Largest Bat Genome Study Reveals When Bats Evolved Flight and Echolocation

A landmark analysis of 103 bat genomes and 44 fossils suggests that bats originated in Europe about 65 million years ago, helping resolve decades of debate about their evolution.

Scientists may have settled a decades-long debate over bat evolution, according to a groundbreaking study published Wednesday, September 23, in Nature. The research examines when bats first evolved true flight and echolocation, as well as where their earliest ancestors lived.

Researchers created high-quality genome assemblies for 41 bat species and analyzed them alongside 62 existing sequences. Combined with 44 bat fossils, the dataset includes 103 bat genomes, making it the largest study of bat DNA and fossils ever conducted.

When and where did bats evolve?

The study suggests that bats arose in Europe about 65 million years ago, challenging earlier hypotheses that placed their origins in Asia, Africa or North America. The researchers also concluded that true flight and echolocation evolved early in bat history, approximately 50 million years ago, rather than emerging multiple times as modern bat groups diversified.

“It’s extraordinary,” study co-author Emma Teeling, professor of molecular evolution and mammalian systematics at University College Dublin, told Live Science in an email. “After decades of research and conflicting discoveries, we have finally determined how and when bats evolved.”

According to the researchers, the findings provide a more clearly resolved bat family tree and reveal how the animals spread around the world.

“This study is a game-changer for bat evolutionary research because it finally gives scientists a solid, resolved family tree and biogeography that they haven’t had for decades,” study co-author Sonya Vernes, professor and head of the vocal communication neurogenetics research group at the University of St Andrews in the United Kingdom, told Live Science.

“If you place the tree correctly, everything else about bat evolution starts to fall into place,” Vernes said.

A global dataset of bat species and fossils

The study included representatives of all 21 recognized bat families, along with some of the most unusual bat species on Earth.

The dataset included the bumblebee bat (Craseonycteris thonglongyai), also known as Kitty’s hog-nosed bat. Measuring about 1 inch, or 2.5 centimeters, in length, it is considered the smallest mammal on Earth. Researchers also included Madagascar’s sucker-footed bat (Myzopoda aurita), which has suction cups on its wrists and ankles that help it cling to smooth surfaces.

The research team included 137 scientists affiliated with Bat 1K, an international project that aims to map the genomes of all living bat species. Using advanced DNA sequencing and computational techniques, the researchers identified individual genes and reconstructed the bat family tree.

“The value we bring lies in our innovative methods and unparalleled data to generate an evolutionary genealogy that includes all these important fossils,” study co-author Liliana Dávalos, professor of phylogenetics and tropical deforestation at Stony Brook University in New York, told Live Science in an email.

Ancient fossil shows echolocation evolved early

Among the fossils examined was Vielasia sigei, an extinct bat species discovered in southern France. The fossil is about 50 million years old and shows signs of advanced echolocation.

Because Vielasia sigei occupies one of the oldest branches of the bat family tree, its echolocation abilities suggest that this trait evolved before modern bats began to diversify. The finding, combined with evidence that true flight appeared early, may help explain why bats became so evolutionarily successful.

Today, bats include more than 1,500 species worldwide. They are the only mammals capable of true, powered flight: unlike gliding or parachuting animals, bats actively flap their wings to remain airborne.

Bat evolution could inform human health research

After appearing in Europe, bats quickly dispersed to Africa, forming evolutionary hubs in Europe and Africa before spreading to Asia, the Americas and Australia.

Bats have also evolved unusually long lifespans for mammals of their size. Some species live eight to 10 times longer than expected and show few signs of aging or cancer.

“Until now, we haven’t had a strong enough foundation to properly understand how bats have evolved their most extraordinary traits, from flight and echolocation to incredible longevity and disease resistance,” the researchers said.

The genomic resources created for the study could support future research into bat longevity and disease resistance. Understanding these traits at a genetic level could ultimately help scientists develop bat-inspired approaches to improving human health.

Why understanding bat evolution matters

The findings could also support bat conservation through genomic research. Protecting bats is important because they pollinate plants, disperse seeds and consume vast numbers of insect pests, helping maintain healthy ecosystems.

Researchers have reconstructed the genome of an early bat lineage, but further work is needed to identify the ancestor of all living bats.

“For me, this is not the end of the story,” one of the researchers said. “It’s only the first chapter.”

Study: Morales, A.E., Liang, Y., Thomas, W.R., Leushkin, E.V., Castellanos, F.X., Larkin, D.M., Brown, T., Fromm, B., Hand, S.J., Huang, Z., Hughes, G.M., Jones, M.F., Lim, B.K., Mai, M., Myers, E.W., Pippel, M., Pukmail, S.J., Simmons, N.B., Abueg, L.A.L., and Teeling, E.C. (2026). “Reference genomes and fossils correct the phylogeny and biogeography of Batidae.” Nature.