
- The study was published in Nature. (sciencedaily.com)
- Researchers analyzed 103 bat genomes, including 42 new chromosome‑level assemblies. (sciencedaily.com)
- Evidence from 44 fossil bats was incorporated. (sciencedaily.com)
- The team concluded bats first evolved in Europe about 65‑60 million years ago. (sciencedaily.com)
- The Bat1K consortium involved 137 researchers from 64 countries. (sciencedaily.com)
Sources
- [1] sciencedaily.com — originally reported as “Bats may have first evolved in Europe 65 million years ago”
