James Albert

Male ligers and tigons are typically sterile, while female ligers and tigons are often, though not always, fertile. Haldane's Rule states that in hybrids, the sex with two different sex chromosomes (male XY in mammals) is more likely to be sterile.

news.harvard.edu/gazette/stor....

There is no link at all between Tylenol and autism or these other disorders. The supposed link is a transparent fabrication for cynical political purposes, with innocent kids caught in the cross hairs. Shame on anyone who propagates this lie.

Some fishes have a pretty big brain, like the manta ray Mobula thurstoni, about the size of a dog of a similar body size, but with different parts enlarged.

www.mantamissions.org/manta-brain-...

Looks like we're going back to in-class oral exams.

This is bad.

"Einstein is an AI with a computer. He logs into Canvas every day, watches lectures, reads essays, writes papers, participates in discussions, and submits your homework — automatically."

The lines are parallel without my glasses on, and when the screen is strongly angled. It's got to do with the fine details of those little black and white dots on the corners. Fantastic illusion.

Dive Deep into Probabilistic Phylogenetic Comparative Methods Transmitting Science ONLINE course Dive Deep into Probabilistic Phylogenetic Comparative Methods, by Dr. Ignacio Quintero.

Want to learn the ins and outs of diversification, trait and biogeographic evolution models? I will be giving another edition of "Dive Deep into Probabilistic Phylogenetic Comparative Methods" in Oct! @tscourses.bsky.social www.transmittingscience.com/courses/evol...

Geological processes shaping freshwater biodiversity: a synthesis of global evidence Recent genomic data highlight the key roles of geological processes in shaping the diversification and biogeography of freshwater lineages. Specifically, physical processes such as tectonic uplift, e....

Thanks @universityofotago.bsky.social and @ucberkeleyofficial.bsky.social for supporting my sabbatical visit to UCB-Integrative Biology in 2024!
- this new synthesis paper is one of the key outputs:

onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....

Becoming a part of the @systbiol.bsky.social community is one of my greatest scientific achievements. I am happy to celebrate this today with a journal cover and a nomination to the editorial team

Phylogenomics of Cypriniformes, the most diverse order of freshwater fishes: consensus, challenges and limitations https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.01.14.699467v1

The Genomic Basis of Electric Signal Diversity https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.01.14.699493v1

They're talking about the new Directorate TIP: www.nsf.gov/tip/latest

Very happy to share that I just published a new paper from my thesis! 🎉

We analysed 546 species of ant to understand how extreme specialisation into reproductive and non-reproductive roles evolved. 

Key discoveries in thread🧵 👇

Full paper here: academic.oup.com/evolut/advan...

Borax Lake Chub: Conserving a High Desert Survivor This fish has adapted to a lake high in arsenic and heavy metals. But human activity poses a greater challenge.

My story on the Borax Lake chub & how @nature.org protected the single lake it is found.

#25DaysofFishmas

Doing the tardigrade shuffle.

The biogeographic and genomic signatures of dynamic river networks for terrestrial species in Amazonia Amazonia contains Earth's largest freshwater basin, largest contiguous stretch of tropical forest, and most species-rich terrestrial biota on Earth. Rivers are key geographic features that drive dive...

My new paper on Amazonian biogeography and genomics is out in early view in Biological Reviews!

onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

Our paper on tinamou evolution is finally out in @systbiol.bsky.social. academic.oup.com/sysbio/advan...

A figure showing the "core" and "periphery" of lowland forest in South America, a figure showing the genetic structure of our population genetic simulations, and a figure of three alternate divergence histories simulated.

Look forward to more about Solomon Island phylogeography in the future, but in the mean time, @lukemusher.bsky.social and I have a pre-print that highlights how a similar phenomenon can occur on continents (with bias in both topology and branch lengths): doi.org/10.1101/2025...

What an amazing resource, illustrating fundamental biogeographic patterns. Here are two closely related species of the minnow Alburnus, restricted to small areas of the Caspian sea and western Anatolia, respectively.

Fish diversity of the Fertile Crescent, origin of civilization.

The book documents all 632 species of freshwater fish in the region, including 597 native species, 467 of which are endemic and 35 non-native species. What is fascinating is that 41 % of the species have been described since the year 2000.

From the Preface: "From the outside, West Asia is not a hostile place for freshwater biodiversity. It is largely an arid region facing increasing water stress caused by unsustainable water use and climate change... Not every visit to a water body is a pleasant one."

Yet another study supporting the rule of allopatry between sister species of continental vertebrates.

Detailed black-and-white illustration of the head and neck of a gigantic land tortoise labeled "Testudo microphyes." The tortoise's head is covered in large, distinct hexagonal and irregular scales, with textured, wrinkled skin along its thick neck. The eye is prominent and round, showing a glossy surface. The drawing emphasizes the rough, scaly texture and folds of the skin, highlighting the tortoise's massive size and ancient, rugged appearance. The image is part of an 1877 collection from the British Museum showcasing living and extinct giant land tortoises.

🐢 The gigantic land-tortoises (living and extinct) in the collection of the British Museum
London: Printed by order of the Trustees, 1877.

[Source]

Photo montage of Tinamus resonans sp. nov., a new species of tinamou from the montane forests of the Serra do Divisor, western Amazonia, Brazil. The species is distinguished by a unique combination of plumage pattern, vocal repertoire, and ecological characteristics, including a conspicuous dark slate facial mask, vivid rufous-cinnamon underparts, and a uniform brownish-gray back. Its vocalizations are remarkable, consisting of long and powerful songs that echo strikingly across the steep montane slopes, producing a characteristic resonant effect. The species was documented exclusively at higher elevations within a transitional zone between submontane and stunted forests, where the understory is densely structured by root mats. A preliminary population estimate, based on field detections and spatial extrapolation, suggests approximately 2,106 individuals restricted to the Serra do Divisor massif. Although no immediate anthropogenic pressures were observed within its range, the species may be highly vulnerable to climate change and to proposed infrastructure projects that threaten the integrity of this federally protected region. The discovery of T. resonans highlights the biological uniqueness of the Serra do Divisor, reinforces its status as a center of montane endemism, and underscores the critical importance of maintaining its long-term conservation.

Huge News from the Western Amazon: it's the year 2025 and we are still describing entirely new, strikingly-distinctive large-bodied bird species! Behold Tinamus resonans sp. nov. the Slaty-masked Tinamou mapress.com/zt/article/v... #Ornithology @tetzoo.bsky.social 🪶

And just a reminder that this isn't the last new terrestrial bird from the wider region.... #ornithology 🪶

The U.S. Is Funding Fewer Grants in Every Area of Science and Medicine (Gift Article) A quiet policy change means the government is making fewer bets on long-term science.

"The N.S.F. started the year with funding delays...it lost about a third of its employees in layoffs or forced retirements. The agency ended the year awarding 25 percent fewer new grants."

The nuanced impacts of internal budget decisions made due to fiscal crisis.

www.nytimes.com/interactive/...

Time to publish responsibly: DAFNEE, a database of academia-friendly journals in ecology and evolutionary biology Abstract. The current economics of scientific publishing reveal a profound imbalance: academia pays prices far exceeding the actual costs of publication. R

Time to publish responsibly: DAFNEE, a database of academia-friendly journals in ecology and evolutionary biology url: academic.oup.com/jeb/article/...

Adult brains of human (A), Mormyrid (B), pigeon (C), and goldfish (D) are shown in lateral view (rostral to the left). Each animal has differentially developed specific parts of the brain.

www.researchgate.net/publication/...

Then again, it does not always come down to microevolutionary causes. Species with extreme (large and small) body sizes have higher extinction risk, meaning ancestors tend to have intermediate body sizes. A similar pattern may exist for relative brain size too.

www.pnas.org/doi/full/10....