M. Hofreiter

Blue turns to grey - Paleogenomic insights into the evolutionary history and extinction of the blue antelope (Hippotragus leucophaeus)

This study recovers the first draft genomes of the extinct blue antelope, revealing its evolutionary relationships and low genetic diversity, suggesting human impact contributed to its extinction.

Archaeogenomics of a ~2,100-year-old Egyptian leaf provides a new timestamp on date palm domestication

The paper analyzes an ancient date palm leaf to determine the timing of gene flow from wild relatives to domesticated date palms, finding hybridization occurred at least 2,100 years ago.

Ecological specialisation and evolutionary reticulation in extant Hyaenidae

This study generates an aardwolf genome and analyzes it with other hyena genomes to explore evolutionary relationships, dietary adaptations, and genetic diversity patterns in Hyaenidae.

Radula diversification promotes ecomorph divergence in an adaptive radiation of freshwater snails

The paper investigates the molecular basis of radula diversification in Tylomelania snails and finds stronger divergence in gene expression and coding sequences in radula transcriptomes compared to other tissues.

A 3500-year-old leaf from a Pharaonic tomb reveals that New Kingdom Egyptians were cultivating domesticated watermelon

The paper analyzes a 3500-year-old watermelon leaf from a Pharaonic tomb to determine the domestication origin of watermelon, finding it was cultivated by New Kingdom Egyptians.

Historical biogeography of the leopard (Panthera pardus) and its extinct Eurasian populations

This study analyzes mitogenome sequences from historical and Late Pleistocene leopard samples to resolve their biogeographic history and find a deep bifurcation between African and Eurasian lineages.

Population and conservation genomics of the world's rarest hyena species, the brown hyena (Parahyena brunnea)

This study analyzes the population and conservation genomics of the brown hyena, revealing low genetic diversity and potential sub-populations, with implications for its conservation.

Inactivation of thermogenic UCP1 as a historical contingency in multiple placental mammal clades

The paper shows that inactivation of UCP1 occurred in multiple placental mammal clades and is linked to reduced metabolic intensity and increased body mass during periods of global cooling.