The chromosomal genome sequence of a shovel-head worm, Maea johnstoni (Fiege, Licher & Mackie, 2000) (Spionida: Magelonidae) and its associated microbial metagenome sequences wellcomeopenresearch.org/articles/11-... @chemamd.bsky.social @sangerinstitute.bsky.social

The final thing we did before leaving Frankfurt yesterday was to visit Palmengarten. Was really beautiful and lovely to finally see some rain.

And to wrap up an amazing and very successful conference, IPC15 delegates dinned and danced with dinosaurs, and dazzled with amazing salsa moves! Many thanks once again to @etilic.bsky.social, @madamverm.bsky.social and the whole team who produced an amazing conference

The afternoon of Day 5 of IPC15 Frankfurt saw the general assembly, election of council members and president, selection of next conference, student prizes and thanks to the amazing team. It was also a chance to remember members of our polychaete family who are sadly no longer with us.

The final day of IPC15 was a fascinating insight into the world of EvoDevo & genomics. Two invited speakers Elaine Seaver and Toru Miura provided a backdrop for a series of fascinating talks.

Worm tattoos courtesy of IPC15

Well day 4 at IPC15 in Frankfurt certainly started with a smoking topic, and the underworld of Hydrothermal vents. This set up for a great set of talks on ecology, biodiversity and conservation.

A fantastic mid conference trip to the UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Messel Pit, a former oil shale quarry full of amazingly preserved fossils from the Eocene. Followed by an excursion to Lohrberg, a great opportunity for conference participants to get to know each other and chat about polychaetes

Another fantastic day at IPC15 in Frankfurt. Day 2 focused on taxonomy, systematics and phylogenomics. Interestingly it started and finished with the renowned sand striker worms, with the fascinating story of Walter.

A fantastic first day of IPC15 in Frankfurt, so many great talks and posters. Our hosts are looking after us so well too.

Fascinating five hours looking around Senckenberg Museum in Frankfurt today. Some amazing collections on display. @sgn.one

Getting back to the drawing board today. Drawing three species from West Africa ready to finish off a paper with the team in Bergen. Looking forward to completing this paper

A few snaps of Hoglet number 2

Great to see Luke Jerram’s Helios at Amgueddfa Genedlaethol Caerdydd - National Museum Cardiff. Well worth a visit

Juvenile female green woodpecker visiting the garden the other day. There was an adult female there too, but the photo was rubbish

Hedgehog diaries update 🦔🦔🦔🦔 It was lovely to see Mum and one of the hoglets in the garden the night before last. Mum seems to favour one more than the other, or at least tolerate one more than the other. Both of them thought it was a good idea to sit in the water bowl to cool off a little.

Great day for a PhD graduation @bangoruniversity.bsky.social @sosbangor.bsky.social

It’s a polychaete jewellery kind of day ❤️🪱

Look what arrived in time for International Polychaete Day yesterday 🎊🎉🙌

Really interesting day at the National Botanic Gardens. Immediately probably not the best day to go in the middle of a heat wave, but a beautiful place and well worth a visit. Can’t believe I haven’t been since just before Maddy was born.

There’s something very special about listening to a curator talking about a collection. Yesterday I was lucky enough to go on a tour of the historic buildings at St Fagan’s National History Museum. It was amazing to hear about the site, so much passion and knowledge.

Had completely forgotten about these photos, had left them on the camera and not done anything with them.

With such an historic season, all three teams gaining promotion and with two teams winning their respective leagues, there was a lot to celebrate with our senior presentation last night. Well done to everyone who has played for our senior sides this year in such an epic season.

Brave Blues Fall Late in the Valleys Bridgend C produced a spirited, disciplined, & often heroic performance, but a late surge from Gwendda denied them a deserved point in a fiercely contested clash in the wet and windswept Taff Valley.

Great to be back in one of my favourite places in the museum imaging these amazing worms @amgueddfacymru.bsky.social

Here are the snaps that I took the over night of our little garden visitor 🦔. It was great to see him again running across the patio at a fair rate of knots last night. Hopefully will see him again tonight. Will leave some hedgehog food out for him.

Enjoyed photographing this today

Nice to set up for a Japan/Wales event tomorrow National Museum Cardiff. A chance to celebrate our collections and research from Japan. The activity will be based around one of the beautiful shell books in the collections, where the public will produce their own version using

Brilliant to see Luke Jerram’s Museum of the moon at National Museum Cardiff. Well worth a visit. @amgueddfacymru.bsky.social

Favourite present so far