Do the bat ancestors in Indonesia come from Europe?

The origin of bats is suspected to be from Africa or North America throughout history. However, large-scale genomic research initiated by the international consortium Bat1K has successfully revised the map of bat evolution comprehensively. The results of the scientists' analysis indicate that the ancestors of modern bats originated from Europe with a statistical support level of 99.2%. Their descendants then spread to Africa, then to America, Asia, and Australia in the early Eocene. From continental Asia, this wave of colonization of bat groups continued to cross land bridges and archipelagos of Southeast Asia, eventually reaching the Oceania and Australia regions. Indonesia itself has the highest diversity of bats in Southeast Asia and makes Sulawesi a global center of endemism (global endemicity hotspot). There are 239 bat species recorded in Indonesia, consisting of 158 insectivores and 81 frugivores. For a long time, the geographical origin of bats has been a hot debate among scientists due to conflicting fossil and molecular signals. If bats were previously thought to originate from Africa or North America, then the large-scale genomic research initiated by the international consortium Bat1K successfully revised the map of bat evolution comprehensively. As a result, the researchers' conclusion is that the ancestors of bats likely originated from Europe at the end of the Paleocene. The research conducted by Ariadna E. Morales and team in the study titled “Reference genomes and fossils revise bat family phylogeny and biogeography” in Nature (2026), analyzed the chromosomal genome assembly of 103 species representing all 21 bat families alive, and integrated data from 44 prehistoric fossils. The researchers successfully compiled an accurate phylogenetic tree and biogeographical timeline to date. The analysis results show that the ancestors of modern bats originated from Europe with a statistical support level of 99.2%. Their descendants then spread to Africa, then to America, Asia, and Australia in the early Eocene. “Bats, and with them powered flight, likely originated from Europe at the end of the Paleocene,” Morales and team wrote in their publication. After appearing in Europe, this lineage of ancient bats spread to Africa, making the Europe-Africa region the main migration center. From there, they underwent adaptive radiation and rapid territorial expansion to the Americas, Asia, and Australia, driven by warm climatic conditions during the Paleocene Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM) or about 56 million years ago. Furthermore, the placement of prehistoric fossils called Vielasia in the oldest group of bats (Eochiroptera) proves that the larynx echolocation navigation system evolved before the modern bat groups diversified. This indicates that the ability to fly and echolocation developed in an interconnected way since the early stages of bat evolution. Chromosomal-level genomic data successfully resolved taxonomic uncertainty by placing the podiciped family of bats from Madagascar (Myzopodidae) as the earliest branch within the superfamily Vespertilionoidea. This research also revealed that the complexity of previous genealogies in the suborder Yangochiroptera was caused by high rates of ancient inter-lineage mating (introgression). “The ancestral bats are proven to have 26 chromosomes. Unlike most other mammals, the evolution of the modern bat genome structure is dominated by chromosomal fusion events, rather than separation (fission) or translocation,” the researchers wrote. This study maps the global migration dynamics of bats through continent and macro-region-based biogeography modeling. Starting from Africa about 57.1 million years ago, the Yinpterochiroptera group underwent adaptive radiation and spread eastward towards the Asian continent in the middle Eocene. From continental Asia, this wave of colonization of bat groups continued to cross land bridges and archipelagos of Southeast Asia until finally reaching the Oceania and Australia regions. Meanwhile, fruit bats (Pteropodidae) and horse-shoe bats (Rhinolophidae), which currently thrive in Sulawesi and the entire Indonesian region, are direct descendants of the ancient Yinpterochiroptera expansion route that crossed the biogeographic line of Southeast Asia to the Wallacea region. Sulawesi as the center of bat endemism Indonesia has the highest diversity of bats in Southeast Asia and makes Sulawesi a global center of endemism (global endemicity hotspot). It is recorded that there are 239 bat species in Indonesia, consisting of 158 insectivores and 81 frugivores. These figures were revealed in the study conducted by Ramadhana and team (2026) in the research titled “Diversity of bats (Chiroptera) in various habitats in Bualemo Sub-district, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia.” The research identified hundreds of individuals from various species of suborders Yangochiroptera and Yinpterochiroptera using mist-netting and harp trapping methods in several locations such as secondary forests, plantations, and rivers. The study quotes records that about 72 bat species are recorded in Sulawesi, 18 of which are endemic. The team that conducted the research in Bualemo District, Banggai Regency, Central Sulawesi, successfully caught 474 individuals from 23 species over 31 nights of survey in June and July 2024. Bats play three main ecological roles in the ecosystem: first, as plant pollinators that help the pollination process of various types of plants. Bats help plant pollination by acting as pollinators that transfer pollen while visiting flowers. The role of bats in plant pollination has economic and ecological value in Sulawesi, such as durian trees and trees from the Bombacaceae family. Second, as seed dispersers, which help scatter seeds like Ficus), which are important for the regeneration and vegetation of the forest. Third, as insect pest controllers by preying on insect populations, thus helping to control the presence of pests in the ecosystem. “However, the damage or loss of secondary forest cover is a serious threat to the survival of bats, and hunting is the main threat to bats in Sulawesi,” the researchers wrote. The researchers emphasized the importance of maintaining and conserving various habitat types such as secondary forests and vegetated areas to maintain the diversity and stability of bat populations from these threats. References: Morales, A.E., Liang, Y., Thomas, W.R. et al. Reference genomes and fossils revise bat family phylogeny and biogeography. Nature 658, 141–152 (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-026-11007-3 Ramadhana, U. M., Khairiah, R., Masrianih, Windarsih, Y., Aprianto, R., Katili, A., Sayende, A., Nursin, L. S., & Yusti, E. (2026). Diversity of bats (Chiroptera) in various habitats in Bualemo sub-district, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia. Treubia, 52(2), 107–130. https://doi.org/10.55981/treubia.2025.13420 ***** The Fate of Bats: Able to Survive Various Viruses, but Not Humans