John Nyakatura

Why does biology keep building things out of tiles? Science talks with two scientists about finding the beauty in nature’s mosaics

More info on our recent paper in this interview in Science...

Why does biology keep building things out of tiles? | Science | AAAS www.science.org/content/arti...

Explore our interactive online catalogue of biological tilings:
🔗 tessellated-materials.mpikg.mpg.de
If you know of a biological tiling example we’ve missed, we’d love to hear from you—feel free to get in touch so we can include it!

Tiled material systems: Exploring biodiversity and multifunctionality of a universal and structural motif Abstract. Humans are drawn to patterns and hierarchies in nature, mimicking them particularly in decoration and architecture. Natural patterns, however, ar

Thrilled our multi-year work on biological tilings is out in @pnasnexus.org!
From virus shells to dinosaurs, seeds to fish scales—tilings are everywhere in biology.
Explore the paper and our interactive catalogue (link following in next post):
doi.org/10.1093/pnas...

🚨 Final Call!
Don't miss your last chance to submit a poster abstract for the Annual Meeting of the German Zoological Society 🦎🐦🧬
Contribute your research, connect with colleagues — and be part of it!
Submission closes tomorrow. Be there or be square!

Journal of Zoology is now on Bluesky! Follow us to discover what we've published recently in our scientific journal covering all areas of #zoology - and find out more about us at zslpublications.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/1469... @zslscience.bsky.social

Our paper reviewing the neurophysiology of swallowing just came out! We detail 70 years of progress towards understanding neuromotor functioning in feeding, and highlight several emerging technologies for the future

Check it out at the link below -
journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10....

Abstracts due today!
Join us in Berlin to explore the full spectrum of zoological research. Expect excellent speakers, an unforgettable evening beneath iconic dinosaur exhibits, engaging city excursions, satellite symposia etc..
Limited slots remain for talks and posters—submit yours now.
#DZG2025

Whoop whoop!

Kate Marvel & Friends: Feeling Climate Change The climate scientist is joined by a group of special guests to share insights, data, and stories that reflect how it feels to live in a changing world.

Today's the day!
www.nypl.org/events/progr...

Gentle reminder: #DZG2025 in Berlin!

The extended Early Bird registration is ending soon. Nab the reduced rate NOW and join us in Berlin. 🤩

dzg-meeting.de

We are lucky to have Merly Vogt (Helmholtz Diabetes Center, Munich) and @beetzjerome.bsky.social (Uni Wuerzburg) as speakers for the neurobiology section 🤗

Wow! Happy to see that the subject groups invited such high-profile speakers as "headliners" for their sections.

Make sure to nab the reduced fee!
#DZG2025 in Berlin

Lower gallery of the Museum of Zoology

📢WE'RE HIRING📢Could you be our new Senior Collections Lead? Would you enjoy working with one of the UK's most important natural history collections? Apply by 22 June to look after our amazing Collections Management, Care & Conservation team. @camunivmuseums.bsky.social www.jobs.cam.ac.uk/job/51272/

Ever wondered how the shape of the genital bone in male Harbour #seals develops throughout #ontogeny?

Berghäuser, Wölfer, Böhmer @vertevo.bsky.social & @johnnyakatura.bsky.social @jzoology.bsky.social 2025 Morphology & development of the baculum in harbour seals P. vitulina doi.org/10.1111/jzo....

Sounds like a plan :-)

Why join #DZG2025 in Berlin? Reason #4: A wonderful public lecture (open to everyone without registration).

dzg-meeting.de
#share #like

Why join #DZG2025 in Berlin? Reason #3: Insightful excursions to diverse (biologically relevant) places in Berlin. Check out our website!
E.g., the Ihnestraße Memorial

dzg-meeting.de
#share #like

Bird feeders have caused a dramatic evolution of California hummingbirds Beaks have grown longer and larger, and ranges have expanded to follow the feeders

Bird feeders have caused a dramatic evolution of California hummingbirds | Science | AAAS www.science.org/content/arti... 🧪

New paper alert! @keifferwilliams.bsky.social has spent many years refining the application of complexity measures to highly variable 🐟🦷 he explains how you can do it in his first chapter of his PhD in @sicbjournals.bsky.social

Why join #DZG2025 in Berlin? Reason #2: Ice-Breaker event in the @mfnberlin.bsky.social spectacular dinosaur hall!
For example…
#share #like

dzg-meeting.de

Come and work with us for a few months on a standalone project! Up to £3,000 (c. 3560 EUR) available for students or postdocs to visit a new lab like ours 👀 Deadline 6th June, but get in touch with me ASAP to discuss your ideas and interests!

Why join #DZG2025 in Berlin? Reason #1: Outstanding plenary speakers!
For example…
#share #like

dzg-meeting.de
www.uni-kiel.de/de/forschung...

Why join #DZG2025 in Berlin? Reason #1: Outstanding plenary speakers!
For example…
#share #like

dzg-meeting.de
www.nwg-info.de/de/council/e...

Registration NOW OPEN.
Join us in Berlin!
#DZG2025

Why join #DZG2025 in Berlin? Reason #1: Outstanding plenary speakers!
For example…
#share #like

dzg-meeting.de
abl.cnbch.uw.edu.pl/people/marta...

Why join #DZG2025 in Berlin? Reason #1: Outstanding plenary speakers!
For example…
#share #like

dzg-meeting.de
www.museumfuernaturkunde.berlin/en/museum/to...

Why join #DZG2025? Reason #1: Outstanding plenary speakers!
For example…
#share #like
(bio.kuleuven.be/faculty/0000...)

A macro photo of a colorful jumping spider, with a blue face, bright red fuzzy palps, more red on the underside of the forelegs, and orange and dark brown striped legs, facing the camera on pale orange sand.

🐙🌿 Friday Spiday: A beautiful jumping spider, a male Habronattus americanus. This guy's flamboyant coloration (plus some dance moves) is how he impresses a mate. These spiders are only a few mm. long, and not especially colorful from above, so are easy to overlook. I found him last weekend--

a) Graphical representation of the major hybridization events inferred between species of CR Lamprologus based on the two main phylogenomic hypotheses using DSuite (MSC: species tree and ML: maximum likelihood). Numbers next to arrows show the f-branch statistic values. b) Estimated ages (Mean tMRCA ± 95% HPD) for the nodes in the Lamprologus clade based on the fossil-calibrated timetree constructed in BEAST2. Numbers1403 with an asterisk indicate different relationships in the MSC and ML trees. Node OUT represents the tMRCA between the CR Lamprologus clade and all LT lamprologines in the outgroup

Phylogenomic and Population Genomic Analyses of Ultraconserved Elements Reveal Deep
Coalescence and Introgression Shaped Diversification Patterns in Lamprologine Cichlids
of the Congo River

@fishnandoalda.bsky.social et al. (including me!) 2025 Systematic Biology

academic.oup.com/sysbio/advan...