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Richard Merrill

@dickmerrill.bsky.social

Evolutionary biologist at LMU Munich interested behaviour and speciation. Tropical butterfly hunter. Dog father. https://www.bio.lmu.de/en/research/research-fields/evolutionary-biology/merrill-lab/

52 Posts1221 Follower983 Folgt
Pável Matos@pavelmatosm.bsky.social · 5d ago

Please share: Full-time PhD position on Butterfly Evolution at High Elevations 🦋⛰️ The project aims to understand the evolution and adaptation of Andean white butterflies using genomics. DEADLINE: September 11, 2026 More info: pavelmatos.wordpress.com/join-us/

Join us

Opportunities Below are the positions currently open in our lab. Open PhD position (full time) Comparative and Population Genomics of Butterflies at High Elevations. The project aims to understand …

pavelmatos.wordpress.com

Richard Merrill@dickmerrill.bsky.social · last mo.

does anyone have access to this that can send me a pdf: resjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/... seems to be paywalled (from 1972

Genetic and environmental factors influencing pupal colour in the Swallowtail butterflies Battus philenor (L.) and Papilio polytes L.

An account is given of the correlation of pupal coloration in Battus philenor and Papilio polytes with the colour of the substratum on which the larva pupates.

resjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com

Evolution Letters@evolletters.bsky.social · last mo.

Comparing reproductive isolation across species has been harder than it should be. The new Reproductive Isolation Ontology (RIO) provides a common framework to standardize RI estimates across the tree of life. academic.oup.com/evlett/advan...

A standardised framework for classifying estimates of reproductive isolation

Abstract. Understanding reproductive isolation (RI) between lineages is a central goal of speciation research. While the strength of RI has been estimated

academic.oup.com

Pável Matos@pavelmatosm.bsky.social · last mo.

The beautiful colours and shapes of butterfly wings are shaped by natural selection and biomechanical constraints. Huge congrats to Dani and @vincentdebat.bsky.social for this new paper on the evolution of iridescence and hindwing "tails" in Eudamina skippers Paper: doi.org/10.1093/evol... 🦋

Repeated evolution of iridescence and hindwing tails is associated with morphometric flight proxies in skipper butterflies

Abstract. Phenotypic evolution is shaped by phylogenetic history, ecology and biomechanical constraints. Butterfly wings offer an ideal system to explore t

doi.org

Tom Phillips@tom-phillips.com · 2mo ago

In accordance with ancient tradition, our next Prime Minister is announced to the nation while standing between a furry and a man with a bin on his head.

A victorious Andy Burnham MP (24,937 votes), as the result of the Makerfield by-election is announced, flanked by defeated candidates Count Binface (a bloke in a vaguely sci-fi costume with a large bin for a helmet; 95 votes) and Robert Pownall (who is in a full body fox costume, holding a sign reading "Protect British Wildlife"; 18 votes). There are some other candidates there just out of shot but that's not important right now. Photo: Jon Super/AP
Jessica Foley@jessicafoley14.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Very excited to finally have this out in the world! The first paper from my PhD (and my first first-author publication) makes the case for a new entrant to the world of long-lived animal models: Heliconius butterflies. Out now in @natcomms.nature.com www.nature.com/articles/s41... (1/10)

Evolution of increased longevity and slowed ageing in a genus of tropical butterfly - Nature Communications

Studying long-lived species across the animal kingdom could provide insights into healthy ageing in humans. This study reveals long lifespans and slowed ageing in Heliconius butterflies, identifying t...

nature.com

Integration of Speciation (ESEB Special Topic Network)@speciation-network.bsky.social · 3mo ago

Workshop Announcement: We’re hosting a second in-person workshop from *7–11 December 2026* at the Scottish Centre for Ecology & the Natural Environment (near Glasgow)! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 In brief, the aim is to populate a database on RI 👩‍💻 To apply, please fill out this form by *May 20th*: forms.gle/ZJoqtwxDhT5g...

IOS Speciation Network Workshop - December 2026

ESEB-funded Special Topic Network, Integration Of Speciation Research (IOS) is organizing a workshop to be held later this year (7th to 11th December 2026) at the Scottish Centre for Ecology & the Nat...

forms.gle

Richard Merrill@dickmerrill.bsky.social · 4mo ago

Great to see this paper by @borreroja.bsky.social on sexual dimorphism in Heliconius behaviour and related traits out. A lot of work! And he's right Vilcabamba and Ecuador in general is awesome.

José Antonio Borrero@borreroja.bsky.social · 4mo ago

Excited to share our new paper on pollen foraging in Heliconius himera @behavecol.bsky.social! 🦋🌼 academic.oup.com/beheco/artic... We explored how female and male H. himera differ in pollen foraging & sensory traits. 1/6🧵👇

José Antonio Borrero@borreroja.bsky.social · 4mo ago

Excited to share our new paper on pollen foraging in Heliconius himera @behavecol.bsky.social! 🦋🌼 academic.oup.com/beheco/artic... We explored how female and male H. himera differ in pollen foraging & sensory traits. 1/6🧵👇

Sexual dimorphism in pollen foraging and sensory traits in Heliconius butterflies

Male and female butterflies often face different ecological and sensory demands, yet how this shapes their foraging behaviour remains unclear. In Heliconiu

academic.oup.com

Ele Willoughby@minouette.bsky.social · 5mo ago

Happy birthday to one of greatest mathematicians of all time Emmy Noether (1882-1935), here with her eponymous theorem, the backbone of modern physics. 🐡🧪👩🏼‍🔬🧮🎢 #histsci Noether’s theorem links any symmetry of a system with a conservation law. In my portrait, I chose to depict a young Emmy in front 🧵

My linocut portrait of Emmy Noether in front of a blackboard with diagrams and equations. Noether is printed in blue. She has her hair up and wears a pin-striped buttoned shirt with puffy sleeves, bow tie, tweed skirt with belt and is shown from waist up, turned slightly away from the viewer. The blackboard is green and shows a simple form of Noether’s equations at the top. On the left are three diagrams to represent translational symmetry (a frame of reference or 3 orthogonal axes and a straight diagonal arrow to a second frame of reference); rotational symmetry (a frame of reference and curved arrow to a second rotated frame of reference); and time symmetry (two simple clocks with an arrow between them and their hands at different places). On the right are the three associated conserved quantities: momentum (a p with arrow above it); angular momentum (an L with arrow above it); and energy (E).