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Mark Westneat 🐟

@mwestneat.bsky.social

Biologist at UChicago interested in biomechanics, phylogenetics and evolution, structure and function, marine biodiversity and conservation, fishes of coral reefs and freshwaters

193 Posts2142 Follower603 Folgt
Mark Westneat 🐟@mwestneat.bsky.social · last wk.

The beavers are back! Our little trout stream in Wisconsin floods a lot, ag issues plus climate, but now we control a decent chunk on both sides and the beavers are busy! Third new dam upstream from the big dam where I got tail whack alarmed from from one of the adults today. So exciting!

A small new beaver dam on a creek in SW Wisconsin.
Mark Westneat 🐟@mwestneat.bsky.social · 2w ago

Surgeonfishes are cool! Our Evolution paper now out in final form, the amazing patterns of change in fish shape and covariance (new method!) elegantly revealed by @linnealungstrom.bsky.social 🐟🐠🦑🌿 academic.oup.com/evolut/artic...

Phylogenetics, trait covariance analysis, and the evolution of fin and body shape in the surgeonfishes

Abstract. Insights into ecomorphology are enriched when investigating evolutionary correlations between ecologically and functionally important traits. How

academic.oup.com

Neil Shubin@neilshubin.bsky.social · 3mo ago

Here’s a clip of the conclusion of a recent talk I gave to the Science Philanthropy Alliance. We have a lot of work to do, but we can’t lose sight of the fundamentals… 🧪

Barack Obama@barackobama.bsky.social · 3mo ago

As President, I would read 10 letters a day sent to me by ordinary Americans. At the Obama Presidential Center, we’ll have some of the letters I read — and responded to — every night. I still get emotional reading them, and it’s one of my favorite exhibits.

Rod Page@rdmpage.bsky.social · 3mo ago

This is very preliminary, but this is an overview of every species in the Open Tree of Life, colour coded by whether their position in the tree is based on taxonomy only (dark colour) or includes phylogenetic information (blue). Phylogenetic coverage is sparse, mostly plants and vertebrates.

Hilbert curve for every species in the Open Tree of Life, colour coded by whether their position in the tree is based on taxonomy only (dark colour) or includes phylogenetic information (blue)
Mark Westneat 🐟@mwestneat.bsky.social · 3mo ago

This handsome yellowthroat smacked into our glass door today, was pretty stunned but sitting up, panting. I got a soaked paper towel and dripped water on his beak and he drank quite a bit. Looked at me and cocked his head as if to say thanks, and flew off! 🐦‍⬛🌿

A male yellowthroat bird, a warbler species with a yellow throat, black mask, and olive green back and tail.
Sandy Kawano, PhD@sandyk.bsky.social · 4mo ago

Come join us! I'm recruiting postdocs and lab techs to study the functional morphology and biomechanics of walking in fishes and salamanders at the University of Virginia, with option to work at Mountain Lake Biological Station. 2 of 4 job ads are posted on my website: sandykawano.weebly.com 🧪🐟🦎

Sandy K's

Postdoctoral Research Associate to work on the comparative biomechanics of walking-like behaviors in fishes. Apply by June 1, 2026, for full consideration. Click HERE for more information.  Lab...

sandykawano.weebly.com

Sandy Kawano, PhD@sandyk.bsky.social · 4mo ago

Job Alert! I am recruiting a postdoc (and soon a lab tech) to study the functional morphology and biomechanics of walking-like behaviors in fishes at the University of Virginia. Details at: jobs.virginia.edu/us/en/job/R0.... Ads for postdoc+lab tech on salamander locomotion grant coming soon! 🧪🐟🦎

Andrew D Thaler@drandrewthaler.bsky.social · 4mo ago

I agree that losing old Twitter is certainly net negative, but MuskX was what killed it, not the flight to Bluesky. But also, the extent to which Twitter and institutions were caught completely off guard by Mamdani's massive win suggests to me that Blueksy is not the fishbowl.

David Roberts@volts.wtf · 4mo ago

It's hard to avoid the conclusion that Bluesky has been a net negative for US politics. They corralled everyone on the left into a little glass fishbowl where they shout at one another & everyone else ignores them. Meanwhile, all the pols & institutions stayed on X & are being dragged farther right.