Alejandro Damián-Serrano, Ph.D.
@planktomancer.bsky.social
Friend to the Unseen 🌀💀Comparative naturalist🔬Martial archer🏹Dark fantasy fan🧟♂️AuDHD🧠Amor Fati❤️🔥Valencià🇪🇸
Off they go!
November 11, 2025 at 9:55 AM
Off they go!
Here are some of my latest pictures of clouds :)
November 11, 2025 at 9:52 AM
Here are some of my latest pictures of clouds :)
I could swear that first picture of Physalia is actually mine from our visit to BIOS in 2019, or a still from my video. The position of the fish prey is just so specific... or a very uncanny coincidence
November 6, 2025 at 4:48 PM
I could swear that first picture of Physalia is actually mine from our visit to BIOS in 2019, or a still from my video. The position of the fish prey is just so specific... or a very uncanny coincidence
These faster swimmers also tend to be more efficient in their cost of transport, as assessed by comparing their swimming vs. resting respiration rates. This research was funded by @MooreFound and @USNavyResearch 3/3
March 31, 2025 at 11:52 AM
These faster swimmers also tend to be more efficient in their cost of transport, as assessed by comparing their swimming vs. resting respiration rates. This research was funded by @MooreFound and @USNavyResearch 3/3
Linear architectures and others able to tuck many propeller zooids under a constrained frontal area present faster swimming speeds than those with a 1:1 ratio in zooids:area /2
March 31, 2025 at 11:52 AM
Linear architectures and others able to tuck many propeller zooids under a constrained frontal area present faster swimming speeds than those with a 1:1 ratio in zooids:area /2
Our paper on the developmental ontology of salp colonial architecture made the cover of The Biological Bulletin! @BiolBulletin With my photo of a developing Pegea chain! @SutherlandLab https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/731540
March 31, 2025 at 11:52 AM
Our paper on the developmental ontology of salp colonial architecture made the cover of The Biological Bulletin! @BiolBulletin With my photo of a developing Pegea chain! @SutherlandLab https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/731540
We observed the colonial development of 22 species, based on which we hypothesized phenotypic equivalences between terminal and intermediate architectures with shared developmental processes /3
March 31, 2025 at 11:52 AM
We observed the colonial development of 22 species, based on which we hypothesized phenotypic equivalences between terminal and intermediate architectures with shared developmental processes /3
By capitalizing on the shared transversal developmental stage, we were able to define universal homologous planes of observation onto which to map developmental transitions /2
March 31, 2025 at 11:52 AM
By capitalizing on the shared transversal developmental stage, we were able to define universal homologous planes of observation onto which to map developmental transitions /2
I'm giving a talk on our work from the @SutherlandLab on salp colony locomotion at #OSM2024 See you tomorrow Monday 02/19 at 11:10am in room 225-227 NOLACC (Session PI12A-05 - Ecological Fluid Mechanics) #zooplankton
March 31, 2025 at 11:52 AM
I'm giving a talk on our work from the @SutherlandLab on salp colony locomotion at #OSM2024 See you tomorrow Monday 02/19 at 11:10am in room 225-227 NOLACC (Session PI12A-05 - Ecological Fluid Mechanics) #zooplankton
The conspicuous lepidosome is mostly found trailing at the rear end of young Iasis colonies, and it appears lost in older colonies, presumably due to predation. Video by Kelly Sutherland @SutherlandLab
March 31, 2025 at 11:52 AM
The conspicuous lepidosome is mostly found trailing at the rear end of young Iasis colonies, and it appears lost in older colonies, presumably due to predation. Video by Kelly Sutherland @SutherlandLab
The specialized lepidozooids that form the lepidosome tail develop from yellow-pigmented zooid buds at the distal end of the stolen of solitary Iasis cylindrical salps
March 31, 2025 at 11:52 AM
The specialized lepidozooids that form the lepidosome tail develop from yellow-pigmented zooid buds at the distal end of the stolen of solitary Iasis cylindrical salps
Yellow tails in Iasis #salp colonies off Hawaii are the first recorded instance of zooid-type polymorphism in salps! They likely act as decoys to distract predators while the colony swims away to safety. @SutherlandLab https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/share/author/RHKBXDA3RDQ5UDMT2IUP?target=10.1...
March 31, 2025 at 11:52 AM
Yellow tails in Iasis #salp colonies off Hawaii are the first recorded instance of zooid-type polymorphism in salps! They likely act as decoys to distract predators while the colony swims away to safety. @SutherlandLab https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/share/author/RHKBXDA3RDQ5UDMT2IUP?target=10.1...
This work puts several understudied salp species 'on the map', revealing the phylogenetic position of the enigmatic Helicosalpa (with spiral colonies) and Metcalfina -- who is sister to all other salps! Also, the genus Ihlea could be polyphyletic.
March 31, 2025 at 11:52 AM
This work puts several understudied salp species 'on the map', revealing the phylogenetic position of the enigmatic Helicosalpa (with spiral colonies) and Metcalfina -- who is sister to all other salps! Also, the genus Ihlea could be polyphyletic.
Hear ye! A new molecular phylogeny for #salps (Salpida) reconstructs the evolutionary history of their diverse colonial architectures! With @SutherlandLab & @maczooid Funded by @MooreFound https://academic.oup.com/iob/advance-article/doi/10.1093/iob/obad037/7284387
March 31, 2025 at 11:52 AM
Hear ye! A new molecular phylogeny for #salps (Salpida) reconstructs the evolutionary history of their diverse colonial architectures! With @SutherlandLab & @maczooid Funded by @MooreFound https://academic.oup.com/iob/advance-article/doi/10.1093/iob/obad037/7284387
Streamlined colonial architectures among salps evolved multiple times. Locomotory performance in #multijet propulsion is driven by a combination of thrust:torque ratio and frontal drag scaling with the number of propellers. I presented this poster @UO_Research
Biology Symposium.
Biology Symposium.
March 31, 2025 at 11:52 AM
Streamlined colonial architectures among salps evolved multiple times. Locomotory performance in #multijet propulsion is driven by a combination of thrust:torque ratio and frontal drag scaling with the number of propellers. I presented this poster @UO_Research
Biology Symposium.
Biology Symposium.
and many other old & new friends @DrSalamander @martinezserrap1 @conchoecia #icim5
March 31, 2025 at 11:52 AM
and many other old & new friends @DrSalamander @martinezserrap1 @conchoecia #icim5
So much fun to hang out with @Hejnol_Lab @rimskaya & @caseywdunn in Vienna! #icim5
March 31, 2025 at 11:52 AM
So much fun to hang out with @Hejnol_Lab @rimskaya & @caseywdunn in Vienna! #icim5
We had a great time at @5Icim #icim5 with the Alabama spiralian gang et al. @myapchiongco @rebecca_efg @chimpi_cobo @RNickellaus
March 31, 2025 at 11:52 AM
We had a great time at @5Icim #icim5 with the Alabama spiralian gang et al. @myapchiongco @rebecca_efg @chimpi_cobo @RNickellaus
Gutless siboglinids have thicc lecitotrophic larval developments as odd as their adult lifestyle! By @rimskaya at #icim5
March 31, 2025 at 11:52 AM
Gutless siboglinids have thicc lecitotrophic larval developments as odd as their adult lifestyle! By @rimskaya at #icim5
Brett @bcg5574 showcases derpy/creepy predatory scale worms with complex eyes that adjust their “pupil” size with day/night cycles! #icim5
March 31, 2025 at 11:52 AM
Brett @bcg5574 showcases derpy/creepy predatory scale worms with complex eyes that adjust their “pupil” size with day/night cycles! #icim5
Great lessons from @caseywdunn on the value of homoplasy and inclusive thinking in evolutionary biology #icim5
March 31, 2025 at 11:52 AM
Great lessons from @caseywdunn on the value of homoplasy and inclusive thinking in evolutionary biology #icim5
Gerhard Haszprunar’s plenary at #icim5 showcased how the goals of biology as a whole shifted in the past century
March 31, 2025 at 11:52 AM
Gerhard Haszprunar’s plenary at #icim5 showcased how the goals of biology as a whole shifted in the past century
Salps are delicate creatures with so much hidden biology that is only illuminated by joining them in their world #bluewater #Blackwater #diving thanks @maczooid for filming me at work!
March 31, 2025 at 11:52 AM
Salps are delicate creatures with so much hidden biology that is only illuminated by joining them in their world #bluewater #Blackwater #diving thanks @maczooid for filming me at work!
By looking at development we can establish an architectural homology framework with which to compare different zooid arrangements in #salps #icim5
March 31, 2025 at 11:52 AM
By looking at development we can establish an architectural homology framework with which to compare different zooid arrangements in #salps #icim5
Excited to share the first insights into the evolutionary history and biomechanics of #salp colonial architectures from my postdoctoral work at the @SutherlandLab for @5Icim #icim5 in Vienna! Join me in the Functional Morphology session at 3pm in LH-1
March 31, 2025 at 11:52 AM
Excited to share the first insights into the evolutionary history and biomechanics of #salp colonial architectures from my postdoctoral work at the @SutherlandLab for @5Icim #icim5 in Vienna! Join me in the Functional Morphology session at 3pm in LH-1