Our Species

crab apple tree on the West Highland Way, Scotland
Our Species 7 Dec 2022

Comparing apples with apples: Our first plant genomes

New reference genomes have been published for Britain and Ireland's only native wild apple, Malus sylvestris, and four varieties of eating apples (Malus domestica) cultivated on these islands.
Orca (Orcinus orca). Image: Andrew Foote (CC)
Our Species 10 Oct 2022

Orcinus orca: How a tragic stranding helped us dive into the killer whale genome

Our new orca reference genome may unlock secrets to this apex predator’s evolution, threats from inbreeding, and better understanding of killer whales in British and Irish waters.
badger
Our Species 23 Sep 2022

Badger genome will help study bovine TB, climate change and evolution

Researchers at the University of Oxford collected blood samples from an individual plus both its parents, as part of a long-term study in Wytham Woods.
Small adder's-tongue fern (Ophioglossum azoricum) on Raasay, Scotland
Our Species 10 Aug 2022

Small adder's-tongue fern: A small plant with a big genome

The team from the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh couldn’t miss the opportunity to collect the rare Ophioglossum azoricum, taking a trip to the remote Isle of Raasay.
"Jedburgh Giant" wych elm
Our Species 13 Jun 2022

Wych elm vs. Dutch elm disease: Giants, genomes and true grit in the Scottish Borders

Dutch elm disease has ravaged our native trees since the 1980s. By studying the genomes of the survivors, we may begin to understand resilience to the fungal pathogen. And you can get involved!
Our Species 27 Apr 2022

Understanding our fish, keeping our seas sustainable

Genomics is giving researchers and industry a fine-grain picture of which fish swim in our waters, and where. This knowledge helps avoid the overfishing disasters of the past.
chicken of the woods
Our Species 10 Mar 2022

Chicken of the Woods: Our first fungus genome

Our first fungus genome will help us understand this key ecosystem engineer, its boost to biodiversity, and potential for new medicines and chemical compounds to protect our future.
Our Species 15 Feb 2022

Parasitoid wasps: Indispensable insects you never think about… or never want to!

Eating caterpillars from the inside, paralysing spiders… and pollinating! Parasitoid wasps are a diverse and massive group of insects, and we’ve just sequenced our first genome of one.
Our Species 21 Jan 2022

Thistle the deer may be gone, but her legacy to science lives on

The long-lived red deer will become "genomotype" for her species, while researchers hope her longevity can help answer questions about ageing and age-related disease.
Greenland wolf and domestic dog
Our Species 12 Jan 2022

Wolf to dog: Digging into the genome of Canis lupus familiaris

Dogs, descended from wolves, were the first animals domesticated by humans, some 40,000 years ago. Our wolf genome is now helping researchers unravel the evolutionary past of our canine companions.
Partridge in a pear tree
Our Species 23 Dec 2021

The 12 Days of Christmas at Darwin Tree of Life

The traditional "12 Days of Christmas" reimagined with the huge variety of species having their genomes sequenced by the Darwin Tree of Life project.
pearl-bordered fritillary
Our Species 10 Dec 2021

Pearl-bordered fritillary: At risk butterfly lays foundations for her species’ recovery

A female butterfly has not only provided her eggs for reintroduction efforts in the Malvern Hills, but will also become the reference genome for her species - aiding conservation across Britain.
Phyllodoce mucosa
Our Species 2 Dec 2021

Majestic marine worms under the microscope

Among the coastal creatures collected by the Marine Biological Association for the Darwin Tree of Life project are a staggering variety of marine worms. We get the close up on 14 fascinating species.
Greenland wolf
Our Species 12 Nov 2021

Where wolves: Can genomics help bring back Britain’s lost apex predator?

Wolves were eradicated from Britain around 300 years ago, leaving a hole in our ecosystem. How might new high-quality genomes help bring back this and other missing species?
wolf, devil's coach horse, toad, crab hacker barnacle, ribbon worm
Our Species 29 Oct 2021

Halloween genomes: 5 spooky species newly sequenced

Forget the folklore, never mind the movies. Decoding the DNA of these species can transform our view of them from horror tropes to essential parts of our ecosystem.
Left: Common frog (Rana temporaria); right: common toad (Bufo bufo)
Our Species 25 Oct 2021

Warts and all: The differences between frogs and toads

Darwin Tree of Life has sequenced the genomes for the common frog (Rana temporaria) and common toad (Bufo bufo). But what do “frog” and “toad” mean in an evolutionary and genomic sense?
Bootlace Worm (Lineus longissimus). Image: Mark Blaxter, Wellcome Sanger Institute (CC)
Our Species 18 Oct 2021

Lineus longissimus: Marine medicines from the ribbon worm

The world's longest animal, and very slimy - researchers hope that the genomes of these worms will help uncover new chemical compounds.
Eimeria tenella oocysts
Our Species 23 Sep 2021

Eimeria: The chicken parasite costing farmers billions

By sequencing the genome of this single-celled coccidian parasite, scientists hope to develop better vaccines to protect poultry from a disease causing severe diarrhoea and death.
Large Tortoiseshell (Nymphalis polychloros)
Our Species 16 Sep 2021

Large Tortoiseshell: The mystery of Britain’s reappearing butterfly

Having disappeared in the 1950s, this large lepidopteran is back and breeding on UK shores - but we don’t know why. Might its newly sequenced genome provide some clues?
Bumblebee by Leon Jarman
Our Species 11 Mar 2021

Release of full bee genome sequences creates a buzz

Full genome sequences for three of the bumblebee species found in Britain and Ireland
Field Cuckoo Bee
Our Species 10 Mar 2021

Successful full genome sequencing of three bumblebee species

The Darwin Tree of Life team are delighted to announce the release of three complete bumblebee genomes this week.