Michael Lee (Evolutionary Biologist)

Rapid evolution and cranial morphospace expansion during the terrestrial to marine transition in elapid snakes Abstract. Ecological transitions can trigger rapid phenotypic evolution and novelty, yet the tempo and mode of such changes remain poorly understood in cla

Our paper led by Emma Sherratt on the land-to-sea transition that gave rise to sea snakes is now out in the journal Evolution.

Open access here:
academic.oup.com/evolut/artic...

And summary for general audience here:
www.instagram.com/p/DTv727WkzyS/

Fully funded PhD scholarship on Scorpion Evolution at Flinders University, working with Russell Bicknell, Bruno Buzzato
@brunobuzatto.bsky.social and myself

Details at this link:
www.flinders.edu.au/scholarships...

Please spread the word!

Trait-space disparity in fish communities spanning 380 million years from the Late #Devonian to present www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

#traits #fish #evolution #ecology 🌏🧪

Osteology and ontogeny of the Permian dicynodont Rastodon procurvidens (Synapsida, Therapsida) based on micro-CT scanning and its phylogenetic and biogeographical implications Abstract. Dicynodonts were a globally distributed group of herbivorous synapsids that first appeared during the middle Permian (Guadalupian) and survived t

Paper led by co-advisee Joao da Silva on the Permian dicynodont Rastodon procurvidens (Synapsida, Therapsida) using micro-CT scanning and with phylogenetic and biogeographical implications academic.oup.com/zoolinnean/a...

Multiple exceptionally preserved fossils from the Paleocene Waipara Greensand inform the diversity of the oldest stem group Sphenisciformes and the formation of their diving adaptations Abstract. We report new stem group sphenisciforms (ancestral penguins) from the Paleocene of the Waipara Greensand (Canterbury, New Zealand), and describe

60 million years ago, eastern #Aotearoa New Zealand was #penguin paradise!

We describe 4 archaic penguin species from the Waipara Greensand, North Canterbury. This now totals 10 species from there, in addition to a diversity of Paleocene penguins from Otago and Chatham Island.
#fossil #birds

Thank you, everyone, for your warm well wishes and generous support.

The @nteuact.bsky.social has been especially amazing. And they’re putting on a BBQ*! Come along and grab a bite to eat and spend time with ANU community.

*OMG this is hilarious 😆

Another case of island gigantism: the extinct Hodgens’ Waterhen (Tribonyx hodgenorum) is a member of Porzana (Aves: Rallidae) - Journal of Ornithology Tribonyx hodgenorum (Scarlett, Rec Canterb Mus 6:265–266, 1955) was a flightless rail (Rallidae) endemic to Aotearoa New Zealand that became extinct in the eighteenth century. The affinities of this r...

New #research out today led by George Sangster, with Trevor Worthy, Pascale Lubbe, Paul Scofield & myself.

Recently #extinct flightless #rail Hodgens' waterhen from #Aotearoa New Zealand is a 'giant' crake of the genus Porzana, rather than a nativehen of Tribonyx.

(📷 credits given in ALT text)

Former ANU chancellor says proposed uni cuts 'gobsmacking' Former Australian National University chancellor, Gareth Evans, says proposed cost-saving cuts to the institution have "ignored or gravely under-valued the significance of ANU's very distinctive natio...

Former Australian National University chancellor slams 'gobsmacking' proposed university cuts www.abc.net.au/news/2025-07...

You know you are in the tropics when a Brown Tree #Snake joins you for coffee at #CairnsAirport!

It stuck its tongue out at the expensive menus and decided to go forage in the nearby mangroves instead.

Happy #WorldSnakeDay !

Cryptovaranoides is not a squamate Accurate reconstruction of the timescale of organismal evolution requires knowledge of the placement of extinct representatives among living branches. The fossil record has the capacity to reframe hyp...

Our latest take on the still problematic Cryptovaranoides:

www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

Job advert: Research Associate in Environmental Time-Series Modelling We have just today advertised a new postdoctoral position funded by the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Indigenous and Environmental Histories and Futures (CIEHF) that will be based in the Global Ecology Lab at Flinders University. This is a fixed-term position for up to 3 years, and we are especially targeting Indigenous candidates. The successful candidate will use existing code and develop new approaches to analyse complex data derived from lake, lagoon, river, and wetland cores measuring various aspects of dated vegetation composition, fire regime, and climate fluctuation.

Job advert: Research Associate in Environmental Time-Series Modelling

We have just today advertised a new postdoctoral position funded by the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Indigenous and Environmental Histories and Futures (CIEHF) that will be based in the Global Ecology Lab…

Job announcement - we're hiring!

Postdoctoral Fellow, 2 yrs, Adelaide Uni

Plastic brains: Neural adaptations to changing environments in reptiles

Team led by @jcroweriddell.bsky.social with @draliceclement.bsky.social‬ Shaun Collin & myself.

Details here:
careers.adelaide.edu.au/cw/en/job/51...

Whoa … this is getting real! Thanks, @mikejennions.bsky.social for putting this together. I'm blushing! 😊

Memo to Canadian Government - now is the time to ramp up the Canadian Research Chairs program, as you will get plenty of amazing applications from across the border!

www.chairs-chaires.gc.ca/about_us-a_n...

International Species and Forests Program Manager - WWF-Australia Join an amazing team of passionate people making a difference. Great benefits including RDOs, Salary Packaging (rebatable), Health Days.

WWF Australia job fixed term 2 years- conservation priorities in the Asia-Pacific region. jobs.wwf.org.au/jobs/5376960...

We look inside this beautiful beast’s braincase over here: doi.org/10.3389/fevo...

The reviewer crisis

credit: @michael-s-y-lee.bsky.social

Currently just squatting, but will start posting if I miraculously get enough spontaneous follows 😀

Meanwhile, my research blogs (and bird photo spam) can be found here:
www.instagram.com/michael_s_y_...