Ben Wielstra
@benwielstra.bsky.social
Associate Professor Evolution & Biodiversity @ Institute of Biology Leiden, Leiden University & Naturalis Biodiversity Center | Wielstra lab website: benwielstra.wordpress.com | Newts newts newts!
Genotyping the balanced lethal system in newts
benwielstra.com/2025/06/21/t...
benwielstra.com/2025/06/21/t...
Two ways to genetically determine if a newt embryo is doomed to die by balanced lethal system
In the balanced lethal system in Triturus newts, individuals that inherit either the 1A or the 1B version of chromosome 1 twice will experience developmental arrest and die halfway embryonic develo…
benwielstra.com
June 21, 2025 at 9:38 AM
Genotyping the balanced lethal system in newts
benwielstra.com/2025/06/21/t...
benwielstra.com/2025/06/21/t...
Brief post on my website introducing our scientists' warning on genetic pollution
benwielstra.com/2025/05/29/a...
benwielstra.com/2025/05/29/a...
A warning call on genetic pollution
Genetic pollution, gene flow from invasive to native species species, poses a complicated conservation question. It is well-known in crested newts. Why should we care about genetic pollution? To pu…
benwielstra.com
June 15, 2025 at 8:14 AM
Brief post on my website introducing our scientists' warning on genetic pollution
benwielstra.com/2025/05/29/a...
benwielstra.com/2025/05/29/a...
New paper on the Near Eastern Neurergus newts
benwielstra.com/2025/06/15/s...
benwielstra.com/2025/06/15/s...
Sorting out the mountain newts from the Near East
Neurergus crocatus by Michael Fahrbach The Near Eastern newts of the genus Neurergus are spectacular salamanders that seem to lack a proper common name. Because many of the species have at one time…
benwielstra.com
June 15, 2025 at 8:12 AM
New paper on the Near Eastern Neurergus newts
benwielstra.com/2025/06/15/s...
benwielstra.com/2025/06/15/s...
Mendelian inheritance with a deadly twist. We use the bizarre balanced lethal system in Triturus newts in our course Evolutionary Biology 2 to teach basic principles of natural selection and genetic linkage.
benwielstra.com/2025/06/13/t...
benwielstra.com/2025/06/13/t...
The balanced lethal system in the classroom
The balanced lethal system in Triturus newts is well-suited to teach biology students basic principles about natural selection and genetic linkage. This was the motivation behind a paper led by my …
benwielstra.com
June 15, 2025 at 8:12 AM
Mendelian inheritance with a deadly twist. We use the bizarre balanced lethal system in Triturus newts in our course Evolutionary Biology 2 to teach basic principles of natural selection and genetic linkage.
benwielstra.com/2025/06/13/t...
benwielstra.com/2025/06/13/t...
Reposted by Ben Wielstra
Patrones de diversidad genómica en el sapo partero común: perspectivas filogeográficas y de conservación. Open access:
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
@chrisdufresnes.bsky.social @benwielstra.bsky.social @
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
@chrisdufresnes.bsky.social @benwielstra.bsky.social @
Genome-wide patterns of diversity in the European midwife toad complex: phylogeographic and conservation prospects - Conservation Genetics
Assessing how genetic diversity is spatially structured underlies many research questions in evolutionary ecology and contributes to understanding the factors implicated in population declines and ext...
link.springer.com
February 6, 2025 at 9:40 AM
Patrones de diversidad genómica en el sapo partero común: perspectivas filogeográficas y de conservación. Open access:
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
@chrisdufresnes.bsky.social @benwielstra.bsky.social @
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
@chrisdufresnes.bsky.social @benwielstra.bsky.social @
New smooth newt paper:
benwielstra.com/2025/01/01/u...
benwielstra.com/2025/01/01/u...
Untangling the relationships of smooth newts
Lissotriton vulgaris schmidtleri by Michael Fahrbach Relationships within the newt genus Lissotriton, which includes the smooth newt, have always been difficult to interpret. Similarly, the taxonom…
benwielstra.com
February 4, 2025 at 8:14 AM
New smooth newt paper:
benwielstra.com/2025/01/01/u...
benwielstra.com/2025/01/01/u...
Reposted by Ben Wielstra
𝘛𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘶𝘴 newts are wild! Great talk by @benwielstra.bsky.social at @unituebingen.bsky.social EvE seminar. Hybridization and balanced lethal systems 😮🧬
February 1, 2025 at 8:31 AM
𝘛𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘶𝘴 newts are wild! Great talk by @benwielstra.bsky.social at @unituebingen.bsky.social EvE seminar. Hybridization and balanced lethal systems 😮🧬
New banded newt paper
Clearing up the relationships between banded newt species
The awesome banded newt genus comprises three cryptic species that are really old and have little to no genetic exchange between them. However, the ancestral banded newt appears to have radiated in…
benwielstra.com
November 18, 2024 at 1:35 PM
New banded newt paper
Reposted by Ben Wielstra
Now @benwielstra.bsky.social and co have worked out how this situation came about
Around 24 million years ago, when paired chromosomes were swapping bits of DNA during meiosis, one huge chunk of chromosome 1 got transferred instead of swapped
www.newscientist.com/article/2455...
Around 24 million years ago, when paired chromosomes were swapping bits of DNA during meiosis, one huge chunk of chromosome 1 got transferred instead of swapped
www.newscientist.com/article/2455...
A 200-year-old mystery about newts has finally been solved
A genetic flaw dooms half of all crested newts to die before they hatch – now we know how this baffling evolutionary quirk came about
www.newscientist.com
November 18, 2024 at 12:57 PM
Now @benwielstra.bsky.social and co have worked out how this situation came about
Around 24 million years ago, when paired chromosomes were swapping bits of DNA during meiosis, one huge chunk of chromosome 1 got transferred instead of swapped
www.newscientist.com/article/2455...
Around 24 million years ago, when paired chromosomes were swapping bits of DNA during meiosis, one huge chunk of chromosome 1 got transferred instead of swapped
www.newscientist.com/article/2455...