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Genomes and Fossils Reshape Bat Family Tree and Origins

Genomes and Fossils Reshape Bat Family Tree and Origins

An extensive analysis of 103 chromosome‑level bat genomes, integrated with dozens of fossils, presents a revised bat phylogeny. The study indicates bats likely originated in Europe in the late Paleocene and that laryngeal echolocation predates crown‑bat diversification, addressing long‑standing debates in bat evolution.

Original headline

Reference genomes and fossils revise bat family phylogeny and biogeography