Alex Maile
@anoplogaster.bsky.social
Ph.D. Candidate University of Kansas | Ichthyology | Evolution, Anatomy, and Phylogenetics | Freaky Fish Fanatic
anoplogaster.com
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Alex Maile
@anoplogaster.bsky.social
· May 3
A total-evidence phylogenetic approach to understanding the evolution, depth transitions, and body-shape changes in the anglerfishes and allies (Acanthuriformes: Lophioidei)
The anglerfishes and allies (Lophioidei) are a diverse group of fishes with over 400 carnivorous species that are renowned for their remarkable hunting behavior employing a modified first dorsal-fin s...
doi.org
1/11 New #OpenAccess #anglerfish paper in @plosone.org! We combine genomic, mitochondrial, and morphological data to produce the most complete evolutionary hypothesis for anglerfishes! Includes new body shape, habitat analyses, and a new frogfish subfamily) 🦑
doi.org/10.1371/jour...
doi.org/10.1371/jour...
Our mini snail aquarium for this week’s lab on gastropods!
November 5, 2025 at 9:34 PM
Our mini snail aquarium for this week’s lab on gastropods!
Snail radula in action
November 5, 2025 at 9:33 PM
Snail radula in action
We didn't carve pumpkins this year, but here are some deep-sea fish jack-o'-lanterns l've made in prior years!
October 31, 2025 at 4:42 PM
We didn't carve pumpkins this year, but here are some deep-sea fish jack-o'-lanterns l've made in prior years!
Happy Halloween! 🎃 🦇 🧪
October 31, 2025 at 2:36 PM
Happy Halloween! 🎃 🦇 🧪
Ever seen a clear and stained little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus)? 🦇
I love how their modified forelimbs, with elongated phalanges that support the wing membrane used for flight. Look how big those fangs are! 🧪🎃
I love how their modified forelimbs, with elongated phalanges that support the wing membrane used for flight. Look how big those fangs are! 🧪🎃
October 30, 2025 at 3:19 PM
Ever seen a clear and stained little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus)? 🦇
I love how their modified forelimbs, with elongated phalanges that support the wing membrane used for flight. Look how big those fangs are! 🧪🎃
I love how their modified forelimbs, with elongated phalanges that support the wing membrane used for flight. Look how big those fangs are! 🧪🎃
A 3D printer is glamorous until you have to fix a wiring issue…
October 24, 2025 at 6:43 PM
A 3D printer is glamorous until you have to fix a wiring issue…
Bellator militaris — the horned searobin. Just like other armored searobins, they possess modified pectoral fin rays used to walk and detect food on the seafloor.
This specimen is TCWC 6818.17 available on MorphoSource.
www.morphosource.org/concern/biol...
🦑 🌊 🧪
This specimen is TCWC 6818.17 available on MorphoSource.
www.morphosource.org/concern/biol...
🦑 🌊 🧪
October 20, 2025 at 5:02 PM
Bellator militaris — the horned searobin. Just like other armored searobins, they possess modified pectoral fin rays used to walk and detect food on the seafloor.
This specimen is TCWC 6818.17 available on MorphoSource.
www.morphosource.org/concern/biol...
🦑 🌊 🧪
This specimen is TCWC 6818.17 available on MorphoSource.
www.morphosource.org/concern/biol...
🦑 🌊 🧪
Bellator militaris — the horned searobin. Just like other armored searobins, they possess modified pectoral fin rays used to walk and detect food on the seafloor.
This specimen is TCWC 6818.17 available on MorphoSource.
www.morphosource.org/concern/biol...
🦑 🌊 🧪
This specimen is TCWC 6818.17 available on MorphoSource.
www.morphosource.org/concern/biol...
🦑 🌊 🧪
October 20, 2025 at 3:45 PM
Bellator militaris — the horned searobin. Just like other armored searobins, they possess modified pectoral fin rays used to walk and detect food on the seafloor.
This specimen is TCWC 6818.17 available on MorphoSource.
www.morphosource.org/concern/biol...
🦑 🌊 🧪
This specimen is TCWC 6818.17 available on MorphoSource.
www.morphosource.org/concern/biol...
🦑 🌊 🧪
Just a few more pieces left to glue — the monkfish is nearly complete!
🦑 🌊 🧪
🦑 🌊 🧪
October 14, 2025 at 5:42 PM
Just a few more pieces left to glue — the monkfish is nearly complete!
🦑 🌊 🧪
🦑 🌊 🧪
Happy Monday from these three amigos
🦑 🌊
🦑 🌊
October 6, 2025 at 3:26 PM
Happy Monday from these three amigos
🦑 🌊
🦑 🌊
Just clown’in around
🦑 🌊 🧪
🦑 🌊 🧪
October 6, 2025 at 2:03 AM
Just clown’in around
🦑 🌊 🧪
🦑 🌊 🧪
New addition to the aquarium! A Longnose Hawkfish (Oxycirrhites typus). Loves the camera more than any other fish I’ve had.
October 5, 2025 at 5:30 PM
New addition to the aquarium! A Longnose Hawkfish (Oxycirrhites typus). Loves the camera more than any other fish I’ve had.
New urchin, who dis?
🦑 🌊
🦑 🌊
October 1, 2025 at 1:44 PM
New urchin, who dis?
🦑 🌊
🦑 🌊
Hoplostethus mediterraneus – the Mediterranean slimehead (Trachichthyidae). Remarkably, slimeheads have been documented to live for over 230 years.
This specimen is KU 42748 from the KU Biodiversity Institute and Natural History Museum.
🦑🌊
This specimen is KU 42748 from the KU Biodiversity Institute and Natural History Museum.
🦑🌊
September 26, 2025 at 10:50 PM
Hoplostethus mediterraneus – the Mediterranean slimehead (Trachichthyidae). Remarkably, slimeheads have been documented to live for over 230 years.
This specimen is KU 42748 from the KU Biodiversity Institute and Natural History Museum.
🦑🌊
This specimen is KU 42748 from the KU Biodiversity Institute and Natural History Museum.
🦑🌊
Monocentris japonica — the Japanese pineapplefish (or pinecone fish)
August 26, 2025 at 2:05 PM
Monocentris japonica — the Japanese pineapplefish (or pinecone fish)
Anyone else walk into the fish store and suddenly feel like handing over their wallet for a new tank?
July 19, 2025 at 9:08 PM
Anyone else walk into the fish store and suddenly feel like handing over their wallet for a new tank?
Returned from visiting family to see new leaves on my mangroves!
🧪🌊🦑
🧪🌊🦑
June 6, 2025 at 4:17 PM
Returned from visiting family to see new leaves on my mangroves!
🧪🌊🦑
🧪🌊🦑
Always ask your doctor for a copy of your CT scan. You never know when it may come in handy, say for Halloween…
May 31, 2025 at 12:21 PM
Always ask your doctor for a copy of your CT scan. You never know when it may come in handy, say for Halloween…
Such smol mouths 👄… Poor things don’t have typical tetrodontid beaks
May 31, 2025 at 12:15 PM
Such smol mouths 👄… Poor things don’t have typical tetrodontid beaks
Have you ever seen a sargassum frogfish (Histrio histrio) eat in slowmo? This is Freddy eating his favorite food: anchovies. #marinelife #anglerfish
May 22, 2025 at 3:32 PM
Have you ever seen a sargassum frogfish (Histrio histrio) eat in slowmo? This is Freddy eating his favorite food: anchovies. #marinelife #anglerfish
Have you ever seen a juvenile Buffalo Trunkfish (Lactophrys trigonus)? I absolutely love their weird skeleton which forms this bony carapace making their body rigid.
May 7, 2025 at 12:15 PM
Have you ever seen a juvenile Buffalo Trunkfish (Lactophrys trigonus)? I absolutely love their weird skeleton which forms this bony carapace making their body rigid.
New molecular + morphological anglerfish phylogeny! #marinelife
1/11 New #OpenAccess #anglerfish paper in @plosone.org! We combine genomic, mitochondrial, and morphological data to produce the most complete evolutionary hypothesis for anglerfishes! Includes new body shape, habitat analyses, and a new frogfish subfamily) 🦑
doi.org/10.1371/jour...
doi.org/10.1371/jour...
A total-evidence phylogenetic approach to understanding the evolution, depth transitions, and body-shape changes in the anglerfishes and allies (Acanthuriformes: Lophioidei)
The anglerfishes and allies (Lophioidei) are a diverse group of fishes with over 400 carnivorous species that are renowned for their remarkable hunting behavior employing a modified first dorsal-fin s...
doi.org
May 3, 2025 at 5:01 PM
New molecular + morphological anglerfish phylogeny! #marinelife
1/11 New #OpenAccess #anglerfish paper in @plosone.org! We combine genomic, mitochondrial, and morphological data to produce the most complete evolutionary hypothesis for anglerfishes! Includes new body shape, habitat analyses, and a new frogfish subfamily) 🦑
doi.org/10.1371/jour...
doi.org/10.1371/jour...
A total-evidence phylogenetic approach to understanding the evolution, depth transitions, and body-shape changes in the anglerfishes and allies (Acanthuriformes: Lophioidei)
The anglerfishes and allies (Lophioidei) are a diverse group of fishes with over 400 carnivorous species that are renowned for their remarkable hunting behavior employing a modified first dorsal-fin s...
doi.org
May 3, 2025 at 12:11 AM
1/11 New #OpenAccess #anglerfish paper in @plosone.org! We combine genomic, mitochondrial, and morphological data to produce the most complete evolutionary hypothesis for anglerfishes! Includes new body shape, habitat analyses, and a new frogfish subfamily) 🦑
doi.org/10.1371/jour...
doi.org/10.1371/jour...
Can’t believe we missed the phenotypic species concept! Gar + turtle = Dunkleosteus brought back from extinction! Brought to you by Colossal Biosciences.
April 9, 2025 at 3:08 AM
Can’t believe we missed the phenotypic species concept! Gar + turtle = Dunkleosteus brought back from extinction! Brought to you by Colossal Biosciences.