Landmark genomic research has found the endangered hoiho is made up of three distinct subspecies, a discovery that may help guard against a fatal disease.
The study, led by scientists from the University of Otago – Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka, the Department of Conservation, and Ngāi Tahu, in preprint ahead of peer review, was supported by Genomics Aotearoa.
Senior author Professor Jemma Geoghegan, of Otago's Department of Microbiology & Immunology, says the study redefines the species' evolutionary history and has urgent implications for its conservation.
Using whole-genome sequencing of about 250 penguins from across the New Zealand mainland and the subantarctic Enderby and Campbell Islands, researchers discovered deep genetic divisions in each location, consistent with three subspecies.
Comparing these genomes with ancient DNA from two extinct species shows the three lineages diverged between 5,000 and 16,000 years ago.
"This is a turning point for hoiho conservation. Each group has a unique evolutionary legacy specifically adapted to its environment and without swift, targeted action, we could lose one forever," Professor Geoghegan says.
