A new phased assembly of the Antarctic spiny plunderfish provides novel insights into the evolution of the notothenioid radiation.

A phased assembly of Harpagifer antarcticus reveals lineage-specific genomic gains and transposon activity linked to cold adaptation in Antarctic notothenioids.

• Why it matters: Understanding the genomic mechanisms behind extreme cold adaptation in notothenioids is crucial for insights into evolutionary responses to climate change and speciation in extreme environments.
• What they did: The study produced a new reference genome for H. antarcticus, identified transposon insertions, analyzed genome expansion patterns, and detected genes under diversifying selection related to antioxidants and proteostasis.
• The result: Findings suggest that transposon activity and genomic gains played key roles in lineage-specific evolution, enabling adaptation to Antarctic cold and contributing to the radiation of notothenioids.