4.0 CONCLUSION
Our study and accompanying data sets, including the first
chromosome-level genome of a semelparous mammal, provide a critical
resource for future studies on semelparity and its association with the
universal ageing process. Complementary genomic data, including the
genomes of additional Australasian and South American semelparous and
iteroparous marsupials, is forthcoming and promises to shed light on
whether semelparity in lineages with a common ancestor
~80 million years ago evolved by independent,
lineage-specific molecular changes or by shared molecular convergence.
The genomic resources also provide tools for broader studies on the
ecology, evolution, and conservation of marsupials.