Brian Leavell
@bleavell.bsky.social
sensory ecology | behavior | evolution
○ lover of midges, frogs, bats and bagels
○ PhD w/ @xebernal.bsky.social @ Purdue
All my ❤️ to 🏳️🌈 🏳️⚧️
☮️🌎
○ lover of midges, frogs, bats and bagels
○ PhD w/ @xebernal.bsky.social @ Purdue
All my ❤️ to 🏳️🌈 🏳️⚧️
☮️🌎
The star, co-creator, and/or exec producer of some of the most celebrated war films and tv miniseries, but god forbid:
September 6, 2025 at 7:01 PM
The star, co-creator, and/or exec producer of some of the most celebrated war films and tv miniseries, but god forbid:
The stick figures ❤️
3/3
3/3
August 25, 2025 at 3:07 PM
The stick figures ❤️
3/3
3/3
I love the ladybug flag in particular.
2/3
2/3
August 25, 2025 at 3:07 PM
I love the ladybug flag in particular.
2/3
2/3
So many good ones 🧵
1/3
1/3
August 25, 2025 at 3:07 PM
So many good ones 🧵
1/3
1/3
TL;DR
We found that the degree to which calling male túngara frogs defend themselves from eavesdropping frog-biting midges alters their attractiveness to females and predatory bats, though the sensory mechanisms and effects differ per receiver.
Photo by Christian Ziegler
We found that the degree to which calling male túngara frogs defend themselves from eavesdropping frog-biting midges alters their attractiveness to females and predatory bats, though the sensory mechanisms and effects differ per receiver.
Photo by Christian Ziegler
August 14, 2025 at 7:44 PM
TL;DR
We found that the degree to which calling male túngara frogs defend themselves from eavesdropping frog-biting midges alters their attractiveness to females and predatory bats, though the sensory mechanisms and effects differ per receiver.
Photo by Christian Ziegler
We found that the degree to which calling male túngara frogs defend themselves from eavesdropping frog-biting midges alters their attractiveness to females and predatory bats, though the sensory mechanisms and effects differ per receiver.
Photo by Christian Ziegler
Whereas, bats didn't care about swats!
(Oddly, they didn't care about call ornamentation either, just call rate... more discussion in the paper about this unexpected finding!)
(Oddly, they didn't care about call ornamentation either, just call rate... more discussion in the paper about this unexpected finding!)
August 14, 2025 at 7:44 PM
Whereas, bats didn't care about swats!
(Oddly, they didn't care about call ornamentation either, just call rate... more discussion in the paper about this unexpected finding!)
(Oddly, they didn't care about call ornamentation either, just call rate... more discussion in the paper about this unexpected finding!)
We presented choice tests to females and predatory bats with variation in the degree of call elaboration (call rate + call ripples, and call complexity) and swat ripples.
In general, females are less likely to choose a male the more he defends himself from frog-biting midge attacks.
In general, females are less likely to choose a male the more he defends himself from frog-biting midge attacks.
August 14, 2025 at 7:44 PM
We presented choice tests to females and predatory bats with variation in the degree of call elaboration (call rate + call ripples, and call complexity) and swat ripples.
In general, females are less likely to choose a male the more he defends himself from frog-biting midge attacks.
In general, females are less likely to choose a male the more he defends himself from frog-biting midge attacks.
Females and predatory bats appear to integrate water ripples produced by calls, but do they care about swat ripples?
That is, could attacks by the frog-biting midge create effects that cascade throughout the communication network, and shift relative male fitness?
Photo by @kathglz.bsky.social
That is, could attacks by the frog-biting midge create effects that cascade throughout the communication network, and shift relative male fitness?
Photo by @kathglz.bsky.social
August 14, 2025 at 7:44 PM
Females and predatory bats appear to integrate water ripples produced by calls, but do they care about swat ripples?
That is, could attacks by the frog-biting midge create effects that cascade throughout the communication network, and shift relative male fitness?
Photo by @kathglz.bsky.social
That is, could attacks by the frog-biting midge create effects that cascade throughout the communication network, and shift relative male fitness?
Photo by @kathglz.bsky.social
Male túngara frogs compete for access to females by elaborating their calls.
But!
Many enemies eavesdrop on these calls. Here, frog-biting midges find blood 🩸 meals by localizing calls with their antennae (see work by @xebernal.bsky.social!). Males swat at these midges, creating water ripples.
But!
Many enemies eavesdrop on these calls. Here, frog-biting midges find blood 🩸 meals by localizing calls with their antennae (see work by @xebernal.bsky.social!). Males swat at these midges, creating water ripples.
August 14, 2025 at 7:44 PM
Male túngara frogs compete for access to females by elaborating their calls.
But!
Many enemies eavesdrop on these calls. Here, frog-biting midges find blood 🩸 meals by localizing calls with their antennae (see work by @xebernal.bsky.social!). Males swat at these midges, creating water ripples.
But!
Many enemies eavesdrop on these calls. Here, frog-biting midges find blood 🩸 meals by localizing calls with their antennae (see work by @xebernal.bsky.social!). Males swat at these midges, creating water ripples.
🚨 NEW PAPER 🚨
Variation in sexual signals and defensive strategies elicits receiver-dependent shifts in attractiveness
*Open Access!* in @jexpbiol.bsky.social
doi.org/10.1242/jeb....
w/ Dineilys Aparicio, Hoover Pantoja-Sánchez, Rachel Page, & @xebernal.bsky.social
🧵
Photo by Christian Ziegler
Variation in sexual signals and defensive strategies elicits receiver-dependent shifts in attractiveness
*Open Access!* in @jexpbiol.bsky.social
doi.org/10.1242/jeb....
w/ Dineilys Aparicio, Hoover Pantoja-Sánchez, Rachel Page, & @xebernal.bsky.social
🧵
Photo by Christian Ziegler
August 14, 2025 at 7:44 PM
🚨 NEW PAPER 🚨
Variation in sexual signals and defensive strategies elicits receiver-dependent shifts in attractiveness
*Open Access!* in @jexpbiol.bsky.social
doi.org/10.1242/jeb....
w/ Dineilys Aparicio, Hoover Pantoja-Sánchez, Rachel Page, & @xebernal.bsky.social
🧵
Photo by Christian Ziegler
Variation in sexual signals and defensive strategies elicits receiver-dependent shifts in attractiveness
*Open Access!* in @jexpbiol.bsky.social
doi.org/10.1242/jeb....
w/ Dineilys Aparicio, Hoover Pantoja-Sánchez, Rachel Page, & @xebernal.bsky.social
🧵
Photo by Christian Ziegler
June 14, 2025 at 10:25 PM
Cool. So now we've jumped ahead to... checks notes... September 2024.
April 9, 2025 at 6:28 PM
Cool. So now we've jumped ahead to... checks notes... September 2024.
April 5, 2025 at 9:31 PM
Sen. Cory Booker's record-breaking speech as a wordcloud
April 4, 2025 at 8:30 PM
Sen. Cory Booker's record-breaking speech as a wordcloud
VANCE: "I just hate bailing Europe out again."
April 3, 2025 at 2:57 PM
VANCE: "I just hate bailing Europe out again."
I've been seeing this photo so much recently
April 3, 2025 at 2:25 PM
I've been seeing this photo so much recently
New paper out!
doi.org/10.1098/rspb...
A chapter from my dissertation. We look at the cascading effects of eavesdropping frog-biting midges on a communication network. Spoiler! These midges impact multiple signalers and receivers in complex ways!
Photo by Katherine González
doi.org/10.1098/rspb...
A chapter from my dissertation. We look at the cascading effects of eavesdropping frog-biting midges on a communication network. Spoiler! These midges impact multiple signalers and receivers in complex ways!
Photo by Katherine González
December 21, 2023 at 6:54 AM
New paper out!
doi.org/10.1098/rspb...
A chapter from my dissertation. We look at the cascading effects of eavesdropping frog-biting midges on a communication network. Spoiler! These midges impact multiple signalers and receivers in complex ways!
Photo by Katherine González
doi.org/10.1098/rspb...
A chapter from my dissertation. We look at the cascading effects of eavesdropping frog-biting midges on a communication network. Spoiler! These midges impact multiple signalers and receivers in complex ways!
Photo by Katherine González
Check out what showed up in the mail! 🐸 🦎 🐢
November 2, 2023 at 8:26 PM
Check out what showed up in the mail! 🐸 🦎 🐢