While we're here, and also led by Giulia Campli and @rmwaterhouse.bsky.social , Evolutionary dynamics of the arthropod moulting machinery now out in @molbioevol.bsky.social doi.org/10.1093/molb...

Evolutionary dynamics of the arthropod moulting machinery

Abstract. Exoskeletons define arthropods, providing support for segmented bodies and appendages while protecting against environmental stress and predation

doi.org

A old-timer's concern about science as a chronic social medium, leading to the advice to spend time alone with nature and ideas. waynemaddison.wordpress.com/2026/07/25/s...

Science like no one is watching

I grew up largely unwatched. As children, David and I would go out and play unsupervised, free-range. We would go down to the ravine to explore nature. It was fun, but more than that, I think it wa…

waynemaddison.wordpress.com

The #Arthropod #Genomics i5K Community -🦋🧬🕷️🧬🪲🧬🦀- opportunities to harmonise reporting standards & promote their dissemination, ensuring that future arthropod #genomes are both comparable & maximally reusable for large-scale comparative & applied research academic.oup.com/genetics/adv...

Toward standardization in arthropod and biodiversity genome projects

Abstract. In recent years, many high-quality reference genome sequences for arthropod species have been generated. Although most genome papers describe the

academic.oup.com

Scientific fashions, perfectionisms, and the value of traditional morphological taxonomy. #evolbio #philsci 🧪 waynemaddison.wordpress.com/2026/07/16/s...

Scientific fashions, perfectionisms, and the value of traditional morphological taxonomy

Like any conversation, science goes through wave after wave of fashion. One decade, it will be all the rage to study one type of question, and to shun sloppiness of one kind but tolerate another. A…

waynemaddison.wordpress.com

Alright arachnologists and arachnid enthusiasts, let’s get this started! Drop a comment below if you would like to be added or have people to add. Let’s make the official AAS starter pack 💪🕷️🦂🕸️ go.bsky.app/8Nb8974

The smallest field assistant is already dressed for the job 👶🕷️ #JumpingSpiders #Salticidae #SpiderLovers #Arachnology #ScienceFamily #FutureScientist #NatureLovers #SpiderResearch #Entomology #Biology #TinyExplorer @arachnologynews.bsky.social @britishspiders.bsky.social @arachnology.bsky.social

📽️ It's showtime! A new video introduces our community of researchers and practitioners and tells about how DNA barcoding can be applied in different fields – from biodiversity monitoring to food authentication and more. youtu.be/zDSct838o8I?...

Introducing iBOL Europe

YouTube video by iBOL Europe

youtu.be

🪰 Ground-breaking study explodes the number of estimated insect species likely buzzing, burrowing, and crawling around the planet, from 6 million to as many as 20 million. go.nhm.org/estimated-in...

New Study More Than Triples the Estimates of Insect Species From 6 Million to 20 Million

Ground-breaking study explodes the number of estimated insects, emphasizing the need for conservation and natural history collections

go.nhm.org

🕷️ The iconic Malagasy lion spider has a new story to tell! We redescribed Damastes leo, documenting the male for the first time and providing the first detailed data on the species’ distribution. Based on material collected in Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.

ZooKeys@zookeys.pensoft.net · last mo.

The Malagasy lion spider has been redescribed, with the male documented for the first time. The study was based on material collected in Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar. The paper also provides the first records of the species' distribution. Check it out: doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1282.192182

Spider running performance varies enormously. We joined forces with David Labonte's Evolutionary Biomechanics lab in London for the broadest spider speed assay so far: 258 spp / 139 families Preprint: doi.org/10.64898/202... Press coverage by the New Scientist: www.newscientist.com/article/2532...

The world's fastest spider tops 3.5 metres per second

The most comprehensive database ever compiled of how fast arachnids can run has shown how leg anatomy and evolutionary history influence spiders’ running speed

newscientist.com

The #Australian ballista #spider (Propostira sp.) uses its silk's elastic energy storage capacity to build the most powerful snare and selective in the #animal kingdom. Read about our discovery here: doi.org/10.1016/j.cu... Video by Ajay Narendra. Recorded with 3,000 fps, playback 100x slowed down!

🧬 Metabarcoding and Metagenomics keeps climbing: #Scopus CiteScore up to 5.4, holding prestigious Q1 across 5 categories. Impact Factor also up, to 3.5 and ranks Q2 in Ecology (Web of Science). See more: mbmg.pensoft.net/news/1294 #openaccess #scholarlypublishing #publishing #DNA

🕷️ Two new species of jumping spider belonging to the genus Spartaeus have been described from southern China, with S. yingdeensis discovered in Guangdong Province and S. rotiscutus in Yunnan Province: doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1282.194782 #jumpingspider #newspecies

academic.oup.com/zoolinnean/a...

Micro-CT analysis reveals directional genital asymmetry in a mygalomorph spider with two different sperm-storage organs (Araneae: Mecicobothriidae)

Abstract. Sexual selection is a pervasive evolutionary force shaping the extraordinary diversity of animal genitalia, often driving rapid morphological div

academic.oup.com

🕸️ A variety of fungi was discovered living on spider webs in Thai rice fields, demonstrating that these silk structures can be used as natural collectors of environmental data. ➡️ Our blog post: blog.pensoft.net/2026/05/27/f... ➡️ Full study in @bdj.pensoft.net: doi.org/10.3897/BDJ....

Honoured to be a co-author of this collaborative paper published on the International Day for Biological Diversity, highlighting the importance of global DNA barcoding networks for biodiversity science and conservation. 🕷️🐝🐛🐜🦟🦂🪰🦋🦗🪲🪳🐞🐌

Metabarcoding and Metagenomics@mbmg.pensoft.net · 3mo ago

On the International Day for #BiologicalDiversity, researchers have released a blueprint for a global #DNAbarcoding network, drawing on experiences from 20 countries to outline 10 recommendations for building successful national nodes. 👉Full #OA study: doi.org/10.3897/mbmg...

Tiny wasp borrowing a few eggs from a Uloborus campestratus lass's clutch while she's not looking 👀 I meant to post this encounter for Mother's Day but forgot

Your rights are at the centre of our action: - Airlines must show final prices upfront, no hidden fees - Full rights to reimbursement or rerouting if flights are cancelled - Support for airlines to maintain essential flight schedules, including fuel and slot flexibility More: link.europa.eu/BJfj4J

This unfortunate Therid spider Platnickina tincta has an unwelcome guest! A parasitoid wasp larva sits on its back & is sucking its insides out. Once the wasp larva is full grown it will suck out all of the spiders inners then pupate on its body. Dartmoor, Devon 5 May 2026 @gavinbroad.bsky.social

The battle of narratives is going strong. Our countries are a recurring target.   It is time to act to tell the stories that make us strong. Let’s live our own story! Protect what matters - our democracy.

also salute to all authors for their sustained publishing in society-based journals @molbioevol.bsky.social from iqtree 1 to 3. @bqminh.bsky.social @roblanfear.bsky.social wong kam fung, nhan

Andrew Roger@andrewjroger.bsky.social · 3mo ago

IQ-TREE 3: Phylogenomic Inference Software using Complex Evolutionary Models academic.oup.com/mbe/article/...

🦋 Abstract submission for ZoologyCon 2026 is now open! ➡️ Check out our latest news announcement to learn more: nhcm.pensoft.net/news/1213 ➡️ Official website of ZoologyCon: zoologycon.ro/home/

200 years Zoological Society of London!

Journal of Zoology@jzoology.bsky.social · 3mo ago

VIRTUAL ISSUE: 🎉Happy 200th Birthday🎉to Zoological Society of London, from the Editors of Journal of Zoology! zslpublications.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/toc/10.1... #ZSL200 @zslofficial.bsky.social @elissazcameron.bsky.social @amcell.bsky.social @uhl-lab.bsky.social @conservresearch.bsky.social

Who describes the spiders? In this episode, I talk to Katherine Montana and Cláudia Xavier @claudiaxavier.bsky.social about their paper examining authorship in taxonomy. They analyzed thousands of species to identify patterns of underrepresentation, and shared hopes about the future of taxonomy.

Wayne Maddison (waynemaddison.bsky.social), professor emeritus at UBC, captured this video of a nearly transparent jumping spider (tribe Amycini) from Canandé Reserve, Ecuador. Look closely & you'll see the principal eyes moving as it scans the area visually. Let's talk about spider-vision! 🕷️🧪

Species descriptions should not be confined to "summary" PDFs only providing access to a fraction of the data underlying the conclusions. We here argue for "digitally native species" built around structured, specimen-linked, machine-actionable evidence from day one. rdcu.be/fcbwh

Digitally native species are a necessary shift in taxonomic practice

Nature Reviews Biodiversity - Biodiversity science laments how little is known about the planet’s biodiversity, yet routinely discards much of the taxonomic evidence generated during species...

rdcu.be

Cost-effectiveness is often determined by upfront costs. But getting to the right results faster could eliminate downstream interventions — saving time & money while improving outcomes. Mike shares how Oxford Nanopore has the potential to do this. https://bit.ly/47nLgDy

Would you like to learn about how genetic differentiation and phenotypic plasticity shape a species' range expansion? Here is a new, comprehensive paper led by Monica Sheffer from my group - supported by wonderful colleagues.

Myriapod Meet Up 2026 will be on 1 April, 8AM - 5PM (EDT). This online event will include short talks, and a chance to share and discuss research about myriapods (and other multipedes, e.g. Onychophora). Anyone may participate in this free event (no need to give a talk).

🆕 The @biogeneurope.bsky.social project - which now gives way to BGE+ - represented a landmark in European research collaboration, bringing together the #DNAbarcoding (@iboleurope.bsky.social) and #reference #genomes (@ergabiodiv.bsky.social) communities. 🔓 Grant Proposal: doi.org/10.3897/rio.....