News Paleontology

Newfound bat skeletons are the oldest on record

The 52.5-million-year-old fossils show the ancient fliers were surprisingly modern

A photo of a fossilized bat skeleton

Two complete fossils of the newfound bat species Icaronycteris gunnelli (one shown) are the oldest known bat skeletons, researchers say.

Rietbergen et al/PLOS ONE 2023

By Sid Perkins

- More than 2 years ago

Two fossilized bat skeletons unearthed in western Wyoming represent a new species and are the oldest set of bat bones yet discovered, researchers say.