GoKawiilResearchers publish assembled genomes of 103 bat species spanning all 21 families
A study published in Nature by Morales and colleagues presents assembled genomes for 103 bat species, including 42 newly generated for the project, covering representatives of every known bat taxonomic family. The dataset gives scientists a broad genomic view of bat diversity and evolutionary history across the order Chiroptera.
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Bats display unusual traits such as powered flight, echolocation, high tolerance for viruses, and long lifespans relative to body size, and their evolutionary origins have been hard to pin down with limited genomic data. This large comparative dataset could let researchers trace when and how such traits arose across bat lineages, potentially informing future work on immunity, aging and flight biomechanics. The resource is likely to underpin comparative genomics studies in bats for years, according to the commentary accompanying the study.
- 103 bat genomes assembled, 42 newly sequenced for this study
- Data cover all 21 recognized bat taxonomic families
- Findings published in Nature could shape future comparative bat research
Source: nature.com — Stiller, 2026-09-23
Published there as: “Genome project opens the next chapter for studying bat evolution”
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