The research, considered the most exhaustive to date, combines the genome sequencing of 103 bat species with the analysis of 44 fossils. The findings confirm that the first bats originated in Europe and subsequently spread globally. The study also indicates that defining characteristics such as echolocation and flight emerged in the early stages of their evolution.
This work, which involved researchers from the National Museum of Natural Sciences (MNCN-CSIC) and the University of Granada, lays the groundwork for future investigations into the genetics of bat longevity and disease resistance, aspects that could have implications for human health.
Bats are unique mammals, capable of powered flight and navigating in total darkness using sound. With over 1,500 species, they represent one-fifth of all mammals and play a crucial role in ecosystems as pollinators, seed dispersers, and insect controllers.
Scientists from various international institutions, including the University of St. Andrews (Scotland), Stony Brook University (New York), and the Senckenberg Research Institute (Frankfurt), have contributed to this project. MNCN researcher Ismael Galván emphasizes that the study provides a solid evolutionary framework for investigating the genes responsible for bats' distinctive traits, which could inform research on aging and immunity in humans.
Professor Liliana M. Dávalos from Stony Brook University explains that the methodological approach allows for the identification of the oldest fossil bat group and the determination of their geographic and temporal origin. The data confirm dispersal from Europe to Africa, Asia, the Americas, and Australia.
The research has gathered the largest collection of high-quality bat genomes to date, encompassing 103 species and all 21 recognized families. Professor Michael Hiller details the use of state-of-the-art DNA sequencing techniques and computational methods, combined with 44 fossils, to reconstruct their evolutionary history.
The study includes descriptions of unique species such as the tiny bumblebee bat from Thailand and Myanmar, the sucker-footed bats of Madagascar, and the lesser short-tailed bat from New Zealand. The discovery of the evolutionary position of the fossil bat genus Vielasia on the oldest branch of the family tree suggests that echolocation and powered flight were established near the group's origin, explaining their evolutionary success.
Professor David Ray from Texas Tech University concludes that this genomic resource will enable the scientific community to investigate the genomic variations that have led to the diversity of bats and their unique characteristics, with implications extending beyond the study of these species.
