# Egg mimicry leaves its mark on mitochondria

Source: [nature.com](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41559-026-03244-6) · 2026-11-13 · Life
Page: https://themorning.science/story/egg-mimicry-leaves-its-mark-on-mitochondria-26f588b71f315768
Kind: research · Impact: low

## In brief

- A study in Nature Ecology & Evolution, published online 13 November 2026, examines the brood parasitic cuckoo finch.
- Selection on egg colour genes is reported to accelerate evolution of the maternally co-inherited W chromosome and mitochondrial DNA.
- The source describes this as driving mitonuclear divergence.

## Why it matters

The findings show that selection on a visible trait can shape maternally inherited genomes, offering a case study of how mitochondrial and nuclear genes may evolve in coordination or conflict.

## Timeline

- 2026-11-13: Study published online in Nature Ecology & Evolution

## Coverage

- [Egg mimicry leaves its mark on mitochondria](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41559-026-03244-6) — nature.com, 2026-11-13

Tags: evolution, mitochondria, brood parasitism, cuckoo finch, egg colour

---

Brief generated by AI (claude-haiku-5-5) from the reporting listed under Coverage. Headlines belong to their publishers. The Morning Science – https://themorning.science