Adam T. Downie

Deep-sea fish reveal an alternative developmental trajectory for vertebrate vision Hybrid photoreceptors in larval deep-sea fish reveal evolution of an alternative developmental trajectory for vertebrate vision.

Fresh off the press 💥

Deep-sea fish reveal an alternative developmental trajectory for vertebrate vision | Science Advances www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

Excited to share our study testing competing theories on the energy dynamics of hermaphroditism! Grateful to @djmmeeg.bsky.social for guidance, to Thomas Brey for metabolic rate data, and to Deborah Charlesworth for feedback. Thanks also to the editors and reviewers at Proc B. @royalsociety.org

Hermaphrodites have lower metabolic rates than gonochores Abstract. Hermaphroditism, where an individual can reproduce as both male and female, offers some clear reproductive advantages. Simultaneous hermaphroditi

Darwin speculated that it was energetically costly to be an hermaphrodite. He thought that might explain why they were relatively rare in animals. Our paper out today tested this conjecture for the first time.
royalsocietypublishing.org/rspb/article...

"Open Access provides the opportunity for your research to reach a broader audience and therefore have greater impact. However, as an early-career researcher, the fees associated with unlocking such reach is quite high. I am very appreciative for The University of Queensland's Read & Publish agreement with The Company of Biologists for taking the financial burden off my shoulders to maximise my research's impact within my field and beyond."

Thank you Adam Downie @adamdownunder.bsky.social for sharing your experience of fee-free #OA publishing in @biologyopen.bsky.social via our #ReadAndPublish agreement with The University of Queensland. Read Adam’s paper: bit.ly/4hA9vm1

See if your institution is participating too: bit.ly/3O7BxGi

@biologyopen.bsky.social highlighting our new #OA paper on the impacts of uvr☀️on clownfish embryo development 🐠🥚

@craigefranklin.bsky.social @drfishvis.bsky.social

doi.org/10.1242/bio....

The effect of UVR (UVB: 280-315 nm) across developmental age (dpf) of clownfish (A. ocellaris) embryos. Embryos were exposed to either control (no UVR; pink colour bar) or UVR levels representing the within-depth range of A. ocellaris: 6 m (low UVR treatment; 80 µW m2; green colour bar) or 2 m (high UVR treatment; 280 µW m2; blue colour bar) (Braun et al., 2016). UVR exposure occurred for 2 h daily from when eggs were laid (0 dpf) until hatched at 8-9 dpf. On 2 and 5 dpf, individual embryos were collected for (A) mass (mg; n=15 per age per treatment group), and (B) yolk sac volume (mm3; n=15 per age per treatment group). (C) DNA damage (concentration of CPD) only was measurable in embryos exposed to high UVR treatment only (n=13 measured in 2 dpf embryos, and n=8 measured in 5 dpf embryos). The experiment was replicated three times per treatment using two different parent pairs. In all three panels, predicted Bayesian posterior distributions are shown with symbols and error bars representing the median and 0.95 and 0.8 quartile-based credible intervals, respectively.

@adamdownunder.bsky.social, @craigefranklin.bsky.social & co expose clownfish embryos to UV radiation (UVR) corresponding to water depths reflective of their settlement; mimicking what could happen in a future coral reef with fewer structures shielding against UVR. doi.org/10.1242/bio....

Ultraviolet B radiation impairs coral reef fish development Summary: Ultraviolet radiation (UVR) has significant impacts on yolk sac volume, which may have contributed to the 100% mortality rate of clownfish embryos. However, DNA damage was not as impacted by ...

🚨Our new🚨 #OA🔓 paper on 🔅UVR🔆 impacts on 🪸coral reef fish 🐟embryo🐣 development is out in @biologyopen.bsky.social @sebiology.bsky.social!

@craigefranklin.bsky.social @drfishvis.bsky.social

doi.org/10.1242/bio....

Developed from the #WCH10 symposium, we provide a guide for researchers & managers on current advances for assessing the vulnerability of reptiles 🐍 & amphibians 🐸 to water stress | doi.org/10.1093/conp... | Published in @conphysjournal.bsky.social

Opportunities Interested in Joining the Scott Lab? The Scott Lab is currently recruiting graduate students to examine the physiological and molecular mechanisms of high-altitude adaptation in small mammals. Pote…

The Scott Lab at McMaster is currently recruiting graduate students to examine the physiological and molecular mechanisms of high-altitude adaptation in small mammals. Details at scottlab.ca/opportunities/

Physiological Traits for Predicting Poleward Extensions in Tropical Fishes: From Lab to Management We review the physiological mechanisms that permit poleward range expansions of tropical reef fishes into temperate waters. Filling in key knowledge gaps, we develop a framework to improve the implem...

Our 🚨new paper🚨 in @globalchangebio.bsky.social reviews & roadmaps how physiology can improve our understanding of 🔥#climatechange🔥 induced #tropicalisation🔃 of marine fishes🐟 & help inform management!

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

📑 #NewStudy by O’Mara et al. reviewed how the development of water resources impacts #river flows which support tropical #fisheries.

👀 doi.org/10.1007/s111...

New from the RummerLab at @jcuofficial! Our latest @JEBiology paper explores how physiology 🧬🧪🔬👩🏻‍🔬 can drive smarter, climate-ready conservation. 🍃🌊Bridging lab science + real-world action! 🌏

🔗📄Read it here: journals.biologists.com/jeb/article/...

#conservation
#climatecrisis
#Ecophysiology

Blue-lined octopus Hapalochlaena fasciata males envenomate females to facilitate copulation Chun et al. show that in the blue-lined octopus Hapalochlaena fasciata males envenomate females during copulation, most likely as a defense against being cannibalized.

The actual study 🐙💉❤️

www.cell.com/current-biol...

Screenshot of the first page of the Editorial, 'Science under siege: protecting scientific progress in turbulent times', written by James Briscoe, Craig Franklin, Daniel Gorelick. Elizabeth Patton and Michael Way. The publication information in the top line says, '© 2025. Published by The Company of Biologists | Journal of Experimental Biology (2025) 228, jeb250455. doi:10.1242/jeb.250455'. The first paragraph of the article says, 'As Editors-in-Chief of The Company of Biologists’ journals, we have been watching with growing concern the policy changes in the United States of America (USA) and the challenges that these are creating. It is unusual for us to comment on a nation’s science policies or politics, but the rapid ongoing developments in the USA and their potential impact on research worldwide are beyond the usual.'

The Editors-in-Chief of the 5 @biologists.bsky.social journals have written a joint Editorial, discussing the enormous challenges currently facing researchers in the US and how members of the community can support them through this difficult time

journals.biologists.com/jeb/article/...

US added to international watchlist for rapid decline in civic freedoms Civicus, an international non-profit, puts country alongside Democratic Republic of Congo, Italy, Pakistan and Serbia

"The United States has been added to the Civicus Monitor Watchlist, which identifies countries that the global civil rights watchdog believes are currently experiencing a rapid decline in civic freedoms." www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

The lateral line and electrosensory systems of two holocephalans - Scientific Reports Scientific Reports - The lateral line and electrosensory systems of two holocephalans

Interesting new study on lateral line system of deep sea chimaeras. So much we don't know about these bizarre animals. Happy to have helped with creating the figures for this cool and important research
www.nature.com/articles/s41...

I have a few on fish swimming physiology (swimming speed and oxygen uptake during swimming). Let me know if interested

I was just told that I have to remove “climate” from the title of an ongoing grant if I want to keep it. And publications from that grant cannot include “climate” and other forbidden words. I can’t believe I’m writing this from the United States of America. #AcademicSky

Addressing Australia’s biodiversity crisis

Australian governments are failing to conserve biodiversity, meaning their extraordinary values are being lost and global conservation targets will likely fail. The next federal government must do better.

My letter with @biodiversityguy.bsky.social in @science.org.

www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

Principles of experimental design for ecology and evolution Here I argue that we do not discuss experimental design, often until it is too late. This editorial seeks to begin a conversation about how and where to replicate appropriately.

See onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.... for more details. Once again, I implore supervisors to apply these principles when helping their students design studies. It’s such a huge wasted effort for the students at their most sensitive career stage.

Principles of experimental design for ecology and evolution Here I argue that we do not discuss experimental design, often until it is too late. This editorial seeks to begin a conversation about how and where to replicate appropriately.

Back to editing at Functional Ecology. Sadly I had to reject 3 papers without review because they lacked replication @ the right level. More discussions about design before the experiment is done pls: heartbreaking waste to only talk about it afterwards. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....

Metabolic loads and the costs of metazoan reproduction Reproduction includes two energy investments—the energy in the offspring and the energy expended to make them. The former is well understood, whereas the latter is unquantified but often assumed to be...

I’ve gained a bunch of new followers so I’m taking the opportunity to wrap up the year with a 🧵 of publications. 1st: our Science paper showing that the indirect costs of reproduction (making the offspring) often exceed the direct costs (the energy in the offspring. www.science.org/stoken/autho...

Changes in aerobic metabolism associated with the settlement transition for the leopard coral grouper (Plectropomus leopardus) - Coral Reefs Metamorphosis is a critical aspect of coral reef fish ecology. This developmental milestone marks changes in form and function that permit successful transition of pelagic larvae to the demersal lifes...

A highly opportunistic field study that we recently published, we characterised the rapid changes in physiology that occur as larval coral grouper settle onto reefs.

Reef fish settlement is fascinating, and our work contributes to the growing # of studies in this area

doi.org/10.1007/s003...

All good if it isn't what you intend for the starter pack :) I am in the thermal biology starter pack, thanks for adding me to that one!

I actually study fish larvae and early life history stages; I could be more specific in my profile. However if ichthyoplankton isn't what this start pack is then I totally understand:)

I would love to be added to this starter pack!

I would love to be added to this started pack

Now accepting applications for 2025 Women of Fisheries Gives Back! Award - Women of Fisheries With the help of money raised from our 2024 fisHER Adventure Classic, we will be able to offer TWO $250 awards this year to early career professionals. Funds can be used to help with professional trai...

Know an early career woman in fisheries science who could use a $ hand?

womenoffisheries.org/now-acceptin...

A warm welcome to all our new followers on BlueSky!

We are a society @sebiology.bsky.social journal publishing research on all taxa with a focus on solving real world conservation issues 🦓🐢🌲

Stay tuned for new paper alerts and journal updates!

Group leaders! The uptake of this paper suggests to me that folk aren’t talking enough about experimental design with their students? Has experimental design fallen off the syllabus? Is a sense of experimental design like a sense of humour? Everyone thinks they have a good one but….?