iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Lucas R Moreira @lucasrocm.bsky.social · 26/03/2026

Orange cat mystery solved! Orange cats lack ~5,100 bases of DNA that normally regulate the gene ARHGAP36. The gene is still there, but switched on when it should be off. www.cell.com/current-biol... #2026MMM #RIP

Graphical abstract showing effect of deletion compared to wild-type coloring

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Lucas R Moreira @lucasrocm.bsky.social · 26/03/2026

Bengal cats (house cats that are ~4% Asian leopard cat) look wild, but domestic cat controls the coat color. Leopard cat color genes are suppressed. Genome version of home habitat advantage www.cell.com/current-biol... #2026MMM

Images of non-charcoal (left) and charcoal (center and right) Bengal cats, with corresponding genotypes at Asip and Mc1r. lc and dom superscripts, refer to the normal leopard cat and normal domestic cat alleles, respectively, and a refers to the Asip nonagouti allele.

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Lucas R Moreira @lucasrocm.bsky.social · 26/03/2026

Lions & tigers & bears? Genomic work from Sun et al. (2025) found the Japanese Archipelago housed lions, not tigers, during the Late Pleistocene. Originally, all big 🐱 fossil remains were attributed to tigers. Oh my! doi.org/10.1073/pnas... #2026MMM

Principal component analysis of modern lions (blue square), modern tigers (green diamonds), and cave lions (red circles) showing the position of the japanese tigers (yellow stars). Cluster positions indicate that japanese "tiger"s are actually cave lions.

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Lucas R Moreira @lucasrocm.bsky.social · 26/03/2026

Across 27 dromedary camel-types, DNA analysis showed that names based on coat color often didn’t match real genetic boundaries. The strongest pattern was geography: camel-types cluster broadly by origin (Asia vs. Africa). #2026MMM #RIP doi.org/10.1093/jher...

Admixture bar plot showing genetic structure across 27 named dromedary camel-types from Asia and Africa at multiple clustering levels (K = 2, 3, 5, 10, 16). Each vertical bar represents one individual, colored by proportional membership in genetic clusters. Vertical white lines separate camel-types labeled above, with country abbreviations below (on x-axis). At K = 2, individuals broadly separate into two main groups corresponding to African camel-types (e.g., Borena, Rendille, Turkana, Gabbra) versus most others, with Omani camels already distinct. At K = 3, three main clusters emerge: a unique Omani group, a distinct African group, and a third group containing remaining camel-types. At higher K values, additional substructure appears within some camel-types (e.g., Hadana, Awarik, Awadi, Pakistani Kohi and Raidi, and Majaheem), but many individuals show mixed ancestry, with colors spread across camel-types. Overall, the plot illustrates that genetic clustering aligns more strongly with geographic origin than with named camel-types, which often do not form clearly distinct genetic groups.

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Lucas R Moreira @lucasrocm.bsky.social · 26/03/2026

Aurochs used to live in Northern and Southern Europe and carried many mitochondrial genome lineages. Lari et al found that Southern Italy aurochs have similar lineages as modern cattle unlike northern Europe Aurochs, suggesting a role in domestication for Italy doi.org/10.1186/1471... #2026MMM

Map of Europe showing the complete mtDNA genomes in modern cattle breeds reported as blue branches (lineages T, Q and R) and ancient auroch mtDNA genomes reported as green branches (lineages T, P and E). The Northern European Aurochs have lineages P and E but the Southern European aurochs also have liineage T, which is the most common lineage in modern cattle.

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Lucas R Moreira @lucasrocm.bsky.social · 26/03/2026

To protect their kidneys during extreme dehydration, camels use a unique metabolic strategy. Rather than importing osmolytes like most mammals, they increase glucose uptake in renal cells, fueling osmolyte production to balance osmotic stress. #2026MMM www.nature.com/articles/nco...

Schematic diagram of a camel kidney medullary collecting duct cell showing molecular responses to dehydration. The cell is bordered by tight junctions, with the urinary lumen on the left and renal interstitial fluid on the right, where osmotic stress occurs. Red labels indicate upregulated genes (relative to the mammal standard), green indicate downregulated, and white indicate unchanged expression. Water reabsorption occurs through aquaporins (AQP2 on the lumen side and AQP3 on the interstitial side). Sodium is reabsorbed via ENaC and potassium is secreted via ROMK, while Na⁺/K⁺ ATPase maintains electrolyte balance. Inside the cell, increased glucose uptake through GLUT1 fuels glycolysis and ATP production, supporting ion transport. Glucose is also converted into sorbitol via aldose reductase (AR), contributing to osmotic balance. NFAT5 regulates osmotic stress responses, but transporters for taurine, betaine, and myo-inositol (TauT, BGT1, SMIT) are downregulated, indicating reduced osmolyte import. Instead, organic osmolytes such as sorbitol and glycerophosphocholine (GPC) accumulate through metabolic pathways. Additional components include antioxidant responses (Nrf2), reactive oxygen species (ROS), and metabolic enzymes (SDH), all contributing to maintaining water and osmotic homeostasis under dehydration. Source: Wu et al. (2014) DOI: 10.1038/ncomms6188

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Lucas R Moreira @lucasrocm.bsky.social · 26/03/2026

#RIP Genome-wide heterozygosity of the ossifrage: 0.0011 sites/bp, roughly half the avian average. Zou et al. 2021 traced this genetic impoverishment to the Last Glacial Maximum (~20 kya), suggesting vultures were never genetically diverse to begin with. doi.org/10.1093/molb... #2026MMM

Genetic diversity and demographic history of vultures. (A) Comparison of genome-wide heterozygosity in birds. (B) Demographic history of the two vultures (G. himalayensis and G. barbatus). Genomes of three individuals of G. himalayensis and one individual of G. barbatus were analyzed. Tsuf, atmospheric surface air temperature.

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Lucas R Moreira @lucasrocm.bsky.social · 26/03/2026

Gila monsters get viruses, like other species. 33 microvirus genomes were discovered from studying fecal samples from 14 Gila monsters. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC... #2026MMM

Summary of the 33 microvirus genomes identified in this study and their distribution across 14 Gila monster fecal samples. The solid dark-gray and black circles indicate 95% to 99% and 100% raw read genome coverage, respectively, per Gila monster fecal sample. The number of reads that mapped to the microvirus genome sequence and the depth of the read coverage are summarized, and the sample containing the highest number of reads for each microvirus is denoted by a black circle with a yellow outline. The genome organization is provided on the right with color-coded, open reading frames with details of putative protein families.

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Lucas R Moreira @lucasrocm.bsky.social · 26/03/2026

The ossifrage hides Ice Age history in its mtDNA! Godoy et al. used museum specimens of now-extinct populations to reveal 2 lineages: one from W. Europe, one from Africa & C. Asia, shaped by separate glacial refugia. doi.org/10.1046/j.13... #2026MMM

Map showing the past (grey) and current (black) distribution of the species, based on Mundy et al. (1992) and Heredia & Heredia (1991). Pie diagrams depict the proportions of clade A (black) and clade B
(white) haplotypes in different bearded vulture populations. Numbers in parenthesis refer to sample size.

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Lucas R Moreira @lucasrocm.bsky.social · 26/03/2026

Asian elephant (🐘) lost tonight but it often wins against cancer! The Asian 🐘 genome + those of other mammals that are also less prone to cancer have a mutation in the ALDH6A1 gene that differs from other mammals and may help explain how they suppress cancer #2026MMM #RIP doi.org/10.1111/acel.13917

(A) Phylogenetic tree of 12 mammals used in this comparative analysis with red lines corresponding to the branches of long-lived mammals that are less prone to cancer (Asian elephant, African bush elephant, greater horseshoe bat, and naked mole rat). (B) Alignment of the ALDH6A1 protein sequence across species, where Asian elephant, African bush elephant, greater horseshoe bat, and naked mole rat have one mutation (asterisk) in the Aldehyde dehydrogenase domain (in red) that differs from other mammals that all the T (Threonine) residue (in black). (C) 3D structure of ALDH6A1 protein in long-lived mammals vs. short-lived mammals.

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Lucas R Moreira @lucasrocm.bsky.social · 26/03/2026

Hippos were present in central Europe until around 31,000 years ago at the same time as mammoths and woolly rhinos. This was likely a small and isolated population in the Upper Rhine Plain. #2026MMM doi.org/10.1016/j.cu...

A graph showing probability distribution curves for fossil remains from different species: hippos in red and yellow, mammoths in grey, woolly rhinos in blue. Time since the present is on the x-axis. Hippo fossils cluster between 47k and 31k years ago.

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Lucas R Moreira @lucasrocm.bsky.social · 26/03/2026

60% of the 🌏's wild Asian elephants (🐘) reside in India. Whole genome data from 34 Asian 🐘 reveal patterns of genetic divergence, diversity, inbreeding, + costly mutations that suggest 🐘 serially founded new populations as they moved north ➡️ south in India. #2026MMM doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2024.08.062

Sampling locations of Asian elephants included in the study (colored dots) as well as the geographic distributions of elephants in India (grey shading) and potential geographic barriers to elephant dispersal in India (blue and black lines). Sampling locations include northern populations in Northwestern India (NW; pink) and Northeastern India (NE; red); a central population in the Central Indian landscape (CI; blue); and southern populations in the north of Palghat Gap (NPG; orange), south of Palghat Gap but north of Shencottah Gap (SPG; green), and south of Shencottah Gap (SSG; yellow).

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Lucas R Moreira @lucasrocm.bsky.social · 26/03/2026

#RIP Grey fox. Sarcoptic mange devastates wolves, coyotes & red foxes. In wolves, immunity & skin barrier genes explain who survives. Grey foxes are remarkably mange-resistant. With the new grey fox reference genome, we have the tools to discover why! #2026MMM pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC...

Photos by Rebecca Raymond/National Park Service and Dan Stahler/National Park Service: Both of these Yellowstone wolves display the hair loss and skin lesions associated with mange. By analyzing 25 years of wolf observations and genetic samples from 408 Yellowstone wolves, a Princeton-led research team found that genetics play a role in the severity of the mite-borne disease. They found support for the “monoculture theory”: wolves with severe mange, like the one on the left, tend to have less genetic variation than wolves with mild symptoms, as seen on the right.

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Lucas R Moreira @lucasrocm.bsky.social · 26/03/2026

Grey foxes colonized California's Channel Islands ~13,000 years ago and evolved into an entirely new species, the island fox! DNA shows all island foxes trace back to a now-extinct mainland grey fox population replaced by expanding grey foxes. #2026MMM www.mdpi.com/2073-4425/13...

Figure 6. (Sacks et. al 2022) Schematic representation of a hypothesis explaining the origins of island foxes (Urocyon littoralis) from a mainland ancestor replaced by expanding populations of gray foxes (U. cinereoargenteus). Island foxes and their immediate mainland ancestors (green) are distinguished from gray foxes (blue) 15,000 years ago (YA), prior to their introduction to the northern super-island, Santarosae 13,000–9500 YA, followed by their independent introductions to each of the southern islands 6000–200 YA, and finally their extirpation and replacement by expanding gray foxes on the mainland during the late Holocene. Overlapping time intervals reflect uncertainty in timing of extirpation and replacement. Putative introductions of foxes to the Channel Islands are indicated by green arrows and putative expansion routes of gray foxes are indicated by black arrows. Dashed lines indicate boundary to the California Floristic Province and dotted line bounds the Central Valley.

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Lucas R Moreira @lucasrocm.bsky.social · 26/03/2026

Hekkala et al. (2011) used DNA to id cryptic diversity finding that both C. niloticus & C. suchas historically inhabited the Nile River! DNA of 8 croc mummies from Thebes & Samoun showed all were C. suchas, consistent w/priests' preference for the smaller croc! doi.org/10.1111/j.13... #2026MMM

Table 3. Population Aggregation Analysis (PAA) Assigning Archival Specimens to Western or Eastern Clade. Diagnostic nucleotide positions within the short 12s (11 sites) and d-loop (14 sites) sequences. Specimens in bold represent archival material. Eight mummy specimens are highlighted in grey, all correspond to the western lineage. Sequences with question marks across one marker represent failed amplification success for that specimen. D-loop site 206 is an indel event in the eastern clade. The miscoding error observed at d-loop site 226 due to DNA degradation

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Lucas R Moreira @lucasrocm.bsky.social · 26/03/2026

European sea lampreys look well-mixed across the Atlantic, but seascape genomics tells a finer story. Baltazar-Soares et al. found local adaptation to ocean oxygen & river runoff, plus hints of selection driven by prey fish abundance. doi.org/10.1111/eva.... #2026MMM #RIP

Venn diagram of candidate loci identified by multiple outlier detection techniques. Shown are the number of candidate loci identified by each software. LFMM approach is colored in yellow for the abiotic variables and in green for the biotic variables.

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Lucas R Moreira @lucasrocm.bsky.social · 26/03/2026

Evolution invented adaptive immunity TWICE. Lampreys have no antibodies, yet Pancer et al. showed they build 10¹⁴+ unique immune receptors using leucine-rich repeats, a completely different molecular toolkit from our own. Convergent evolution! doi.org/10.1038/natu... #2026MMM

(A) FACS analysis of blood leukocytes before and after antigen/mitogen cocktail immunostimulation. (B) Immunostimulated leukocytes. Scale bar, 10 µm. (C) VLR Virtual northern blot. Amplified cDNA from larval tissues, or sorted cells from unstimulated and immunostimulated blood and haematopoietic organs. Molecular size is indicated in kilobases. (D) VLR stick model. Sections from left to right are: signal peptide, N-terminal LRR, nine LRRs, connecting peptide, C-terminal LRR, threonine/proline-rich stalk, GPI anchor and hydrophobic tail (E) Epitope-tagged VLR and FcγRIIb (control) expressed in mouse thymoma cells, treated with (+ PLC) or without (- PLC) GPI-phospholipase C. (F) Three-dimensional model of VLR diversity region (two rotations).

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Lucas R Moreira @lucasrocm.bsky.social · 26/03/2026

Honey badger is also susceptible to viruses - one honey badger attacked three people. Using molecular analyses, it was later confirmed that the honey badger was infected with rabies that it contracted from a dog www.mdpi.com/2414-6366/8/... #2026MMM

Figure 3. Phylogenetic analysis of RABVs analyzed in this investigation. A 592-nucleotide region encompassing the cytoplasmic domain of the glycoprotein and the G-L intergenic regions of the RABVs included in this study together with other previously characterized viruses was used in the analysis. A neighbor-joining tree of the G-L intergenic region sequences illustrating the genetic relationships of canid rabies viruses from the Kromdraai region of Gauteng. The virus sequences were compared with those from jackals from the 2016 rabies outbreak [14]. The virus sequence of the honey badger RABV is highlighted in red. The horizontal lines are proportional to the evolutionary distances between sequences and the scale bar represents nucleotide substitutions per site.

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Lucas R Moreira @lucasrocm.bsky.social · 26/03/2026

Using coalescent demographic reconstructions, Zhou et al found that the extinct Baiji had undergone a bottleneck at the beginning of the Holocene but populations were recovering in the last 10,000 years until recent extinction from human activities doi.org/10.1038/ncom... #2026MMM #RIP

Demographic reconstruction of Baiji populations over time show that their populations had declined up to 10,000 years ago, at the beginning of the Holocene, and then had began to recover until human activity drove them extinct.

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Lucas R Moreira @lucasrocm.bsky.social · 26/03/2026

True river dolphins across the world's rivers are not all related. The extinct Baiji from East Asia was more closely related to the South American river dolphins in the genus Inia than to the Ganges river dolphin or Susu from South Asia doi.org/10.1371/jour... #2026MMM

Phylogeny of the river dolphins, where the East Asian Baiji was more closely related to the genus Inia, the South American river dolphins, including the La Plata river dolphin in the genus Pontoporia than to any of the Eurasian dolphins.

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Lucas R Moreira @lucasrocm.bsky.social · 26/03/2026

Scientists sequenced the mitochondrial genome of the extinct Steller’s Sea Cow from a museum bone, reconstructing its evolutionary history centuries after it went extinct. Data show it was most closely related to the dugong, found across the Indo-Pacific Ocean. #2026MMM doi.org/10.1016/j.yg...

Figure showing 2 phylogenetic trees of Tethytheria (Steller's Sea Cows and relatives) based on complete mitochondrial genomes: (A) top plot shows a Neighbor-Joining tree and (B) the bottom plot a Maximum Likelihood tree. In both trees, the extinct Steller’s Sea Cow (Hydrodamalis gigas) clusters most closely with the dugong (Dugong dugon), forming a sister group within Sirenia, while manatees (Trichechus manatus) branch off earlier. More distantly related species (Asian and African elephants, as well as woolly mammoth), form separate lineages. Branch lengths represent genetic divergence, and nodes on the Neighbor-Joining tree are supported by high bootstrap values. Procavia capensis is used as an outgroup in both cases. Source: Sharko et al. (2019) Genomics.

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Lucas R Moreira @lucasrocm.bsky.social · 26/03/2026

Indian rhino genomes contain a fragment called pSS(R)2 composed of repetitive units. It is unique to this species and could be used to identify horns, hooves, and other tissues to prevent poaching. #2026MMM #RIP doi.org/10.1016/s037...

This bar graph displays the variety of different repeat lengths found within the pSS(R)2 sequence. It shows that the fragment is composed of short sequences of DNA ranging from 2 to 17 nucleotides long

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Lucas R Moreira @lucasrocm.bsky.social · 26/03/2026

A noninvasive census of an animal population is possible by analyzing dung samples. Researchers extracted DNA from rhino droppings in Gorumara National Park. They identified 43 unique rhinos and a 3.8:1 male to female ratio in this region #2026MMM doi.org/10.1017/S003...

A map of sites where samples of greater one-horned rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis) dung were collected in Gorumara National Park, West Bengal.

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Lucas R Moreira @lucasrocm.bsky.social · 26/03/2026

Despite their extremely large body size, humpback whales are well-known for their agility. Signatures of positive natural selection surrounding some genes related to reflexes and movement might hold clues to this awesome agility! #2026MMM doi.org/10.1016/j.gene.2024.148822

A diagram showing for six species of whale (humpback whale colored in light orange) the enrichment of mammalian phenotype categories for positively selected genes in each species.

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Lucas R Moreira @lucasrocm.bsky.social · 25/03/2026

Tonight our final 16 species battle. Let's see whose genome wrote the better survival story. 🧬🎖️ I'll be posting genetics & evolution facts from Genetics TeaMMM #2026MMM

media.tenor.com

ALT:

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Lucas R Moreira @lucasrocm.bsky.social · 24/03/2026

Was the Sea Mink its own species or a variant of the American Mink? DNA from the American mink shows that it is not a very genetically diverse species, making less likely that cryptic variation exists within the living representatives doi.org/10.1093/gbe/... #2026MMM #RIP

Heterozygosity of the various mink and weasels painted as a heat map. More genetic diversity is painted yellow, less is painted blue. The American mink, the closest relative to the Sea Mink, has internediate to low levels of heterozygosity.

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Lucas R Moreira @lucasrocm.bsky.social · 24/03/2026

American mink have a history of being difficult to place in the Mustelid tree of life. Mink in the genus Neogale, including the extinct sea mink, used to be part of the weasels in the genus Mustela but DNA found the two branches to be distant cousins doi.org/10.1016/j.ym... #2026MMM

Current distributions for all weasels in the western hemisphere : (A) M. erminea, (B) M. frenata, M. africana , M. felipei , (C) M. vison, (D) M. nigripes , M. nivalis

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Lucas R Moreira @lucasrocm.bsky.social · 24/03/2026

Genetic data show that the Camelus dromedarius, C. ferus, and C. bactrianus lost ~70% of their populations in the last glacial period. Domestication hit C. dromedarius again around 4-5 kya. The Wild Dromedary survived the Ice Age… then humans took over. #2026MMM doi.org/10.1007/s112...

Line graph showing historical effective population size (y-axis) over time in years before present (x-axis) for 3 camel species: Camelus bactrianus (black), C. dromedarius (blue), and C. ferus (red). All three species show a similar pattern: population sizes increase in the distant past, then decline sharply by up to ~70% during the last glacial period (LGP, shaded), with a minimum around the last glacial maximum (LGM). Afterward, populations partially recover, with C. bactrianus reaching the highest recent values, C. ferus intermediate, and C. dromedarius remaining lowest. Small camel illustrations appear next to each trajectory.

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Lucas R Moreira @lucasrocm.bsky.social · 24/03/2026

Interestingly, the molar teeth of Grasshopper Mice have a much larger "cusped surface" than some of their relatives, meaning their molars have more pointy parts. Why? To crunch insect & other fleshy parts, of course! But alas, too little too late #RIP #2026MMM doi.org/10.1093/jmam...

Relative proportions of crown divisions in extant genera of tribes of Neotominae following the interpretation of Koenigswald (2020). Relative lengths of differentiated roots of some taxa not available due to breakage or buried in alveolus. Numbers correspond to the following genera: 1, Neotoma; 2, Ochrotomys; 3, Scotinomys; 4, Baiomys; 5, Isthmomys; 6, Reithrodontomys; 7, Onychomys; 8, Acrolophomys; 9, Habromys; 10, Megadontomys; 11, Neotomodon; 12, Osgoodomys; 13, Peromyscus; 14, Podomys.

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Lucas R Moreira @lucasrocm.bsky.social · 24/03/2026

But which other mice are the amazing semi-carnivorous Grasshopper Mice (Onychomys) related to? Seems that they diverged ~6 mya from the group that includes the North American Deermouse (Peromyscus) -- do you think they still have family reunions? #2026MMM doi.org/10.1093/jmam...

Divergence times tree for Neotominae subfamily based on a concatenated analysis of the mitochondrial protein-coding gene cytochrome-b, and intron 2 and parts of exons 2 and 3 of acid phosphatase type V, intron 2 of the alcohol dehydrogenase gene, exon 6 of the protein-coding dentin matrix protein 1 gene, intron 7 of the beta-fibrinogen gene, exon 10 of the growth hormone receptor, single exon of the recombination activation 1 gene, and the first exon of the nuclear gene interphotoreceptor retinoid-binding protein. Divergence date estimates are indicated in millions of years. Bars indicate the minimum and maximum date at the 95% highest posterior density for node height (95% HPD). -- Photo: https://www.mammaldiversity.org/taxon/1002266/

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Lucas R Moreira @lucasrocm.bsky.social · 24/03/2026

In 1997, analysis of RNA sequence expression found that Gila monsters have both GLP-1 and exendin-4 (a GLP-1 receptor agonist, like many popular medications today), but that exendin-4 was only expressed in Gila monster saliva. doi.org/10.1074/jbc.... #2026MMM

Fig. 6. A, Northern blot analysis of 20 μg of total cellular lizard RNA from intestine (I), liver (L), pancreas (P), and salivary gland (S) hybridized with the lizard exendin cDNA probe. The ethidium bromide-stained gel and the positions of 18 and 28 S ribosomal RNA are shown. B and C, Southern blot analysis of H. suspectum genomic DNA hybridized with a lizard exendin cDNA probe (B) or a lizard proglucagon cDNA probe common to both lizard I and lizard II cDNAs (C). H. suspectum genomic DNA (20 μg) was digested with BamHI (B), EcoRI (E), or HindIII (H). The relative sizes of the DNA fragments were determined from a coelectrophoresed DNA ladder shown at the left in kilobases.

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Lucas R Moreira @lucasrocm.bsky.social · 24/03/2026

Scientists thought captive gazelles could bring G. saudiya back. DNA showed they were WRONG! Those captive populations weren’t the same species! It seems the only real Saudi Gazelles left are... museum skins! #RIP Saudi Gazelle. #2026MMM doi.org/10.1046/j.15...

Phylogenetic tree showing relationships among gazelle species based on a mitochondrial DNA gene (cytochrome b). Multiple samples labeled as “putative G. saudiya” (captive individuals) cluster with other species such as G. subgutturosa, G. bennettii, and G. dorcas, rather than with confirmed G. saudiya specimens. True G. saudiya samples (including museum specimens labeled “G. saudiya A” and “B”) form a separate branch. This demonstrates that many captive gazelles previously identified as Saudi gazelles are genetically different species and are thus irrelevant to the conservation of G. saudiya.

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Lucas R Moreira @lucasrocm.bsky.social · 24/03/2026

Gazelles are the most species-rich group within the bovid tribe Antilopini. They likely originated in the Middle East, then spread widely: dorcas and Speke’s gazelles into Africa, chinkara into India, and goitered gazelles into Central Asia. #2026MMM doi.org/10.1016/j.ym...

Phylogenetic tree of gazelles showing their evolutionary relationships alongside inferred geographic origins. Each species is labeled on the right. Colored squares along the branches indicate the most likely ancestral geographic range: Africa (red), Middle East (yellow), Central Asia (blue), and India (green). An inset map at the bottom illustrates the four regions, highlighting how gazelles originated in the Middle East and dispersed into Africa, Central Asia, and India over time.

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Lucas R Moreira @lucasrocm.bsky.social · 24/03/2026

Loss-of-function mutations in the lipoxygenase genes ALOX12B and ALOXE3 cause congenital ichthyosis (thick, scaly skin) in humans. These same genes are knocked out in the Steller’s Sea Cow (Hydrodamalis gigas), likely explaining its bark-like hide. #2026MMM doi.org/10.1126/scia...

Two-panel figure linking gene mutations to skin traits in Steller’s Sea Cow (Hydrodamalis gigas). Left: diagrams of the lipoxygenase genes ALOXE3 and ALOX12B, showing protein domains (PLAT and lipoxygenase) and multiple premature stop mutations; those specific to Steller’s Sea Cow are highlighted in red, indicating gene loss-of-function. Additional truncating mutations known from humans are shown in black. Right: illustration of Steller’s sea cow with thick, rough, bark-like skin.

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Lucas R Moreira @lucasrocm.bsky.social · 24/03/2026

Feigin et al used a complete ancient genome of the thylacine to reveal that their populations (and Tasmanian devils) started to decline slowly before human arrival to Australia making them especially vulnerable to hunting and habitat reduction doi.org/10.1038/s415... #2026MMM #RIP

Demographic trajectory over time for thylacines and Tasmanian devils show their populations had been declining slowly since before human arrival to Australia and the isolation od Tasmania from the mainland

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Lucas R Moreira @lucasrocm.bsky.social · 24/03/2026

Ancient DNA can give us insight into the immune system to understand how well a species tolerated disease and and its impact on extinction. Peel et al found the thylacine immune repertoire was typically mammalian and highly similar to other marsupials doi.org/10.1007/s002... #2026MMM

Phylogenetic relationships amongst immunoglobulin (Ig) domains thylacine, Tasmanian devil, koala, opossum, human, and mouse. Ig domains have expanded in the thylacine similar to other marsupials and show little to no orthology with eutherian Ig domain sequences.

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Lucas R Moreira @lucasrocm.bsky.social · 24/03/2026

Most domestic cattle harbor mitochondrial haplotype T, but a few Near East harbor haplotype Q. Bonfiglio et al discovered haplogroup R, which is found only in Italy and may indicate a secondary event of local Auroch domestication or admixture doi.org/10.1371/jour... #2026MMM

Frequency and distribution of the haplotype R. It is found only in Italy where is represents up to 3% of cattle haplotypes in the central and South of Italy

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Lucas R Moreira @lucasrocm.bsky.social · 24/03/2026

Are carnivores more genetically diverse than herbivores? In Mojave lizards, it's complicated: Chuckwallas (S. ater) & other rare species matched or exceeded the diversity of more abundant ones, defying simple neutral theory predictions! doi.org/10.1371/jour... #2026MMM #RIP

Haplotype diversities of 4 focal species compared to more abundant lizard species from Mojave National Preserve. Error bars represent ± 1 standard error. Abbreviations: cytb, cytochrome b; CARD4, caspase recruitment domain gene 4; MC1R, melanocortin 1 receptor gene; RAG1, recombination activating gene 1.

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Lucas R Moreira @lucasrocm.bsky.social · 24/03/2026

Imagine deliberately deleting 20% of your genome at birth. That's what sea lamprey embryos do! Smith et al. found ~500 million base pairs are permanently removed from body cells, kept secret only in sperm & eggs. doi.org/10.1073/pnas... #2026MMM

Germline nuclei contain more DNA than somatic nuclei. Flow-cytometric analyses of nuclear DNA content reveal major differences in nuclear DNA content between germline (spermatids) and somatic tissues. This figure shows sperm and blood traces from two different animals. Blue and red arrows mark the relative sizes of 1C sperm (2.31 pg) and 2C blood (1C = 1.82 pg) genomes, relative to arbitrary fluorescence units.

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Lucas R Moreira @lucasrocm.bsky.social · 24/03/2026

Bigger population = more genetic diversity? Not always. Chuckwallas (S. ater) have smaller local populations than sympatric desert lizards, yet show comparable genetic diversity, suggesting selection, not just drift, shapes variation. doi.org/10.1038/hdy.... #2026MMM

Haplotype diversities (h) for the cytb, MC1R and RAG1 genes for four species of lizards from the Mojave National Preserve. Error bars represent 95% confidence intervals around the point estimates of h. *Indicates statistically significantly higher diversities for comparisons between high- and low-density species based on confidence interval overlap (Cumming and Finch, 2005). An additional asterisk indicates statistically significantly higher diversities within high-density species.

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Lucas R Moreira @lucasrocm.bsky.social · 24/03/2026

Genomic data show some greater bilby (Macrotis lagotis) populations are losing genetic diversity over time. More inbreeding. Less variation. Will they follow the fate of their extinct cousin, the Yallara? #RIP #2026MMM doi.org/10.1002/jwmg...

Three bar charts showing observed heterozygosity (==genetic diversity) over time in greater bilby (M. lagotis) populations. Panel A (Barna Mia) shows a small increase from 2003 to 2005. Panel B (Dryandra) is relatively stable within the time range between 1999 and 2005 with no clear long-term trend. Panel C (Scotia) shows a steady decline in genetic diversity from 2008 to 2016, indicating loss of variation over time.

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Lucas R Moreira @lucasrocm.bsky.social · 24/03/2026

The Yallara (Macrotis leucura) is gone, but it is part of a lineage older than many ecosystems. DNA shows their lineages split ~25 million years ago. They originated in Australia, then spread to New Guinea. #2026MMM doi.org/10.1016/j.ym...

Time-calibrated phylogenetic tree of bandicoots and bilbies (Peramelemorphia) showing evolutionary relationships and divergence times over ~60 million years. The x-axis represents time in millions of years. Major lineages, including the bilby (Macrotis lagotis) and the extinct pig-footed bandicoot (Chaeropus ecaudatus), branch off early from other bandicoots. Numerous species of bandicoots from Australia and New Guinea are shown on the right, with horizontal blue bars at nodes of the phylogeny indicating confidence intervals for estimated divergence times.

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Lucas R Moreira @lucasrocm.bsky.social · 24/03/2026

Did you know the Baiji, the extinct Yangtze river dolphin, was more closely related to a Narwhal than to the Susu or Ganges river dolphin? Yan et al used mt genomes to establish a phylogeny of the river dolphins and found them not directly related doi.org/10.1016/j.ym... #2026MMM

Mitochondrial genome phylogeny of cetaceans, show the Baiji is more closely related to the South American river dolphins, and then to the Narwhal and the dolphins and porpuses, than to the Susu or Ganges river dolphin.

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Lucas R Moreira @lucasrocm.bsky.social · 24/03/2026

All 33 shrike species trace their roots to Africa ~8 million years ago, when C4 grasses exploded across the continent. Oh, and Magpie Shrikes? Just big Lanius. The first complete shrike phylogeny reveals Laniidae is basically one giant genus. doi.org/10.1111/zsc.... #2026MMM #RIP

"Majority Clade Credibility tree results from the partitioned Bayesian analyses of the concatenated data set (cytochrome b,
MB, ODC) calibrated using three fossils. Numbers close to the nodes refer to maximum likelihood bootstrap support/concatenated beast posterior probabilities/species tree posterior probabilities. Values are indicated when at least one the three values was ≥70%, ≥0.95 or ≥0.95, respectively."

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Lucas R Moreira @lucasrocm.bsky.social · 24/03/2026

The Great Grey Shrike (Lanius excubitor) hides 6+ species! mtDNA of 18 subspecies showed the complex is not monophyletic, some are genetically closer to American Loggerhead Shrikes than to each other. Plumage lies, genes don't. doi.org/10.1016/j.ym... #2026MMM

Best maximum-likelihood tree produced by RAxML from cyt b, ND2, and ATP6/8 sequences for six shrike taxa. Bootstrapsupport values from a 100-replicate bootstrap are included at the nodes, if above 50%.

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Lucas R Moreira @lucasrocm.bsky.social · 24/03/2026

A 2021 microsatellite survey of 236 ossifrage individuals across 3 continents revealed 3 distinct genetic clusters, but they don't match the 2 recognized subspecies! S. African birds are most genetically isolated & show the highest inbreeding. doi.org/10.1186/s128... #2026MMM

Probabilistic population structure under the Admixed model for 236 bearded vultures Gypaetus barbatus collected from across the global distribution of the species. Individuals are sorted into four broad geographically delineated regions, and are represented by vertical lines partitioned into coloured segments which represent the estimated membership coefficients (Q-value) of each cluster represented in their genetics. ∆K = 3 was estimated as the optimal partitioning strategy

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Lucas R Moreira @lucasrocm.bsky.social · 24/03/2026

The Least Shrew used to enjoy an even larger pop size than today -- peaking ~30,000 ya prior to declining over the past 10,000 yr. Back then, ~200k breeding shrews likely inhabited Chaves Co, NM... that's a lot of cute shrews! #RIP #2026MMM onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1...

Stairway plots for estimated changes in effective population size (Ne) for A: All Cryptotis parvus parvus west of the Mississippi River excluding samples from Chaves County, and B: All Chaves County individuals. Axes are shown as logarithmic. Red lines show change in median effective population size through time, dark shading is the 75% confidence interval and light shading is the 95% confidence interval on effective size estimates.

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Lucas R Moreira @lucasrocm.bsky.social · 24/03/2026

For such a small dude, the Least Shrew can get around -- they are distributed across eastern North America, with genetic units shown on the map using diff colors. Wild how those Virginia and Louisiana animals are closely related! #2026MMM onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1...

Map of the study area. Shaded regions represent the estimated range of Cryptotis parvus, based on Hall (1981; dark shading) and Barnes and Hoffman (2023; light shading), the latter suggestive of recent westward range expansion. Filled dots represent specimens sampled for genetic analyses and are colored and labeled according to genomic cluster assignments from the SNP admixture analysis (Figure 2). Within C. parvus, samples of C. p. floridanus within Florida are colored blue (cluster 4). Other species include C. berlandieri (cluster 3) from southern Texas colored dark green, and C. soricinus (cluster 5) from Mexico colored black. Small dots show specimen localities that were not included in genomic analyses, and are only colored if clade assignment was unambiguous from the mtDNA phylogeny. Localities with black stars show specimens that have a signal of mito-nuclear discordance. Inset map provides additional spatial details for peripheral populations within New Mexico. --- photo: https://www.mammaldiversity.org/taxon/1004165/

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Lucas R Moreira @lucasrocm.bsky.social · 24/03/2026

The honey badger isn’t the only species to evolve resistance to neurotoxins from venomous snakes - other species have convergently (independently) evolved similar genetic resistance mechanisms. doi.org/10.1016/j.to... #2026MMM

Fig. 1. (A) The evolutionary tree of mammals depicting relationships among species that have been sequenced for the α1 subunit of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor gene (CHRNA1). The two trees are topologically identical; ancestral-state reconstructions of amino-acid sites 187 (left-hand tree) and 189 (right-hand tree) are indicated with colored branches (legend upper left). The derived amino acid is given at the branch terminus for species that differ from the ancestral condition (tryptophan and phenylalanine for sites 187 and 189, respectively). Species that are known to survive envenomation by elapid snakes (honey badger, mongoose, hedgehog) or have been shown experimentally to have lost (mongoose, hedgehog) binding between α-bungarotoxin and the nAChR receptor are shown in red; the reduced binding ability of human is indicated with an asterisk. (B) Alignment of the α-bungarotoxin-binding region of nAChR (Barchan et al., 1995) for the 11 mammal species that have lost one or both ancestral aromatic residues at sites 187 and 189. The reconstructed ancestral placental sequence is shown for reference as is the sequence from cobra. Dots indicate sequence identity with this ancestral sequence. (C) Molecular model (Dellisanti et al., 2007a, Dellisanti et al., 2007b; UniProt Accession 2QC1) of the α1 subunit of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (spacefill model) shown binding with α-bungarotoxin (green ribbon model). Sites 187 and 189 are shown as the ancestral amino acid for placental mammals.

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Lucas R Moreira @lucasrocm.bsky.social · 23/03/2026

Some species are lost to history. Others are out here spitting acid and crushing bones. I'll be posting genetics & evolution facts for both tonight! #2026MMM Skeets by @cegamorim.bsky.social @fervillanea.bsky.social @n8upham.bsky.social @sexchrlab.bsky.social @acstone.bsky.social and me!

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