Niki Hubbard 🐙🦀
@nikihubbard.bsky.social
PhD Candidate at UNSW | cephalopod, crab & nudibranch nerd 🦑🤿📷 | Impacts of artificial light at night on intertidal & subtidal ecosystems 🦀🧐| marine ecology 🌊🐌🪸 | Australia & Wales | He/him
Pinned
Reintro time! Hi, I'm Niki, marine science nerd, currently PhDing, studying effects of artificial light at night (#ALAN) on marine ecosystems. 🧪
I take photos, mostly of invertebrates. If I was an NPC I'd drop an octopus plushie, a camera, and a tub of hummus. 🐙📷😋
I take photos, mostly of invertebrates. If I was an NPC I'd drop an octopus plushie, a camera, and a tub of hummus. 🐙📷😋
As the wind howled through the Welsh dark and the caravan rocked (The Crabavan!), I woke up and realised I'd been dreaming of nudibranchs 🥲
October 19, 2025 at 5:41 AM
As the wind howled through the Welsh dark and the caravan rocked (The Crabavan!), I woke up and realised I'd been dreaming of nudibranchs 🥲
Reposted by Niki Hubbard 🐙🦀
October 8, 2025 at 5:12 PM
Reposted by Niki Hubbard 🐙🦀
In celebration of World Octopus Day, we wanted to revisit one of our favorite cephalopod sightings, the glass octopus — Vitreledonella richardi filmed during a month-long #PhoenixIslandsCoral expedition in 2021.
October 8, 2025 at 10:22 PM
In celebration of World Octopus Day, we wanted to revisit one of our favorite cephalopod sightings, the glass octopus — Vitreledonella richardi filmed during a month-long #PhoenixIslandsCoral expedition in 2021.
Reposted by Niki Hubbard 🐙🦀
October 7, 2025 at 2:01 AM
Reposted by Niki Hubbard 🐙🦀
Meet the “squidworm” 🦑🪱
Discovered by WHOI biologist Larry Madin and colleagues, this 4-inch-long animal was just one of roughly 6,000 new species uncovered during the Census of Marine Life, a decade-long global effort involving more than 2,700 scientists to explore and document ocean life.
Discovered by WHOI biologist Larry Madin and colleagues, this 4-inch-long animal was just one of roughly 6,000 new species uncovered during the Census of Marine Life, a decade-long global effort involving more than 2,700 scientists to explore and document ocean life.
October 2, 2025 at 7:59 PM
Meet the “squidworm” 🦑🪱
Discovered by WHOI biologist Larry Madin and colleagues, this 4-inch-long animal was just one of roughly 6,000 new species uncovered during the Census of Marine Life, a decade-long global effort involving more than 2,700 scientists to explore and document ocean life.
Discovered by WHOI biologist Larry Madin and colleagues, this 4-inch-long animal was just one of roughly 6,000 new species uncovered during the Census of Marine Life, a decade-long global effort involving more than 2,700 scientists to explore and document ocean life.
Back in wonderful Wales for a bit! 🌳
October 3, 2025 at 6:11 AM
Back in wonderful Wales for a bit! 🌳
Reposted by Niki Hubbard 🐙🦀
Meet Ken's cuttlefish, his job is just beach. 🧵
🐡🐙🦑🧪
🐡🐙🦑🧪
September 18, 2025 at 9:24 PM
Meet Ken's cuttlefish, his job is just beach. 🧵
🐡🐙🦑🧪
🐡🐙🦑🧪
Reposted by Niki Hubbard 🐙🦀
We had one of my favorite crabs in the invertebrate teaching lab today! This is Dromidia sp. a carrier crab. Their last pair of legs is modified to carry sponges and other animals as a defensive mechanism. This one is carrying a colonial tunicate. #invertebrates 🦑🦀
September 18, 2025 at 6:24 PM
We had one of my favorite crabs in the invertebrate teaching lab today! This is Dromidia sp. a carrier crab. Their last pair of legs is modified to carry sponges and other animals as a defensive mechanism. This one is carrying a colonial tunicate. #invertebrates 🦑🦀
Reposted by Niki Hubbard 🐙🦀
We love jumping spiders because they are smol, cute, active, friendly and always looking around curiously with their huge eyes. But do you know they’re also masters of mimicry? Check out the bugs they pretend to be (and some of those are really good)!💚💚
September 17, 2025 at 8:09 PM
We love jumping spiders because they are smol, cute, active, friendly and always looking around curiously with their huge eyes. But do you know they’re also masters of mimicry? Check out the bugs they pretend to be (and some of those are really good)!💚💚
Reposted by Niki Hubbard 🐙🦀
New research shows for the first time that #ClimateChange could fundamentally alter the benthic–pelagic exchange – the flow of #carbon and nutrients between the seafloor and open ocean waters vital for food webs, marine life and carbon cycling 👇
pml.ac.uk/news/how-cli...
pml.ac.uk/news/how-cli...
How climate change could flip marine fluxes in the Arctic: reshaping entire ecosystems
The Arctic is warming faster than almost anywhere else on Earth, with the Barents Sea experiencing the most dramatic loss of seasonal sea ice. As the ice retreats and the Polar Front shifts northwards
pml.ac.uk
September 16, 2025 at 8:51 AM
New research shows for the first time that #ClimateChange could fundamentally alter the benthic–pelagic exchange – the flow of #carbon and nutrients between the seafloor and open ocean waters vital for food webs, marine life and carbon cycling 👇
pml.ac.uk/news/how-cli...
pml.ac.uk/news/how-cli...
Reposted by Niki Hubbard 🐙🦀
Octopuses can use any of their arms to perform tasks, but tend to use a particular arm, or arms, for specific tasks, according to a study in Scientific Reports. go.nature.com/4pjR34k 🌊 🧪
September 16, 2025 at 1:38 AM
Octopuses can use any of their arms to perform tasks, but tend to use a particular arm, or arms, for specific tasks, according to a study in Scientific Reports. go.nature.com/4pjR34k 🌊 🧪
Reposted by Niki Hubbard 🐙🦀
For #TaxonomyTuesday check out these gorgeous sea slugs!
Image from: A deceptive variety: integrative systematics and phylogeography suggest 𝘼𝙙𝙖𝙡𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙖 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙭𝙞𝙢𝙖 and 𝘼𝙙𝙖𝙡𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙖 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙣𝙞 represent a single species (Gastropoda: Nudibranchia) by Ekimova et al. (2025). Read more: buff.ly/pAIkLxD
#Slugs #NHM
Image from: A deceptive variety: integrative systematics and phylogeography suggest 𝘼𝙙𝙖𝙡𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙖 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙭𝙞𝙢𝙖 and 𝘼𝙙𝙖𝙡𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙖 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙣𝙞 represent a single species (Gastropoda: Nudibranchia) by Ekimova et al. (2025). Read more: buff.ly/pAIkLxD
#Slugs #NHM
September 16, 2025 at 7:00 AM
For #TaxonomyTuesday check out these gorgeous sea slugs!
Image from: A deceptive variety: integrative systematics and phylogeography suggest 𝘼𝙙𝙖𝙡𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙖 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙭𝙞𝙢𝙖 and 𝘼𝙙𝙖𝙡𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙖 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙣𝙞 represent a single species (Gastropoda: Nudibranchia) by Ekimova et al. (2025). Read more: buff.ly/pAIkLxD
#Slugs #NHM
Image from: A deceptive variety: integrative systematics and phylogeography suggest 𝘼𝙙𝙖𝙡𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙖 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙭𝙞𝙢𝙖 and 𝘼𝙙𝙖𝙡𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙖 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙣𝙞 represent a single species (Gastropoda: Nudibranchia) by Ekimova et al. (2025). Read more: buff.ly/pAIkLxD
#Slugs #NHM
Reposted by Niki Hubbard 🐙🦀
What a fabulous #shoresearchweek with #CornwallWildlifeTrust & their #marineconservation team. Whilst exploring the lower shore I found the #nudibranch Spurilla neapolitana - a first UK record! 🦑
@mblscience.bsky.social
@mblscience.bsky.social
September 13, 2025 at 10:33 AM
What a fabulous #shoresearchweek with #CornwallWildlifeTrust & their #marineconservation team. Whilst exploring the lower shore I found the #nudibranch Spurilla neapolitana - a first UK record! 🦑
@mblscience.bsky.social
@mblscience.bsky.social
Reposted by Niki Hubbard 🐙🦀
👋 Hey friends! I'm back & super excited to share new art with you all 🎨
🥳 🎉 in love with these colors!!
⭐ Bsky Early Access: sculptedreef.com/collections/...
🪸 Corals are made w glass beads 🐙 clay + paint
#ArtYear #ArtGallery #Art #BSNM #CoralReef #MarineLife #Sculpture #Octopus 🦑🐡
🥳 🎉 in love with these colors!!
⭐ Bsky Early Access: sculptedreef.com/collections/...
🪸 Corals are made w glass beads 🐙 clay + paint
#ArtYear #ArtGallery #Art #BSNM #CoralReef #MarineLife #Sculpture #Octopus 🦑🐡
September 13, 2025 at 6:44 PM
👋 Hey friends! I'm back & super excited to share new art with you all 🎨
🥳 🎉 in love with these colors!!
⭐ Bsky Early Access: sculptedreef.com/collections/...
🪸 Corals are made w glass beads 🐙 clay + paint
#ArtYear #ArtGallery #Art #BSNM #CoralReef #MarineLife #Sculpture #Octopus 🦑🐡
🥳 🎉 in love with these colors!!
⭐ Bsky Early Access: sculptedreef.com/collections/...
🪸 Corals are made w glass beads 🐙 clay + paint
#ArtYear #ArtGallery #Art #BSNM #CoralReef #MarineLife #Sculpture #Octopus 🦑🐡
Reposted by Niki Hubbard 🐙🦀
Introducing the Unseen Oceans Collective! Formed in 2026 this collective is bringing deep-ocean fine art and science events to international venues in 2025 and 2026. #sciart #scienceartists #unseenoceancollective #deep-sea #womeninscience #deepocean
September 1, 2025 at 9:27 PM
Introducing the Unseen Oceans Collective! Formed in 2026 this collective is bringing deep-ocean fine art and science events to international venues in 2025 and 2026. #sciart #scienceartists #unseenoceancollective #deep-sea #womeninscience #deepocean
Reposted by Niki Hubbard 🐙🦀
![Comic. [Building with large sign in front of it[ SIGN: Welcome to the *Biology Department* It has been [changeable sign: 3] days since we discovered something existentially horrifying about bugs that makes you question your whole reality](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:cz73r7iyiqn26upot4jtjdhk/bafkreigvmzverlrjgqp4mazbkhm43fpvv2hdbkd2t2646dhihozrwdcy24@jpeg)
September 11, 2025 at 9:24 PM
Reposted by Niki Hubbard 🐙🦀
The Great Old Ones - this is something already existed in my mind when illustrating the previous cephalopods piece; and so glad I’ve completed it so now I can display them side by side💙 Never stop missing prehistoric cephalopods! Thinking about making this one a silver foiled print as well!
August 28, 2025 at 7:04 PM
The Great Old Ones - this is something already existed in my mind when illustrating the previous cephalopods piece; and so glad I’ve completed it so now I can display them side by side💙 Never stop missing prehistoric cephalopods! Thinking about making this one a silver foiled print as well!
Reposted by Niki Hubbard 🐙🦀
I don't trust them, they are a squid in the grass...
With a mantle length of 22 mm, Grass Squids (Pickfordiateuthis pulchella) are one of the tiniest species of squid. They aren't quite as small as pygmy squids which belong to a different order.
#SQUIDtember
With a mantle length of 22 mm, Grass Squids (Pickfordiateuthis pulchella) are one of the tiniest species of squid. They aren't quite as small as pygmy squids which belong to a different order.
#SQUIDtember
September 2, 2025 at 9:15 PM
I don't trust them, they are a squid in the grass...
With a mantle length of 22 mm, Grass Squids (Pickfordiateuthis pulchella) are one of the tiniest species of squid. They aren't quite as small as pygmy squids which belong to a different order.
#SQUIDtember
With a mantle length of 22 mm, Grass Squids (Pickfordiateuthis pulchella) are one of the tiniest species of squid. They aren't quite as small as pygmy squids which belong to a different order.
#SQUIDtember
Reposted by Niki Hubbard 🐙🦀
August 31, 2025 at 7:43 PM
Reposted by Niki Hubbard 🐙🦀
We have an exciting #InverteFest announcement!
We're going to create an #InverteFest artist/writer collaboration anthology! Artists and writers will be paired together to create collaborated pieces which we'll collect into an anthology.
All are welcome.
Apply here: forms.gle/6zHzs7P8kzGF...
We're going to create an #InverteFest artist/writer collaboration anthology! Artists and writers will be paired together to create collaborated pieces which we'll collect into an anthology.
All are welcome.
Apply here: forms.gle/6zHzs7P8kzGF...
August 26, 2025 at 8:29 PM
We have an exciting #InverteFest announcement!
We're going to create an #InverteFest artist/writer collaboration anthology! Artists and writers will be paired together to create collaborated pieces which we'll collect into an anthology.
All are welcome.
Apply here: forms.gle/6zHzs7P8kzGF...
We're going to create an #InverteFest artist/writer collaboration anthology! Artists and writers will be paired together to create collaborated pieces which we'll collect into an anthology.
All are welcome.
Apply here: forms.gle/6zHzs7P8kzGF...
Reposted by Niki Hubbard 🐙🦀
Some biologists have some really sick websites, and I want to see them! Let's show off some cool websites, whether it's shameless self-promotion or another one you think is cool.
I'll go first: @invertebabe.bsky.social blends her research + illustration in a really cool way. www.megmindlin.com
I'll go first: @invertebabe.bsky.social blends her research + illustration in a really cool way. www.megmindlin.com
Meg Mindlin
www.megmindlin.com
August 8, 2025 at 10:18 PM
Some biologists have some really sick websites, and I want to see them! Let's show off some cool websites, whether it's shameless self-promotion or another one you think is cool.
I'll go first: @invertebabe.bsky.social blends her research + illustration in a really cool way. www.megmindlin.com
I'll go first: @invertebabe.bsky.social blends her research + illustration in a really cool way. www.megmindlin.com
Reposted by Niki Hubbard 🐙🦀
BIG PROFESSIONAL NEWS! My text that read “it would be an honor to work with you” was autocorrected to “it wouid be a horror to work with you”
July 27, 2025 at 7:08 PM
BIG PROFESSIONAL NEWS! My text that read “it would be an honor to work with you” was autocorrected to “it wouid be a horror to work with you”
Reposted by Niki Hubbard 🐙🦀
Reposted by Niki Hubbard 🐙🦀
Reposted by Niki Hubbard 🐙🦀
So many podocopida ostracods (aka seed shrimp) in my last sample. Some were HUGE! And some were weeny! And they were all 100% adorable!
🦑 #plankton
🦑 #plankton
July 17, 2025 at 5:42 PM
So many podocopida ostracods (aka seed shrimp) in my last sample. Some were HUGE! And some were weeny! And they were all 100% adorable!
🦑 #plankton
🦑 #plankton