Spotted hyenas originated from a widespread Eurasian population in the Late Pleistocene, with their recent history suggesting a recent migration out of Africa.

Pleistocene Chinese cave hyenas and the recent Eurasian history of the spotted hyena, Crocuta crocuta

Spotted hyenas derive large net fitness benefits from clan-level cooperation, with low mean relatedness within clans suggesting they cooperate with unrelated clan-mates against close paternal kin in other clans.

Behavioural structuring of relatedness in the spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta) suggests direct fitness benefits of clan‐level cooperation

Hyena paleogenomes reveal a complex evolutionary history with bidirectional gene flow between African and Eurasian Crocuta lineages, suggesting a deep divergence and potential adaptive advantages from admixture.

Hyena paleogenomes reveal a complex evolutionary history of cross-continental gene flow between spotted and cave hyena

Spotted hyenas maintain strong social relationships with kin year-round, despite resource limitations, despite differences in social structure and resource access.

Society, demography and genetic structure in the spotted hyena

The spotted hyena's adaptive divergence in immune tolerance and social complexity may help it cope with prolonged dietary exposure to microbial pathogens.

Long-Read Genome Sequencing Provides Molecular Insights into Scavenging and Societal Complexity in Spotted Hyena Crocuta crocuta

The striped hyena's immune and digestive system-related gene families have significantly expanded, likely as an adaptive response to its scavenging lifestyle.

Genome-Wide Analyses Provide Insights into the Scavenging Lifestyle of the Striped Hyena (Hyaena hyaena).

Ecological specialization in Hyaenidae species impacts their evolutionary history, demographics, and adaptive genetic changes, with spotted hyena and aardwolf showing high genetic diversity and stable population sizes over time.

Ecological Specialization and Evolutionary Reticulation in Extant Hyaenidae

Brown hyenas have extremely low genetic diversity, likely due to a continuous decline in population size since the Pleistocene, with potential subpopulations within the species.

Extended and Continuous Decline in Effective Population Size Results in Low Genomic Diversity in the World’s Rarest Hyena Species, the Brown Hyena

Proteomic analysis of Pleistocene cave hyenas in northern China reveals two distinct groups, potentially revealing gene flow between ancient and modern spotted hyenas.

Palaeoproteomic analysis of Pleistocene cave hyenas from east Asia

Spotted hyenas balance cooperation and competition within their social life, with individual differences in cooperation and competition emerging from a general tendency to do-what-other-hyenas-are-doing.

Social Facilitation, Affiliation, and Dominance in the Social Life of Spotted Hyenas a

Hyenas exhibit ecological and social diversity, occupying diverse habitats and filling specialized niches, with four living species in the family Hyaenidae.

Hyena societies

Brown hyenas in Namibia show reduced microsatellite variation compared to spotted hyenas, with weak differentiation among 2 clans and multiple paternity within clans.

Microsatellite Variation in Namibian Brown Hyenas (Hyaena brunnea): Population Structure and Mating System Implications

Chinese cave hyena fossils show a deep divergence in mitochondrial lineage, suggesting a split from European and African relatives about 1.85 million years ago.

Ancient mitochondrial genomes from Chinese cave hyenas provide insights into the evolutionary history of the genus Crocuta

Spotted hyena bone accumulation rates and sizes are influenced by prey species abundance, clan size, social interactions within the clan, and den site availability, with intraspecific behavioral variability also playing a role.

Taphonomic and zooarchaeological implications of spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta) bone accumulations in Kenya: a modern behavioral ecological approach

Spotted hyenas in Masai Mara Cave, Kenya, accumulate skeletal remains at a rate of 30.4 identified specimens and 4.1 prey individuals per year, with rates of accumulation varying based on den type.

Spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta) den use and taphonomy in the Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya

The giant short-faced hyena Pachycrocuta brevirostris brevirostris surprisingly appeared in Northeast Asia, challenging the conventional concept of subspecies and suggesting its origin and dispersal from Northeast Asia.

The giant short-faced hyena Pachycrocuta brevirostris (Mammalia, Carnivora, Hyaenidae) from Northeast Asia: A reinterpretation of subspecies differentiation and intercontinental dispersal

Striped hyenas prefer open landscapes along rivers and human settlements, with canopy volume and distance to water sources being key factors in their habitat preferences.

Habitat preference indicators for striped hyena (Hyaena hyaena) in Nepal

Spotted hyenas exhibit sex differences in territorial behavior, with females leading cooperative behaviors and males defending against intruders.

Sex Differences in Territorial Behavior Exhibited by the Spotted Hyena (Hyaenidae, Crocuta crocuta)

Striped hyenas in Gir National Park and Sanctuary, India, have a low population density, but their distribution in the park provides safe denning refugia and dietary requirements, highlighting the need for effective conservation plans.

Striped hyena (Hyaena hyaena) status and factors affecting its distribution in the Gir National Park and Sanctuary, India

Striped hyena distribution in Nepal has significantly decreased, limiting their presence to lowlands and hill areas, requiring community-based conservation efforts.

Shrinking striped hyena (Hyaena hyaena Linnaeus, 1758) distribution in Nepal

These studies suggest hyenas are related to both African and Eurasian Crocuta lineages, with a complex evolutionary history involving gene flow and adaptive divergence.