A huge international study has shed new light on bat evolution. The research suggests that bats originated in Europe around 65 million years ago. Moreover, both powered flight and echolocation appear to have evolved very early in their history.

The study represents the largest investigation yet to combine bat genomes with evidence from the fossil record. An international team of 137 researchers from 64 countries took part. Scientists from the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin also contributed to the research.

The findings have been published in the journal Nature.

Combining Bat Fossils with Genetic Evidence

Researchers analysed high-quality genomes representing 103 bat species. Significantly, these species represent all 21 currently recognised bat families. The scientists also incorporated 44 fossil bats from different parts of the world.

By combining these two sources of evidence, the team reconstructed the evolutionary history of bats. Their analysis also helped resolve several long-standing questions about relationships between the major bat groups. Previous studies proposed that bats originated in Asia, Africa or North America. However, the new research points towards Europe as their place of origin.

The first bats probably appeared around 65 million years ago. This date places their origins close to the beginning of the Cenozoic Era.

Early bats subsequently spread from Europe into Africa. Therefore, the researchers propose a European-African area from which bats later dispersed farther afield. Eventually, they reached Asia, the Americas and Australia.

A variety of extant bat species surrounding a photograph of Palaeochiropteryx tupaiodon known from the Middle Eocene of Europe. Fossils of this species are associated with the remarkable Messel Shale site in Germany. Picture credit: BAT1K

Picture credit: BAT1K

Individual image credits:

Bat species, from top left to bottom right: Macrotus waterhousi © Charles Francis; Glossophaga mutica © Brock and Sherri Fenton; Molossus nigricans © Brock and Sherri Fenton; Uroderma convexum © Elizabeth Clare; Cynopterus sphinx © Charles Francis; Palaeochiropteryx tupaiodon [fossil] © Matthew Jones; Pipistrellus nathusii © Jens Rydell; Tadarida brasiliensis © Elizabeth Clare; Rhinolophus trifoliatus © Charles Francis; Desmodus rotundus © Charles Francis; Vespertilio murinus © Jens Rydell.

Echolocation Evolved Early

The study also provides important evidence about the origins of echolocation. Researchers examined the position of the fossil bat Vielasia on the bat family tree. Its placement within one of the oldest branches suggests that echolocation evolved extremely early.

Indeed, echolocation probably appeared before the major modern bat lineages diverged. Powered flight also developed very early in bat evolution. Consequently, the two characteristics most closely associated with bats were present near the beginning of their evolutionary history.

These remarkable adaptations may help explain their subsequent success.

Today, more than 1,500 bat species are known. They account for approximately one-fifth of all living mammal species. Furthermore, bats have colonised environments across much of the world.

The Remarkable Success of Bats

Bats are the only mammals capable of powered flight. Many species can also navigate and hunt in complete darkness using echolocation. However, their remarkable biology extends far beyond flight and sophisticated senses. Bats perform important ecological roles. For example, some species pollinate plants or disperse seeds. Others consume huge numbers of insects, including agricultural pests.

In addition, many bats show unusual resistance to disease. They can also live exceptionally long lives relative to their body size. The new genomic dataset could help scientists investigate the biological mechanisms responsible for these traits.

The atmospheric Messel gallery at the Senckenberg Museum (Frankfurt). Fossil bat specimens examined in this study are associated with the remarkable Messel Shales. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Reconstructing the Ancestral Bat Genome

As part of the project, researchers reconstructed the genome of the common ancestor of living bats. This achievement gives scientists a powerful new research resource. They can now investigate genetic changes associated with the extraordinary diversification of bats. Researchers can study changes affecting individual DNA building blocks. They can also examine much larger sections of genetic material. As a result, scientists hope to identify genetic changes linked to flight, echolocation, longevity and disease resistance.

Such research could eventually have implications beyond the study of bats. In particular, understanding their longevity and immune systems might contribute to research into human ageing and disease.

A New Framework for Studying Bat Evolution

The research was undertaken as part of the international Bat1K consortium. This initiative aims to produce and analyse high-quality reference genomes for all living bat species. For decades, scientists have debated fundamental questions concerning the origins of bats. The relationships between different bat families have also proved difficult to resolve. By bringing fossils and genomic evidence together, this enormous study provides a new evolutionary framework.

It suggests that the story of bats began in Europe approximately 65 million years ago. Soon afterwards, these pioneering mammals possessed two extraordinary adaptations – powered flight and echolocation. These abilities would ultimately help bats become one of the most diverse and successful groups of mammals on Earth.

Everything Dinosaur acknowledges the assistance of a media release from the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin in the compilation of this article.

The scientific paper: “Reference genomes and fossils revise bat family phylogeny and biogeography” by Morales, A.E., Liang, Y., Thomas, W.R. et al published in the journal Nature.

The award-winning Everything Dinosaur website: Models of Prehistoric Mammals.

Recently, Everything Dinosaur published an article about the discovery of some remarkable, probable Tyrannosaurus rex tracks that had been discovered in North Dakota. The three-toed prints were made by a large theropod. The trackway measures around seven metres in length and four individual prints have been excavated. There are probably more but the overburden from the hill would be difficult to remove to expose the entire trackway. The four prints that have been found represent two left prints and two right prints – a walking sequence.

The size and tridactyl nature of the tracks is consistent with an adult Tyrannosaurus rex trackmaker. Researchers from the Denver Museum of Nature & Science and Liverpool John Moores University studied the trackway. Their research has been published in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology.

To read Everything Dinosaur’s earlier article about this trace fossil discovery: Extraordinary Probable Tyrannosaurus Trackway Discovered.

How Did These Trace Fossils Form?

Trace fossils such as these footprints preserve evidence of the activity of an animal. In contrast to body fossils such as teeth or bones which can be transported a long way from where the animal died, most trace fossils are direct evidence of the environment at the time and the place where the animal lived. Trace fossils often provide in situ evidence.

Intriguingly, the tracks are preserved as raised mounds (epirelief).  How did they form?  Thankfully, the media release from the Denver Museum of Nature & Science also included some beautiful artwork by Andrey Atuchin that illustrate their formation.

In order to have potential Tyrannosaurus rex tracks preserved, the first thing required is to have a dinosaur (a T. rex) leave its footprints in a substrate such as soft mud.

The large theropod (probable Tyrannosaurus rex) walks along leaving tracks in soft mud. Picture credit: Andrey Atuchin.

Picture credit: Andrey Atuchin

The mud dries out and the impression of dinosaur’s foot is preserved as a tridactyl depression in the mud.

Over time the mud hardens leaving a track preserved in the mud. Picture credit: Andrey Atuchin.

Picture credit: Andrey Atuchin

The Track is Filled by Sediment

The indentation caused by the dinosaur’s foot is gradually filled in with other sediment. In this case, sand slowly fills the track. This forms a natural cast of the print.

The track is gradually infilled by sediment such as sand, creating a natural cast of the footprint. Picture credit: Andrey Atuchin.

Picture credit: Andrey Atuchin

Over millions of years the sand turns into sandstone and the mud forms mudstone.  These two different types of sedimentary rock might erode at different rates. For example, the softer mudstone erodes quicker than the sandstone.  Thus, a track is preserved as a raised structure (epirelief).

The hard sandstone is more resistant to weathering and over time the track is left as a raised portion of rock (epirelief) surrounded by more rapidly eroded mudstone. Picture credit: Andrey Atuchin.

Picture credit: Andrey Atuchin

Three of the footprints are expected to be recovered by helicopter this autumn (2026) and then transported to the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. We wish the research team every success with their endeavours to recover and preserve these amazing tracks.

Everything Dinosaur acknowledges the assistance of a media release from the Denver Museum of Nature & Science in the compilation of this article.

The scientific paper: “A large tridactyl trackway from the Upper Cretaceous Hell Creek Formation of North Dakota, likely attributable to an adult Tyrannosaurus rex” by Peter L. Falkingham, Kent M. Hups, Evan M. Tamez-Galvan, Antoine D. Bercovici and Tyler R. Lyson published in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology.

The award-winning Everything Dinosaur website: Dinosaur Toys and Models.

The discovery of Diplodocus in Europe has been confirmed following the study of sauropod fossils from eastern Spain. Fourteen caudal vertebrae and several chevrons from Teruel have been assigned to the iconic genus Diplodocus. This represents the first definitive evidence of this famous dinosaur outside North America.

The fossils come from the La Tejería site in the municipality of El Castellar (Teruel). They were recovered from sediments associated with the Upper Jurassic Villar del Arzobispo Formation dating from approximately 150 million years ago.

Identifying Diplodocus in Europe

Diplodocus is one of the best-known sauropod dinosaurs. These enormous, quadrupedal herbivores had long necks, relatively small heads and extremely long tails. Until now, definitive fossils assigned to Diplodocus had only been recognised from North America. Specifically, Diplodocus fossil material is associated with the famous Upper Jurassic Morrison Formation.

The Spanish specimen consists of fourteen vertebrae from the middle and posterior portions of the tail, along with several chevrons. Chevrons are bones associated with the underside of the caudal vertebrae.

Photographs (A, C and D) of the fossil material plus an excavation map (C) of the La Tejería (CT-30) site (El Castellar, Teruel, Spain). Picture credit: Sánchez-Fenollosa et al. 2026.

Picture credit: Sánchez-Fenollosa et al. 2026

Several anatomical characteristics helped the researchers identify the fossils as Diplodocus. These include large pneumatic cavities in the vertebrae, elongated vertebral centra without lateral ridges and deep longitudinal grooves on their undersides. The specimen also preserves bifurcated chevrons. It has been classified as Diplodocus sp.

Sergio Sánchez Fenollosa, a researcher at the Fundación Dinópolis, and co-author of the study explained:

“The anatomical study and evolutionary analyses carried out have enabled us to identify the El Castellar specimen as belonging to the genus Diplodocus. It is one of the most complete diplodocids discovered to date in Europe and represents the first evidence of this genus outside North America.”

Dinosaurs Crossing the Early Atlantic

The discovery has important implications for our understanding of Late Jurassic dinosaur biogeography. Around 150 million years ago, North America and Europe were separated by the developing proto-Atlantic Ocean. However, the distribution of closely related dinosaurs indicates that opportunities for faunal interchange occurred.

Sánchez Fenollosa added:

“This discovery provides some of the strongest palaeontological evidence for episodes of dispersal and faunal interchange between the two continents across the proto-Atlantic Ocean during the Late Jurassic. Furthermore, this discovery allows us to better understand Iberian Mesozoic ecosystems and the diversity of sauropod dinosaurs that inhabited Jurassic Europe.”

The presence of Diplodocus in Spain therefore strengthens the evidence for connections between the dinosaur faunas of Europe and North America during the Late Jurassic.

A diagram showing the palaeogeographic, temporal and phylogenetic relationships of Diplodocus sp. La Tejería site fossil material (El Castellar, Teruel, Spain) is grouped with the North American Diplodocus species D. hallorum and D. carnegii. Picture credit: Sánchez-Fenollosa et al. 2026.

Picture credit: Sánchez-Fenollosa et al. 2026

The first evidence of colour patterning in Diplodocus skin: Diplodocus Integument Study Reveals Colour Patterning.

A Giant Spanish Diplodocus

The El Castellar Diplodocus was certainly a substantial animal. Alberto Cobos, Managing Director of the Fundación Dinópolis, stated that it was approximately twenty-five metres in length.

He commented:

“The Diplodocus from El Castellar was approximately twenty-five metres long, making it another of the giant sauropods of the Jurassic of Spain, alongside other sauropod dinosaurs from Teruel with characteristics very different from those of diplodocids, such as Turiasaurus and Losillasaurus, among others.”

Cobos added:

“The fossils of all these dinosaurs, including those of the new Diplodocus, which make Teruel an important reference point for understanding this great diversity, are currently on display in the dinosaur gallery of the Museo Aragonés de Paleontología at Dinópolis in Teruel.”

The Diplodocus Genus

Diplodocus was first named in 1878 (Marsh). Several species have been erected. It is one of the best-known of all the dinosaurs amongst members of the public. The philanthropist Andrew Carnegie acquired giant fossil bones discovered in Wyoming. He wanted these sauropod fossils to form the centrepiece for his new museum in Pittsburgh. During the preparation of the material and reconstruction of the skeleton, scientists identified unique autapomorphies that enabled them to erect a new Diplodocus species. The dinosaur was named Diplodocus carnegii in honour of the Scottish-born philanthropist.

During a visit to Carnegie’s Scottish castle, King Edward VII remarked how he would like a similar specimen for the British Museum in London (Natural History Museum). A replica of the specimen was cast and presented to the British Museum. The Diplodocus skeleton replica, now known affectionately as “Dippy” was unveiled in 1905. Subsequently, another nine replicas were commissioned. These are exhibited in museums around the world, including the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin.

The spectacular dinosaur gallery at the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin. The Diplodocus carnegii cast is seen on the right with the enormous brachiosaurid specimen (Giraffatitan brancai) shown on the left. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

These spectacular displays helped make this Late Jurassic sauropod one of the most familiar prehistoric animals.  Whilst the Spanish fossil material has been assigned to the Diplodocus genus, no species name has been assigned as yet.  However, the caudal vertebrae probably represent a new species.

The identification of Diplodocus in Europe substantially extends the known geographical distribution of this iconic sauropod. Moreover, the fossils from Teruel provide further evidence that Late Jurassic dinosaur faunas on either side of the proto-Atlantic were not entirely isolated from each other.

Everything Dinosaur acknowledges the assistance of the co-author of the scientific paper Sergio Sánchez Fenollosa in the compilation of this article for supplying a copy of the scientific paper and the media release from the Fundación Conjunto Paleontológico de Teruel-Dinópolis.

The scientific paper: “Intercontinental evidence of the iconic genus Diplodocus Marsh, 1878 (Dinosauria, Sauropoda)” by Sergio SáNchez-Fenollosa, Josué García-Cobeña and Alberto Cobos published in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology.

For scale models of Diplodocus and other sauropod dinosaurs: Scale Models of Sauropods and Other Dinosaurs.