Peter Dearden
@peterkdearden.bsky.social
Geneticist, evolutionary biologist, evolution and development. Working mainly on insects, but also big green budgies and snails. Co Director of Genomics Aotearoa, Deputy Director of Bioprotection Aotearoa. HOD Biochemistry, University of Otago.
Hey anyone at #mpi or #biosecuritynz. We do wasp genomics. I reckon I could tell you in about 24 hours if these invasive yellow legged #hornets you have found in Auckland are sisters, or a larger invasion. For free. Hit me up now!
November 4, 2025 at 3:30 AM
Hey anyone at #mpi or #biosecuritynz. We do wasp genomics. I reckon I could tell you in about 24 hours if these invasive yellow legged #hornets you have found in Auckland are sisters, or a larger invasion. For free. Hit me up now!
Left wing at the back. Seems appropriate!
November 1, 2025 at 7:02 AM
Left wing at the back. Seems appropriate!
Reposted by Peter Dearden
Reposted by Peter Dearden
Take‑home on disease: it’s likely host genetics + virus + environment, not a single mutation “on/off” switch. That’s why species‑wide genomics + ARG‑aware GWAS are so powerful here.
October 28, 2025 at 8:08 PM
Take‑home on disease: it’s likely host genetics + virus + environment, not a single mutation “on/off” switch. That’s why species‑wide genomics + ARG‑aware GWAS are so powerful here.
Reposted by Peter Dearden
Selection scans also show the Southern subspecies have younger TMRCAs (signals of recent selection) in cilia‑related pathways; hair‑like structures lining airways that trap and clear pathogens. This could help explain why Southern chicks resist RDS.
October 28, 2025 at 8:08 PM
Selection scans also show the Southern subspecies have younger TMRCAs (signals of recent selection) in cilia‑related pathways; hair‑like structures lining airways that trap and clear pathogens. This could help explain why Southern chicks resist RDS.
Reposted by Peter Dearden
Re: RDS on the mainland. A GWAS within the Northern subspecies and all subspecies flags candidate genes tied to immunity and respiration.
October 28, 2025 at 8:08 PM
Re: RDS on the mainland. A GWAS within the Northern subspecies and all subspecies flags candidate genes tied to immunity and respiration.
Reposted by Peter Dearden
Using ARGs, we can trace population divergence across the genome. This “excess coalescence” plot shows when genomes begin to diverge. The timing aligns with the BEAST-inferred divergence windows, but using separate methodology.
(Not in the preprint, BTS!)
(Not in the preprint, BTS!)
October 28, 2025 at 8:08 PM
Using ARGs, we can trace population divergence across the genome. This “excess coalescence” plot shows when genomes begin to diverge. The timing aligns with the BEAST-inferred divergence windows, but using separate methodology.
(Not in the preprint, BTS!)
(Not in the preprint, BTS!)
Reposted by Peter Dearden
Methodologically cool bit: we also used ancestral recombination graphs (ARGs) to time coalescent events & control relatedness in analyses. Hundreds of thousands of local trees support the divergence times based only on mutation rate (generations rather than years ago). #tsinfer #tskit #tsdate.
October 28, 2025 at 8:08 PM
Reposted by Peter Dearden
When did they split? Molecular dating points to ~5–16k years for the Northern vs Southern split and ~3–11k years between the two Southern groups, dating to before human arrival in Aotearoa NZ. (Fig. 3)
October 28, 2025 at 8:08 PM
When did they split? Molecular dating points to ~5–16k years for the Northern vs Southern split and ~3–11k years between the two Southern groups, dating to before human arrival in Aotearoa NZ. (Fig. 3)
Reposted by Peter Dearden
With Ngāi Tahu kaitiakitanga, three subspecies are proposed:
• M. a. murihiku — mainland “Northern” hoiho
• M. a. motu maha — Enderby (Auckland Is)
• M. a. motu ihupuku — Campbell Is
These lineages are evolutionarily independent.
• M. a. murihiku — mainland “Northern” hoiho
• M. a. motu maha — Enderby (Auckland Is)
• M. a. motu ihupuku — Campbell Is
These lineages are evolutionarily independent.
October 28, 2025 at 8:08 PM
With Ngāi Tahu kaitiakitanga, three subspecies are proposed:
• M. a. murihiku — mainland “Northern” hoiho
• M. a. motu maha — Enderby (Auckland Is)
• M. a. motu ihupuku — Campbell Is
These lineages are evolutionarily independent.
• M. a. murihiku — mainland “Northern” hoiho
• M. a. motu maha — Enderby (Auckland Is)
• M. a. motu ihupuku — Campbell Is
These lineages are evolutionarily independent.
Reposted by Peter Dearden
We sequenced ~249 whole genomes 🧬 spanning the mainland and subantarctic Enderby & Campbell Islands. Result: three distinct genetic lineages, with negligible gene flow among them (See PCA/tree in Fig. 2, and migration rates in supplement)!
October 28, 2025 at 8:08 PM
We sequenced ~249 whole genomes 🧬 spanning the mainland and subantarctic Enderby & Campbell Islands. Result: three distinct genetic lineages, with negligible gene flow among them (See PCA/tree in Fig. 2, and migration rates in supplement)!
Reposted by Peter Dearden
On the NZ mainland, there are <150 breeding pairs, and many chicks die from respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) caused by a 🦠gyrovirus (YPGV). Subantarctic hoiho carry the virus too, but don’t show disease. Why the difference?
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
A novel gyrovirus is abundant in yellow-eyed penguin (Megadyptes antipodes) chicks with a fatal respiratory disease
Yellow-eyed penguins (Megadyptes antipodes), or hoiho in te reo Māori, are predicted to become extinct on mainland Aotearoa New Zealand in the next fe…
www.sciencedirect.com
October 28, 2025 at 8:08 PM
On the NZ mainland, there are <150 breeding pairs, and many chicks die from respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) caused by a 🦠gyrovirus (YPGV). Subantarctic hoiho carry the virus too, but don’t show disease. Why the difference?
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Reposted by Peter Dearden
Population genomics reveal three divergent subspecies with urgent #conservation implications. #popgen
Population genomics of yellow-eyed penguins uncovers subspecies divergence and candidate genes linked to respiratory distress syndrome
Yellow-eyed penguins (hoiho/takaraka, Megadyptes antipodes ) are among the world’s rarest penguins and are regarded as a taonga (treasured) species in Aotearoa New Zealand. Since 2019, chicks on the N...
www.biorxiv.org
October 28, 2025 at 8:08 PM
Population genomics reveal three divergent subspecies with urgent #conservation implications. #popgen
Reposted by Peter Dearden
🐧We researched one of the world’s rarest #penguins. The yellow‑eyed penguin (aka hoiho/takaraka) isn’t one homogeneous species after all!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
#hoiho #conservation #genomics #birds #nzwildlife #endangered #wildlife #nature
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
#hoiho #conservation #genomics #birds #nzwildlife #endangered #wildlife #nature
October 28, 2025 at 8:08 PM
🐧We researched one of the world’s rarest #penguins. The yellow‑eyed penguin (aka hoiho/takaraka) isn’t one homogeneous species after all!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
#hoiho #conservation #genomics #birds #nzwildlife #endangered #wildlife #nature
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
#hoiho #conservation #genomics #birds #nzwildlife #endangered #wildlife #nature
Reposted by Peter Dearden
Amazing group of people to work with! @jemmageoghegan.bsky.social @peterkdearden.bsky.social @annasanture.bsky.social @cegrueber.bsky.social And everyone else not on bsky! Double thanks to Janelle for the amazing pictures!
October 28, 2025 at 8:08 PM
Amazing group of people to work with! @jemmageoghegan.bsky.social @peterkdearden.bsky.social @annasanture.bsky.social @cegrueber.bsky.social And everyone else not on bsky! Double thanks to Janelle for the amazing pictures!
Reposted by Peter Dearden
A landmark Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka-led study has found the endangered hoiho 🐧 is made up of 3 subspecies, a finding that may help protect the species against fatal disease.
“This is a turning point for hoiho conservation," says senior author Professor Jemma Geoghegan.
Read more here ⬇️
“This is a turning point for hoiho conservation," says senior author Professor Jemma Geoghegan.
Read more here ⬇️
Study reveals genetic secrets of one of world’s rarest penguins
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.
www.otago.ac.nz
October 28, 2025 at 3:51 AM
A landmark Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka-led study has found the endangered hoiho 🐧 is made up of 3 subspecies, a finding that may help protect the species against fatal disease.
“This is a turning point for hoiho conservation," says senior author Professor Jemma Geoghegan.
Read more here ⬇️
“This is a turning point for hoiho conservation," says senior author Professor Jemma Geoghegan.
Read more here ⬇️
This is very cool. Global Change Biology | Environmental Change Journal | Wiley Online Library onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Spatio‐Temporal Variation in Aerial Arthropod Abundance Revealed by Weather Radars
Alarming arthropod decline has been reported from around the world, but we lack conensus on the generality, severity, and potential causes of these declines. We use weather radars for large-scale aer...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
October 28, 2025 at 1:48 AM
This is very cool. Global Change Biology | Environmental Change Journal | Wiley Online Library onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Reposted by Peter Dearden
We did a penguin GWAS! Turns out that yellow-eyed penguins (or hoiho) are actually three very divergent groups, which we are calling subspecies www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1... @josephguhlin.bsky.social @peterkdearden.bsky.social @annasanture.bsky.social @cegrueber.bsky.social
Population genomics of yellow-eyed penguins uncovers subspecies divergence and candidate genes linked to respiratory distress syndrome
Yellow-eyed penguins (hoiho/takaraka, Megadyptes antipodes ) are among the world’s rarest penguins and are regarded as a taonga (treasured) species in Aotearoa New Zealand. Since 2019, chicks on the N...
www.biorxiv.org
October 27, 2025 at 9:18 PM
We did a penguin GWAS! Turns out that yellow-eyed penguins (or hoiho) are actually three very divergent groups, which we are calling subspecies www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1... @josephguhlin.bsky.social @peterkdearden.bsky.social @annasanture.bsky.social @cegrueber.bsky.social
We wrote a thing about Penguins! www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Population genomics of yellow-eyed penguins uncovers subspecies divergence and candidate genes linked to respiratory distress syndrome
Yellow-eyed penguins (hoiho/takaraka, Megadyptes antipodes) are among the world's rarest penguins and are regarded as a taonga (treasured) species in Aotearoa New Zealand. Since 2019, chicks on the Ne...
www.biorxiv.org
October 20, 2025 at 8:59 PM
We wrote a thing about Penguins! www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Peter Dearden
Nobel Laureate Professor Sir John Gurdon dies aged 92 cam.ac.uk/research/news/…
Very sad news. A remarkable scientist! He will be always with us.🌻www.cam.ac.uk/research/new...92
Very sad news. A remarkable scientist! He will be always with us.🌻www.cam.ac.uk/research/new...92
Nobel Laureate Professor Sir John Gurdon dies aged 92
It is with great sadness that the University shares the news of the death of Professor Sir John Gurdon, founder of the Gurdon Institute.
www.cam.ac.uk
October 7, 2025 at 8:52 PM
Nobel Laureate Professor Sir John Gurdon dies aged 92 cam.ac.uk/research/news/…
Very sad news. A remarkable scientist! He will be always with us.🌻www.cam.ac.uk/research/new...92
Very sad news. A remarkable scientist! He will be always with us.🌻www.cam.ac.uk/research/new...92
Reposted by Peter Dearden
We're looking for a new lecturer, here at the Department of Biochemistry in Dunedin, New Zealand. "Applications are invited in all areas of biochemistry, molecular genetics, and bioinformatics." otago.taleo.net/careersectio...
September 15, 2025 at 1:09 AM
We're looking for a new lecturer, here at the Department of Biochemistry in Dunedin, New Zealand. "Applications are invited in all areas of biochemistry, molecular genetics, and bioinformatics." otago.taleo.net/careersectio...
Reposted by Peter Dearden
Are you looking for a lectureship in biochemistry, molecular genetics, or bioinformatics? Come and enjoy the greatest place for kayak fishing and a fun research+teaching career.
*there are other fun things to do here too.
*there are other fun things to do here too.
September 15, 2025 at 1:14 AM
Are you looking for a lectureship in biochemistry, molecular genetics, or bioinformatics? Come and enjoy the greatest place for kayak fishing and a fun research+teaching career.
*there are other fun things to do here too.
*there are other fun things to do here too.
My Department has a permanent, full-time, resarch and teaching job for someone awesome. details here.... otago.taleo.net/careersectio...
September 14, 2025 at 10:27 PM
My Department has a permanent, full-time, resarch and teaching job for someone awesome. details here.... otago.taleo.net/careersectio...
Reposted by Peter Dearden
Ned the snail got a dating campaign 🐌💔 … but he’s not even from Aotearoa.
Meanwhile our endangered taonga the Powelliphanta augusta snail are in containers fighting for survival.
From fridge to freedom — a story on how we value biodiversity, by @whenua.bsky.social + @peterkdearden.bsky.social
Meanwhile our endangered taonga the Powelliphanta augusta snail are in containers fighting for survival.
From fridge to freedom — a story on how we value biodiversity, by @whenua.bsky.social + @peterkdearden.bsky.social
Fridge to Freedom | Bioprotection Aotearoa
You may have recently read about the Department of Conservation spending around $100,000 per year for the past 4 years to house and manage snails. Now, these aren’t just any...
bioprotection.org.nz
August 28, 2025 at 12:42 AM
Ned the snail got a dating campaign 🐌💔 … but he’s not even from Aotearoa.
Meanwhile our endangered taonga the Powelliphanta augusta snail are in containers fighting for survival.
From fridge to freedom — a story on how we value biodiversity, by @whenua.bsky.social + @peterkdearden.bsky.social
Meanwhile our endangered taonga the Powelliphanta augusta snail are in containers fighting for survival.
From fridge to freedom — a story on how we value biodiversity, by @whenua.bsky.social + @peterkdearden.bsky.social
Hi folks. @whenua.bsky.social and I wrote a thing about my favourite snails. bioprotection.org.nz/fridge-to-fr...
Fridge to Freedom | Bioprotection Aotearoa
You may have recently read about the Department of Conservation spending around $100,000 per year for the past 4 years to house and manage snails. Now, these aren’t just any...
bioprotection.org.nz
August 21, 2025 at 8:51 PM
Hi folks. @whenua.bsky.social and I wrote a thing about my favourite snails. bioprotection.org.nz/fridge-to-fr...