Recently you may have heard me say that I study cryptic lineages in coral, but what does that even mean? Today, let's break it down!

South Florida is under water again, wondering why?  King tides are some of the highest tides of the year and in places like South Florida, during rainy season that means a LOT of flooding!

A little dump from invertebrate zoology lab 🪼🪸🔬 So far we’ve looked at protists, built phylogenetic trees, poked around some sponges and comb jellies, and most recently got up close and personal with cnidarians 🪼 Basically just a bunch of cool little critters!

Turtle vs Stingray? The comments are split! Calling all of my turtle and stingray folks to end the debate once and for all! 🐢🦈

I just needed to get away and touch some damn grass.

The Bay of Fundy is home to the world's highest tides, but those incredible tides do much more than reshape the coastline. They power one of the most productive marine ecosystems on the planet. 🌊🐋

Florida's springs are more than just beautiful swimming holes. They're windows into one of the largest groundwater systems in the world, and every drop has a story to tell. So don't pee in it! 💧🌿

This summer you can't escape the sargassum, so let's talk about it! What you're seeing is the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt, a massive bloom of floating algae that now stretches thousands of miles across the Atlantic Ocean, and the scientists are saying, it's here to stay! 🌊☀️🦀

Not all ocean giants are predators. Some are just oversized ocean potatoes 🥔🌱💙 Manatees spend up to 8 hours a day grazing on seagrass, helping keep these underwater meadows healthy. They can weigh over 1,000 pounds, yet they're curious, gentle animals with surprisingly agile movements.

Not all corals grow the same way. 🪸 A coral's shape influences how it captures light, withstands waves, competes for space, and creates habitat for other reef life. Some species can even change their growth form as conditions change, a remarkable ability called phenotypic plasticity. 🌊🔬

Most people have never heard of Jones Lagoon... but it's one of the most historically significant places in Biscayne Bay. Definitely a place worth knowing about. 🌿 #BiscayneBay #BiscayneNationalPark #MarineScience #FloridaHistory #CoralReefs #Conservation #SouthFlorida

I will say it over and over again, any day I see a baby shark is a good day on the water!

Most people think corals are simple animals quietly sitting on the reef. Corals clone themselves, hunt prey, fight for territory, and host entire microscopic communities. They're far more complex than most people realize! 🪸 #MarineBiology #CoralReefs

🌊 Happy #WorldOceansDay 💙 From coral reefs to the deep sea, our oceans sustain life on Earth. Every action we take to protect them matters. 🪸🐠🌎

The list of Ecology/Evolution/Marine Bio Labs recruiting grad students for Fall 2027 is live! PIs enter your position info here: forms.gle/MAGd4ohyPeoY... students (and PIs not recruiting) share the composite list: docs.google.com/spreadsheets... Please share widely! 🧪

Ecology/Evolution/Marine Biology labs recruiting for Fall 2027

Please complete this form if you are a PI recruiting graduate students for a Fall 2027 start. If you are NOT recruiting, feel free to share the response sheet with prospective students looking for lab...

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Hard corals and soft corals may share the same reef, but they play very different roles in marine ecosystems 🪸 Hard corals build the reef structure itself, while soft corals add biodiversity and habitat complexity. Together, they help support some of the most diverse ecosystems in the ocean 🌊

Scientists have documented more than 1,100 potentially new marine species 🌊 Including rare sea pens, symbiotic worms living inside glass sponges, and brightly banded shrimp discovered near Marseille, France. The ocean is still full of mysteries. Source: Scientific American

“Justice for Ambrosius” really had the entire ocean crashing out 😭🐙 The finale of The Boys gave us a giant “octopus” revenge scene… except scientifically this thing makes absolutely NO sense as an octopus. #TheBoys #TheDeep #TheBoysFinale #TheBoysSeason5 #MarineBiology #Scicomm

I promise you, we have the best intentions. We just gravitate towards chaos, that's all.

Corals aren’t plants or rocks, they’re animals. 🪸 Made up of tiny polyps living together in colonies, corals build entire reef ecosystems and partner with microscopic algae that help fuel reefs through photosynthesis 🌊☀️

🪸 Corals are more than just animals, they’re entire living partnerships known as the coral holobiont. Corals rely on algae, bacteria, fungi, and other microbes to survive. In our lab, we study these relationships to better understand coral resilience and reef restoration in a changing ocean 🌎

Summer is officially reef season 🌊🪸 Field collections are underway, corals are being fragmented, and the next round of experiments is about to begin. Big things coming soon from the lab 👀✨ 🎥 Video credit: Naomi @naomi_snkn

I found an Artemia (brine shrimp) kit and obviously had to try it 👀🧪✨ Let’s see if I can actually grow these tiny critters with just what came in the kit…stay tuned for the results 🦐

Sometimes you just need the ocean.

We collected our first coral samples!  We went out with Dixie Divers (@dxdivers) to collect our first lab coral samples! We collected 3 different species, porites astreoides, siderastrea siderea and monstera cavernosa.  We have lots of exciting experiments pending so stay posted!

This weekend I had the opportunity to participate in the #HoliFestival with my Lab Family. After years of crappy graduate experiences and strange lab dynamics, it truly feels like I finally found my tribe. It was indeed a time of laughter, joy and celebration.

I just want to be under the sea.

Man, what a year. 2025 kicked me in the shins, I got up, and it kicked me again, but I kept going. I left a job I enjoyed, became a PhD student (finally!), joined an amazing lab, attended 3 conferences, traveled, reunited with old friends, and made new ones. Here’s to whatever 2026 brings. ✨

🦀 Ever heard of a body-snatching barnacle? Meet Sacculina, the parasite that turns crabs into zombie parents. It takes over their bodies, shuts down reproduction, and even makes male crabs care for its eggs. Nature’s version of mind control is way creepier than fiction. 💀 #HappyHalloween