Study Pinpoints Europe as Origin of Bats 65 Million Years Ago

A comprehensive study combining genetic data from 103 bat genomes and 44 fossil records has concluded that bats originated in Europe between 65 and 60 million years ago, during the late Paleocene epoch. This research, part of the Bat1K project aiming to sequence the genomes of all living bat species, challenges previous hypotheses that placed the origin in Africa, Asia, or North America, which were based on fragmented evidence.

The fragility of bat skeletons makes fossilization rare, contributing to the difficulty in tracing their evolutionary history. The oldest confirmed bat fossils, found in Wyoming, USA, date back approximately 52 million years and already exhibit fully developed wings, leaving a gap in understanding their early evolution. The new study sequenced 42 of the genomes at the chromosomal level for the first time, providing a higher resolution to track gene order and evolutionary timelines.

According to the findings, bats spread from Europe to Africa and then diversified across the Americas, Asia, and Australia. Both flight and echolocation, defining characteristics of bats, are believed to have evolved before the divergence of modern bat families, suggesting these abilities were inherited from a common ancestor rather than evolving independently multiple times. This allowed bats to exploit the niche of nocturnal insectivores with little competition.

Fossil evidence, such as the approximately 50-million-year-old Vielasia sigei found in France, supports the idea of advanced echolocation and communal roosting in early bats. Europe's rich fossil record, including specimens from France and Germany, has long provided insights into ancient bats, though some researchers previously discounted this evidence, assuming it reflected exceptional preservation rather than true origin. The current genomic analysis aligns with these fossil findings.

Bats constitute about one-fifth of all mammal species, with around 1,460 known species distributed globally, except for Antarctica. Their significant ecological role includes pest control, with insectivorous bats providing an estimated $22.9 billion annually in agricultural services in the US. Other species aid in pollination and seed dispersal. The study also notes the remarkable longevity and disease resistance of bats, making them subjects of medical research, with scientists investigating genes linked to extended lifespans and viral resistance. In Israel, 33 bat species exist, all protected by law and facing threats from habitat loss and poisoning.