New preprint! We unexpectedly discovered that some Caenorhabditis species delete parts of their somatic genome early in development, which fragments their chromosomes and eliminates key germline genes. Multiple lines of evidence suggest this bizarre process was present in the ancestors of C. elegans

Really, really happy that our work on microsporidian genomes is now out in @plosbiology.org! A huge thank you to my coauthors, my supervisors @mblaxter.bsky.social & @marakat.bsky.social, the editors @roliroberts.bsky.social & Joseph Heitman, and the reviewers ❤️ plos.io/48HsAQJ

I praise animals hiding legs beneath their body, especially if those legs are of the arthropod-type 🙏 Also... I am in charge here, & I decide how you pose for me. Day16 of #invertober2025 spotlights the giant isopod 🫶 dont know why, but I imagine it to be very much stompy down there 🥹 #MarineLife

Yay mammoth! And nice work Camilo!

And if anyone is kicking themselves for missing it, here is the recording for my #ProcB seminar yesterday on #isopod #phylogenomics. cassyni.com/events/VVbok...

I'll be talking about my #ProcB isopod phylogenomics paper in the Royal Society Publishing Ecology & Evolution Online Seminar Series, live (with Q&A) next Weds 26th Feb 2pm (UK). Please reshare to reach all the lovers of #isopods (& #phylogenomics), who might be interested in their #evolution! 🧪

Do you use Darwin Tree of Life (DToL) genomes for your work or grant applications? If so, can you please fill out this form? docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F... We are gathering info on how DToL genomes are used. It will help us raise money to continue producing publicly available high-quality genomes.

I'll be talking about my #ProcB isopod phylogenomics paper in the Royal Society Publishing Ecology & Evolution Online Seminar Series, live (with Q&A) next Weds 26th Feb 2pm (UK). Please reshare to reach all the lovers of #isopods (& #phylogenomics), who might be interested in their #evolution! 🧪

Adaptation to life on land evolved multiple times in arthropods, but what about isopods? Join us on Weds 26 Feb at 2pm (UK) to hear #ProcB author @jessthorpemas.bsky.social discuss her work on this key ecological transition. Find out more & sign up: cassyni.com/events/VVbok...

I recently shared my journey into #isopod #science 🧪 with The Marine Biologist magazine! 🦐 From Jurassic Park sparking my curiosity in DNA, to studying isopod genomics with #sanger #darwintreeoflife - read it here: mymba.mba.ac.uk/resource/unf... Thanks @thembauk.bsky.social for the opportunity!

For #Crustmas one of my favorite woodlouse (Crustacea: Isopoda: Oniscidea) species: Platyarthrus hoffmannseggii . 29 April 2024, Marine Park area, Brooklyn, NYC. On @inaturalist.bsky.social www.inaturalist.org/observations...

I believe this species is part of the cirolanidae family that likely feeds on the carcasses of dead animals. The oldest isopod fossils date back around 300 million years, so they’ve been around a long time! 🧪 #MarineLife #Inverts

(in September) Shiraki & Kakui ab digenean parasitic in anthuroid isopod published online ウミナナフシ を利用する吸虫に関する成果がオンライン公開されました． article link: doi.org/10.1016/j.pa...

Ancinus depressus, the flat pillbug, for day 16 of #crustmas! This is a wonderfully rectangular, flat isopod that likes the sandy, shelly substrates of nearshore marine habitats, particularly beaches. When threatened, it rolls into a ball. It's flat, broad shape means it can only try it's best.

It’s the 19th day of #crustmas and earlier this month I went out in the cold 40° weather to find this wild #isopod for this celebration. (Shot near Cincinnati 12-4-24) #photography #invert #macrophotography #crustacean

For #Crustmas - a long isopod on the stipe of a kelp that was washed up on the beach and taken into the lab. I believe it is the kelp isopod Pentidotea.

Tree of Life at Sanger released 2,000 genomes! All beautiful, (close to) chromosomally complete references free to be used by anyone. www.linkedin.com/posts/sanger...

Excited to share that my isopod evolution paper is now out: Phylogenomics supports a single origin of terrestriality in in isopods Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences doi.org/10.1098/rspb...

New preprint! Phylogenomics supports a single origin of terrestriality in isopods. www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...