🧵1/6 New paper from #NearLab dropped! Wood et al. (2026) tackle a long-standing mystery: how did freshwater perches, walleyes, and darters (Percidae) end up on BOTH sides of the Atlantic? Spoiler: they may have swum there. 🐟🌊 #Ichthyology #Evolution #Systematics

Biodiversity is not only a conservation goal: it also shapes how ecosystems function. This global synthesis shows that plant diversity strengthens natural pest control in croplands and stabilises food webs in grasslands and forests. More: leibniz-lib.de/de/news/2307...

Christoph Scherber@cscherber.bsky.social · 2w ago

New @Science Advances paper out showing #Biodiversity effects on multitrophic interactions in #croplands, grasslands and forests! www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

How did past climate change shape today's biodiversity? Researchers found that populations of the Neotropical tree frog Boana crepitans were genetically separated by a geographical barrier that formed during the Pleistocene. #LIBresearch © Lucas Pousa, CC BY-NC (via iNaturalist) 1/3

Researchers redescribed the copepod Enhydrosoma sarsi from the western Baltic Sea and clarified its relationship to other members of the genus, providing a more robust basis for future biodiversity research. #LIBresearch 1/3

Redescription of Enhydrosoma sarsi (Scott, 1905) (Copepoda, Harpacticoida, Cletodidae T. Scott) from the western Baltic Sea (Germany) and remarks on the systematics of Enhydrosoma Boeck, 1873 ...

doi.org

What can the genome of a small migratory bird reveal about avian evolution? A new chromosome-level assembly of the sand martin provides a valuable resource for studying its population history, adaptation, and unusual chromosomes. #LIBresearch © AdobeStock | 403836232, AGAMI 1/3

Even iconic animals can still surprise us. Five new tarantula species and an entirely new genus have been described from Ecuador, underscoring how much biodiversity remains undocumented. #LIBresearch © Dupérré et al., CC BY 1/3

Knowing where species occur is the foundation of effective conservation. The new GfI Fish Atlas brings together fish distribution data across borders, creating an open resource for research, conservation, and education. #LIBresearch

Biodiversity Data Journal@bdj.pensoft.net · 3w ago

The GfI-Fischartenatlas is a new open web portal compiling fish distribution #data for Germany, Austria, and marine areas of the Netherlands/Denmark. It aims to support #fish conservation, research, and education: doi.org/10.3897/BDJ....

Looks can be deceiving, even in evolution. The small-eyed goby (Austrolethops wardi) looks like a typical predatory goby, yet its ecology tells a different story. The findings show how evolutionary history can mask ecological specialization. #LIBresearch © Mark Allen / Australian Museum, CC BY 1/3

Better lighting can mean better biodiversity. LIB researchers & colleagues found that amber 1800 K LED lighting at railway stations attracted far fewer nocturnal insects than conventional lighting, offering a practical way to reduce light pollution. #LIBresearch © Ludreschl et al., CC BY 1/3

Pandemievorsorge gelingt nur gemeinsam. Als Mitglied im Leibniz-Lab Pandemic Preparedness freuen wir uns, Teil dieses interdisziplinären Netzwerks zu sein und über diesen Einblick in seine Arbeit. 🎬

Leibniz-Gemeinschaft@leibniz-gemeinschaft.de · 3w ago

Was passiert, wenn Forschung nicht nur über junge Menschen spricht, sondern auch mit ihnen? Genau das zeigt der neue Kurzfilm des @leibnizpandemic.bsky.social! 👉Jetzt reinschauen: leibniz-lab-pandemic-preparedness.de/de/stories-n... @die-bonn.de | @leibnizliv.bsky.social | #IPN

Every genome helps tell a species' story. Researchers generated a reference genome for the Eurasian woodcock (Scolopax rusticola), providing a valuable resource to study its evolution, population structure, and conservation. #LIBresearch © Paul Cools (iNaturalist), CC BY-NC 4.0 1/3

Why is science communication so difficult? A new perspective argues it's a "wicked problem" shaped by different expectations, values, and societal roles, not something solved by simply fixing public "deficits." #LIBresearch © Roedder & Weingart, CC BY 1/3

Protecting pollinators isn't just about saving species, it's also about protecting the places & pathways they depend on. Key Pollinator Areas and Buzz Lines offer a new framework to identify priority habitats & ecological corridors for Europe's wild pollinators. © Deiss et al., CC BY 1/3

Some of the world's largest iron ore deposits owe their existence to ancient photosynthesis. Ancient atmospheric oxygen, preserved in buried salts, later helped form major iron oxide-apatite deposits. #LIBresearch © Adobe Stock #972222846, Abinieks 1/3

Some of the world's most successful invaders are only a few centimetres long. A new reference genome for the eastern mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki) will help researchers study how this invasive fish spreads and adapts. #LIBresearch © Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, CC BY 1/3

Healthy ecosystems depend on more than the number of species: They also depend on how those species interact. Great to see #LIBresearch contributing to a better understanding of how food web structure supports ecosystem functioning.

Andrew Barnes @barnesecodiv.bsky.social · last mo.

Published today in @nature.com, our study shows that the #foodweb trophic structure is critical for #ecosystemfunctioning. Read it here: rdcu.be/frxEl This has been an incredibly rewarding collaboration with many amazing scientists! 🌐🧪🦑🍁🌱 @waikatouniversity.bsky.social @idiv-research.bsky.social

The future of a fish population can depend on its very first days of life. Researchers investigated how Baltic herring embryos respond to changing temperatures, revealing how thermal tolerance during early development may shape survival in a warming sea. #LIBresearch © Fischbach et al., CC BY 1/3

Taxonomy continues to uncover remarkable biodiversity. A new tarantula genus, five new species, and the first description of the female Romopelma barrigae highlight how much there is still to discover, even among well-known animals like tarantulas. #LIBresearch 🕷️🔍

Evolutionary Systematics@evolsyst.pensoft.net · last mo.

🕷️ Five new species of tarantula have been discovered in Ecuador, including a new genus named Yunka, and the previously unknown female of Romopelma barrigae has been described for the first time: doi.org/10.3897/evolsyst.10.196576 @leibnizlib.bsky.social

Not all invasive insects are pests. Florida calligrapher (Toxomerus floralis), a flower-visiting hoverfly, is rapidly expanding across the Afrotropical region. Researchers traced its invasion history & explored how it adapts to new environmental conditions. #LIBresearch © Muller et al., CC BY 1/3

Still time to join the team! We're looking for a Curator of Ornithology in Hamburg to help shape the future of collection-based research, biodiversity science, and one of LIB's outstanding bird collections.

LIB-MorphoLab@lib-morpholab.bsky.social · last mo.

The application deadline for the #Curator (m/f/d) of #Ornithology position at @leibnizlib.bsky.social in Hamburg has been extended to 30 August 2026. 🐦🦉🦅🪶🥚 More details and apply here: 8101202752.karriereportal.cloud/job/2026-18-.... Please share.

Facts become truly valuable when they keep their context. The Semantic Units Framework introduces a new way to represent scientific knowledge that preserves meaning, making research information easier for both humans and machines to understand and reuse. #LIBresearch © Vogt, CC BY 1/3

Evolution isn’t always a simple family tree. By applying genomic mixture models, researchers unraveled the long-standing evolutionary puzzle of the butterfly genera Calisto and Llorenteana, revealing a more complex history than previously recognised. #LIBresearch © Núñez et al., CC BY 1/3

Every genome is a new window into biodiversity. Researchers generated a reference genome for Dailognatha quadricollis, an East Mediterranean darkling beetle, opening new opportunities to study evolution and adaptation. #LIBresearch © Bolanakis et al., CC BY | photo: Dr Apostolos Trichas 1/3

Flies, field trips, and fascinating science! Exchanges like the AK-Diptera meeting are vital for sharing expertise, building collaborations, and advancing our understanding of fly diversity and evolution.

Bjoern Rulik@zfmk.bsky.social · last mo.

41. AK-Diptera meeting 2026 in #Sangerhausen: Great weekend with lots of flies, talks, networking and neat excursions... from @leibnizlib.bsky.social #LIB_Bonn Lukas Rühlke (#Asilidae) & I (#Diptera #Georgia) presented a talk... #gnatsarecool #fliesarecooltoo #biodiversity #Südharz #dipterists

Biodiversity doesn’t always arise through isolation. Genomic analyses of sailfin silversides from Sulawesi reveal that ancient and recent gene flow fueled their adaptive radiation, contributing to the evolution of unique forms within a single lake system. #LIBresearch © De Keyzer et al., CC BY 1/3

Where a species occurs today may not be where it occurs tomorrow. Studies like this help us understand how insects move across regions and establish new populations in a changing world. #LIBresearch

Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift (DEZ)@dez.pensoft.net · 2mo ago

🦋 A recent rise in Iberian-Balearic records of the North African moth Agrotis herzogi was analysed to assess the origin, timing, and resident status of these arrivals: doi.org/10.3897/dez.73.189021 @leibnizlib.bsky.social @sgn.one

Museum collections are more than archives: they anchor species names. A new catalogue documents over 10,000 Cumacea type specimens from the Hamburg collection, improving access to a key resource for biodiversity research. #LIBresearch © Mercado-Salas et al., CC BY 1/3

Some of the most fascinating biodiversity is easy to overlook. A taxonomic review of the Korean dragon pseudoscorpions (Allochthonius) revealed three species new to science, highlighting how much diversity remains hidden among tiny, rarely seen arthropods. #LIBresearch © Jeong et al., CC BY 1/3

What does a shark look like before it hatches? Using synchrotron micro-CT scanning, researchers created detailed 3D images of embryonic development in the small-spotted catshark—revealing anatomical changes without damaging these delicate specimens. #LIBresearch © Escamilla-Veg, CC BY 1/2

#LIBresearch: Even tiny insects can leave traces across millions of years. Researchers described the first fossil member of the jumping plant-louse family Aphalaridae from the Miocene of southern Germany, offering a rare glimpse into their evolutionary history. © Serbina et al., CC BY 1/3