Integrative evidence reveals adaptive divergence and speciation in gentoo penguins
Abstract
Understanding lineage divergence is crucial for uncovering cryptic biodiversity. Adaptive divergence, geographic isolation and life-history traits drive speciation in heterogeneous environments. The gentoo penguin complex (Pygoscelis spp.), historically treated as a single species, provides an ideal system to examine divergence across its full distribution. Here, we show the existence of four divergent evolutionary lineages (northern, southern, southeastern, and eastern), supported by phylogenomic and lineage-specific selective pressures, despite ancestral gene flow. South Georgia and Macquarie individuals whose status has been debated, were included. Genomic scans reveal lineage-specific signals of positive selection in genes related to thermoregulation, oxygen transport, metabolism, and skeletal development, consistent with ecological and morphological differentiation across the Antarctic Polar Front. Future niche projections indicate severe habitat losses for three lineages, whereas the southern gentoo may expand its range. We propose a taxonomic revision recognizing four distinct gentoo penguin species, including Pygoscelis kerguelensis sp. nov., with important conservation implications.
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BibTeX
@article{noll2026integrative,
title = {{Integrative evidence reveals adaptive divergence and speciation in gentoo penguins}},
author = {Daly Noll and Jane Younger and Luis R Pertierra and Michelle Greve and Eduardo J Pizarro and Fabiola León and Debora y C Brandt and Joshua Tyler and Gemma Clucas and Hila Levy and W. Brian Simison and Julie Mcinnes and Pierre Pistorius and Céline Le Bohec and Francesco Bonadonna and Phil N Trathan and Andrés Barbosa and Andrea Raya Rey and Gisele P M Dantas and Rauri C K Bowie and Elie Poulin and Juliana A Vianna},
journal = {Communications Biology},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.1038/s42003-026-10081-7},
url = {https://hal.science/hal-05767945v1},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Integrative evidence reveals adaptive divergence and speciation in gentoo penguins
AU - Daly Noll
AU - Jane Younger
AU - Luis R Pertierra
AU - Michelle Greve
AU - Eduardo J Pizarro
AU - Fabiola León
AU - Debora y C Brandt
AU - Joshua Tyler
AU - Gemma Clucas
AU - Hila Levy
AU - W. Brian Simison
AU - Julie Mcinnes
AU - Pierre Pistorius
AU - Céline Le Bohec
AU - Francesco Bonadonna
AU - Phil N Trathan
AU - Andrés Barbosa
AU - Andrea Raya Rey
AU - Gisele P M Dantas
AU - Rauri C K Bowie
AU - Elie Poulin
AU - Juliana A Vianna
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/28
JO - Communications Biology
DO - 10.1038/s42003-026-10081-7
UR - https://hal.science/hal-05767945v1
AB - Understanding lineage divergence is crucial for uncovering cryptic biodiversity. Adaptive divergence, geographic isolation and life-history traits drive speciation in heterogeneous environments. The gentoo penguin complex (Pygoscelis spp.), historically treated as a single species, provides an ideal system to examine divergence across its full distribution. Here, we show the existence of four divergent evolutionary lineages (northern, southern, southeastern, and eastern), supported by phylogenomic and lineage-specific selective pressures, despite ancestral gene flow. South Georgia and Macquarie individuals whose status has been debated, were included. Genomic scans reveal lineage-specific signals of positive selection in genes related to thermoregulation, oxygen transport, metabolism, and skeletal development, consistent with ecological and morphological differentiation across the Antarctic Polar Front. Future niche projections indicate severe habitat losses for three lineages, whereas the southern gentoo may expand its range. We propose a taxonomic revision recognizing four distinct gentoo penguin species, including Pygoscelis kerguelensis sp. nov., with important conservation implications.
SN - 2399-3642
ER -