James Robertson, PhD
@2elytra.bsky.social
Lover of biodiversity, beetles, stick and leaf insects, evolution, pigeon racing and food.
PI Insect Molecular Systematics Diagnostics Lab, APHIS. Views my own.
PI Insect Molecular Systematics Diagnostics Lab, APHIS. Views my own.
Pinned
James Robertson, PhD
@2elytra.bsky.social
· Nov 24
Pottery class or phasmid eggs?
🤯 The only insect order with blatant species specific egg morphology across the order.
Read more at www.frontiersin.org/journals/eco...
🤯 The only insect order with blatant species specific egg morphology across the order.
Read more at www.frontiersin.org/journals/eco...
Reposted by James Robertson, PhD
Reposted by James Robertson, PhD
New paper out today on hippocampus neuron morphology in homing and feral pigeons. 🧵
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
#neuroskyence #neuroethology #anatomy
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
#neuroskyence #neuroethology #anatomy
Homing and feral pigeons differ in hippocampal formation neuron size: a Golgi study - Brain Structure and Function
Artificial selection for behavioural traits can significantly affect the anatomy of brain regions related to the behaviour under selection. The homing pigeon (Columba livia) is a prime example of how ...
link.springer.com
October 23, 2025 at 5:27 PM
New paper out today on hippocampus neuron morphology in homing and feral pigeons. 🧵
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
#neuroskyence #neuroethology #anatomy
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
#neuroskyence #neuroethology #anatomy
Beautiful ☺️
October 3, 2025 at 5:37 PM
Beautiful ☺️
🤯
Nature research paper: A miniature CRISPR–Cas10 enzyme confers immunity by inhibitory signalling
go.nature.com/3IQ0xnw
go.nature.com/3IQ0xnw
A miniature CRISPR–Cas10 enzyme confers immunity by inhibitory signalling - Nature
Panoptes, an anti-phage defence system against virus-mediated immune suppression, is revealed.
go.nature.com
October 2, 2025 at 1:43 PM
🤯
Reposted by James Robertson, PhD
I get that the news cycle is packed right now, but I just heard from a colleague at the Smithsonian that this is fully a GIANT SQUID BEING EATEN BY A SPERM WHALE and it’s possibly the first ever confirmed video according to a friend at NOAA
10 YEAR OLD ME IS LOSING HER MIND (a thread 🧵)
10 YEAR OLD ME IS LOSING HER MIND (a thread 🧵)
September 24, 2025 at 8:30 PM
I get that the news cycle is packed right now, but I just heard from a colleague at the Smithsonian that this is fully a GIANT SQUID BEING EATEN BY A SPERM WHALE and it’s possibly the first ever confirmed video according to a friend at NOAA
10 YEAR OLD ME IS LOSING HER MIND (a thread 🧵)
10 YEAR OLD ME IS LOSING HER MIND (a thread 🧵)
Reposted by James Robertson, PhD
The buff-tip moth (Phalera bucephala) has mastered a very particular kind of camouflage.
When they close their wings up, they resemble a broken twig.
Native to large parts of Europe, there's regional pattern variation that reflects the local tree species. This one best resembles birch twigs?
When they close their wings up, they resemble a broken twig.
Native to large parts of Europe, there's regional pattern variation that reflects the local tree species. This one best resembles birch twigs?
September 17, 2025 at 12:20 PM
The buff-tip moth (Phalera bucephala) has mastered a very particular kind of camouflage.
When they close their wings up, they resemble a broken twig.
Native to large parts of Europe, there's regional pattern variation that reflects the local tree species. This one best resembles birch twigs?
When they close their wings up, they resemble a broken twig.
Native to large parts of Europe, there's regional pattern variation that reflects the local tree species. This one best resembles birch twigs?
Reposted by James Robertson, PhD
Molecular evolution of dietary shifts in ladybirds 🐞 expansions of digestive & detoxifying #gene families in the herbivorous ladybirds, & absence of most plant cell wall-degrading enzymes in the ladybirds from the transition to carnivory link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Molecular evolution of dietary shifts in ladybird beetles (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae): from fungivory to carnivory and herbivory - BMC Biology
Background Dietary shifts are major evolutionary steps that shape ecological niches and biodiversity. The beetle family Coccinellidae, commonly known as ladybirds, first transitioned from a fungivorou...
link.springer.com
September 6, 2025 at 4:12 PM
Molecular evolution of dietary shifts in ladybirds 🐞 expansions of digestive & detoxifying #gene families in the herbivorous ladybirds, & absence of most plant cell wall-degrading enzymes in the ladybirds from the transition to carnivory link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Reposted by James Robertson, PhD
SINGER, our ARG inference method, is finally published and freely available online:
doi.org/10.1038/s415...
It was a long journey – 16 months from initial submission to acceptance. Is it just me, or has peer review gotten more arduous lately? 4+ rounds of review isn't so unusual these days...
doi.org/10.1038/s415...
It was a long journey – 16 months from initial submission to acceptance. Is it just me, or has peer review gotten more arduous lately? 4+ rounds of review isn't so unusual these days...
Robust and accurate Bayesian inference of genome-wide genealogies for hundreds of genomes - Nature Genetics
SINGER is a method for creating ancestral recombination graphs to understand the genealogical history of genomes. The method has increased speed, and thus scalability, without sacrificing accuracy.
doi.org
September 11, 2025 at 3:50 AM
SINGER, our ARG inference method, is finally published and freely available online:
doi.org/10.1038/s415...
It was a long journey – 16 months from initial submission to acceptance. Is it just me, or has peer review gotten more arduous lately? 4+ rounds of review isn't so unusual these days...
doi.org/10.1038/s415...
It was a long journey – 16 months from initial submission to acceptance. Is it just me, or has peer review gotten more arduous lately? 4+ rounds of review isn't so unusual these days...
Unparalleled aerial agility and control
Dragonflies use “crazy turning” to dry themselves off after a cooling dip in water.
Learn more on #NationalWildlifeDay: https://scim.ag/3Vw2Df1
Learn more on #NationalWildlifeDay: https://scim.ag/3Vw2Df1
September 5, 2025 at 12:26 PM
Unparalleled aerial agility and control
Speechless
NEW JWST IMAGE AND IT’S THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PICTURE I’VE EVER SEEN OH MY GOD THE UNIVERSE IS BEAUTIFUL!!!
September 4, 2025 at 7:21 PM
Speechless
Reposted by James Robertson, PhD
Holy smokes!!!
Say hello to Florida's newest established species, Typhlonectes natans - the Rio Cauca Caecilian! You can read about their relative abundance, distribution, & natural history, in our brand new paper:
journals.ku.edu/reptilesanda...
Here is one individual I CT scanned that had 7 babies inside!
journals.ku.edu/reptilesanda...
Here is one individual I CT scanned that had 7 babies inside!
July 28, 2025 at 7:32 AM
Holy smokes!!!
Reposted by James Robertson, PhD
BREAKING: Scientists are staging a “science fair” in the lobby of a Congressional building to tell elected officials about the critical knowledge the US will lose because their research grants have been canceled.
July 8, 2025 at 3:31 PM
BREAKING: Scientists are staging a “science fair” in the lobby of a Congressional building to tell elected officials about the critical knowledge the US will lose because their research grants have been canceled.
Reposted by James Robertson, PhD
June 24, 2025 at 12:26 PM
Bro can’t take a hint
May 9, 2025 at 6:05 PM
Bro can’t take a hint
Guess I’ll need to call in sick today.
May 7, 2025 at 5:25 PM
Guess I’ll need to call in sick today.
Reposted by James Robertson, PhD
🐛🕷️🕸️ @science.org Hawaiian caterpillar patrols spiderwebs camouflaged in insect prey’s body parts | Science www.science.org/doi/10.1126/... #entomology
April 24, 2025 at 6:42 PM
🐛🕷️🕸️ @science.org Hawaiian caterpillar patrols spiderwebs camouflaged in insect prey’s body parts | Science www.science.org/doi/10.1126/... #entomology
This woman definitely has a man in her life. Nothing says “I’m taken” quite like the copious use of tape in repairs.
April 23, 2025 at 6:42 PM
This woman definitely has a man in her life. Nothing says “I’m taken” quite like the copious use of tape in repairs.
Subtle, but so cool.
@andybugguy.bsky.social
It's been a long time.
I came from X to tell you my recent experience.
I found a awesome Luna moth last friday.
This must be Actias aliena,
and I think this is bilateral gynandromorph.
How about it ?
It's been a long time.
I came from X to tell you my recent experience.
I found a awesome Luna moth last friday.
This must be Actias aliena,
and I think this is bilateral gynandromorph.
How about it ?
April 23, 2025 at 3:24 PM
Subtle, but so cool.
April 20, 2025 at 12:05 AM
Not sure about the Easter Bunny, but the Easter Beetle is definitely real
April 17, 2025 at 11:50 PM
Not sure about the Easter Bunny, but the Easter Beetle is definitely real
Reposted by James Robertson, PhD
A little Eurytoma solenozospheriae drinking from the edge of a blueberry leaf. This was reared from a gall of Hemadas nubilipennis.
April 7, 2025 at 11:57 AM
A little Eurytoma solenozospheriae drinking from the edge of a blueberry leaf. This was reared from a gall of Hemadas nubilipennis.
Reposted by James Robertson, PhD
A tricky thing about modern society is that no one has any idea when they don’t die.
Like, the number of lives saved by controlling air pollution in America is probably over 200,000 per year, but the number of people who think their life was saved by controlling air pollution is zero.
Like, the number of lives saved by controlling air pollution in America is probably over 200,000 per year, but the number of people who think their life was saved by controlling air pollution is zero.
April 7, 2025 at 4:13 AM
A tricky thing about modern society is that no one has any idea when they don’t die.
Like, the number of lives saved by controlling air pollution in America is probably over 200,000 per year, but the number of people who think their life was saved by controlling air pollution is zero.
Like, the number of lives saved by controlling air pollution in America is probably over 200,000 per year, but the number of people who think their life was saved by controlling air pollution is zero.
Reposted by James Robertson, PhD
It is uniquely awe-inspiring to witness simple acts of living in the wild, such as this slender salamander I observed recently munching on springtails in the San Gabriel Mts near LA. ♥️🌎
Black-bellied Slender Salander (Batrachoseps nigriventris)
Springtail sp., likely Ptenothrix maculosa
#herps
Black-bellied Slender Salander (Batrachoseps nigriventris)
Springtail sp., likely Ptenothrix maculosa
#herps
April 2, 2025 at 7:15 PM
It is uniquely awe-inspiring to witness simple acts of living in the wild, such as this slender salamander I observed recently munching on springtails in the San Gabriel Mts near LA. ♥️🌎
Black-bellied Slender Salander (Batrachoseps nigriventris)
Springtail sp., likely Ptenothrix maculosa
#herps
Black-bellied Slender Salander (Batrachoseps nigriventris)
Springtail sp., likely Ptenothrix maculosa
#herps
Gorgeous!!
Nothing to see here... move along
Stick-mimic mantis (Empusa fasciata) from Israel. This species is common on low vegetation around this time of the year, and yet it can be quite challenging to spot one! They prefer to prey on pollinating insects and often sit close to flowers.
Stick-mimic mantis (Empusa fasciata) from Israel. This species is common on low vegetation around this time of the year, and yet it can be quite challenging to spot one! They prefer to prey on pollinating insects and often sit close to flowers.
April 3, 2025 at 1:56 AM
Gorgeous!!