800 observation achievement unlocked! Thank you to all of our contributors so far!

Our first ShoalBase “shoalathon” was a success: 80+ species added in a single session + thoughtful discussion and useful feedback. Great community collaboration & reminder that a lot of knowledge about fish behaviour is out there, it just needs a place to go! Keep an eye out for the next one!

Last call to join our first ShoalBase info session + shoalathon! Registration closes tomorrow (April 9, 17:00 UK). Short intro, then a collaborative data-entry session. Should be fun! April 15, 14:00 UK Register: forms.gle/L5TynWgw6He9...

Shoalbase Info Session and Shoalathon (April 15th, 14:00 UK time)

Thanks for your interest in the ShoalBase info session and shoalathon! This will be a relaxed, interactive online session where we’ll introduce the platform and spend some time adding observations tog...

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It’s often claimed most fishes are “social” at some point in their lives. Try tracing that claim back and it gets a bit… thin. ShoalBase aims to categorise fish social behaviour across species & contexts. Upcoming Info session + shoalathon (Apr 15, 14:00 UK) Register: forms.gle/br7WDVLUQh9X...

Our new interactive phylogeny explorer let's you explore the evolution of fish social behaviour. Instantly plot and calculate evolutionary signals, select social categories, and choose data filters. Have a play and examine other evolutionary questions!

ShoalBase now includes 373 submissions, 286 species, and 45 countries. But that still covers only 0.8% of global fish diversity! A reminder of how much fish social behaviour remains undocumented or scattered across sources. Contributions are easy and always welcome!

ShoalBase submission is a few simple steps and only takes a minute or two! Observations from fieldwork, aquaria, research, fisheries, or diving, or can be entered quickly. Many fish species have no social behavioural information available, so even a single observation can help fill an important gap.

We’ve added a new interactive and zoomable Phylogeny Explorer to shoalbase.org! You can visualise social systems directly across the tree of life. Colour tips by dominant behaviour, explore circular/linear layouts, and see evolutionary patterns & data gaps.

An early ShoalBase snapshot of global fish social systems: from solitary species to shoals, schools, colonies, spawning aggregations & parental care. This figure exists because people shared their observations! Explore the data and help build the global map of fish social behaviour!: shoalbase.org

Want research experience? We're recruiting volunteer student interns to help build ShoalBase, a global database of fish social behaviour. Gain experience in literature synthesis, database building & comparative ecology. Strong contributors: acknowledgment, references, project pathways. DM for more!

Know a paper that classifies or describes the social system of a fish species, even in passing (solitary, shoaling, schooling, etc.)? Adding a citation to ShoalBase is key for centralising this knowledge! www.shoalbase.org/contribute

Observation of the Week! In coastal Spain, adult Diplodus vulgaris were seen forming shoals over benthic habitat at ~20°C. Every record like this helps us map social systems across species. Contribute yours (with or without photo or video) at shoalbase.org! Observation by @cortesedaphne.bsky.social

Another day, another chance to fill in a missing piece of the puzzle. Every single entry helps build the first global picture of fish social systems. Contribute here: shoalbase.org!

ShoalBase | Explore and Contribute

ShoalBase offers a global database on fish social behaviour, supporting research, conservation, and ecology through community contributions and visual data mapping.

shoalbase.org

If you’ve ever watched fish, you have knowledge worth sharing! Help us map the social systems of 35,000+ species. Contribute a record here, it only takes a minute!: shoalbase.org

ShoalBase | Explore and Contribute

ShoalBase offers a global database on fish social behaviour, supporting research, conservation, and ecology through community contributions and visual data mapping.

shoalbase.org

Published records of fish social systems are valuable, but often lost in the literature; informal observations can fill gaps. ShoalBase can centralise literature and log new observations so patterns become visible. Know a paper? Please add it! Seen a behaviour? Please add that too! shoalbase.org

ShoalBase | Join, Explore, Contribute Now

ShoalBase offers a global database on fish social behaviour, supporting research, conservation, and ecology through community contributions and visual data mapping.

shoalbase.org

Help spread the word!

Shaun Killen@shaunkillen.bsky.social · 8mo ago

🧵1/9 There are 35,000+ fish species, but we have formal social-behaviour classifications for a tiny fraction. Most knowledge lives in the experience of researchers, fishers, divers, aquarists, naturalists, and Indigenous communities, but almost none of it is centralised. So we built ShoalBase.org.

A global database that records social systems of fish species, with categories like: solitary, pairing, shoaling, schooling, colony, aggregation, courtship/mating, parental care. Anyone can contribute! If you’ve seen fish behaviour that fits any of these categories, submit it here: shoalbase.org

ShoalBase | Join, Explore, Contribute Now

ShoalBase offers a global database on fish social behaviour, supporting research, conservation, and ecology through community contributions and visual data mapping.

shoalbase.org