Sign in

Alex Maile

@anoplogaster.bsky.social
426 followers 222 following 111 posts

Ph.D. Candidate University of Kansas | Ichthyologist (means I like fish too much) | Evolution, Anatomy, and Phylogenetics www.anoplogaster.com www.instagram.com/whatthefishisthat…

PostsRepliesMedia
Alex Maile @anoplogaster.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
I’ve been looking at this weirdo quite a bit lately. Monocentris japonica, AKA the pineapplefish, pineconefish, or the knightfish. They possesses amazing armor that allows these fishes to swim around like little tanks. Scan is from Morphosource: UF 159787 🐟🧪🌊🦇
021
Alex Maile @anoplogaster.bsky.social · 29/06/2026
Behold! Two extinct birds: the Dodo (Raphus cucullatus) and the Great Auk (Pinguinus impennis). Both were wiped out by humans not long after we encountered them. These specimens are housed at the Natural History Museum of Denmark, where they’re used for research. 🌊🧪🦆🦇
000
Alex Maile @anoplogaster.bsky.social · 26/06/2026
Time in Copenhagen is never lonely when working with #anglerfishes 🧪🐟🌊🦑🦇
161
Alex Maile @anoplogaster.bsky.social · 14/06/2026
Fishy frenzy 🐟🦑🌊🦇
0101
Alex Maile @anoplogaster.bsky.social · 14/06/2026
Lil’ photogenic dude 🐠🦑🌊🦇
2254
Alex Maile @anoplogaster.bsky.social · 19/05/2026
I cannot believe our research on anglerfishes and their infamous lures is featured in National Geographic! I get so excited when I see these weirdos, and I light up when I can share their weirdness with anyone. 🌊🦑🧪🦇 Check it out here: www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/arti...
nationalgeographic.com
Inside the extremely bizarre sex lives of anglerfish
The fish, who live in pitch-black darkness, likely use their bioluminescent lures to find mates. Males then attach themselves to the females—and never let go.
0346
Reposted by Alex Maile
Prosanta Chakrabarty @prosanta.bsky.social · 18/04/2026
And the original article in Ichthyology & Herpetology. Really nice work by @anoplogaster.bsky.social and Matt Davis The Evolution of Lures in Anglerfishes (Acanthuriformes: Lophioidei): Investigating Nature's Tackle Box bioone.org/journals/ich...
bioone.org
021
Alex Maile @anoplogaster.bsky.social · 17/04/2026
Our anglerfish research made it into the New York Times!!! Beyond excited to see the love for these weirdos and their infamous lures! 🧪🐟🌊🦇 “How Female Anglerfish Evolved to Have It All” by Kate Golembiewski @nytimes.com www.nytimes.com/2026/04/17/s...
nytimes.com
How Female Anglerfish Evolved to Have It All
131
Alex Maile @anoplogaster.bsky.social · 14/04/2026
The bees are a buzz’n
000
Reposted by Alex Maile
Dr. Sarah Z. Gibson, PhD @gombessagirl.bsky.social · 10/04/2026
More exciting press for @scsualumni.bsky.social Alex Maile @anoplogaster.bsky.social and @stcloudstate.bsky.social professor Matt Davis’ work on deep-sea fishes! #teamfish
science.org
Why do anglerfish have glowing lures? It might be sex
Species proliferated after evolving bioluminescence, possibly because mates could find each other more easily
043
Alex Maile @anoplogaster.bsky.social · 10/04/2026
‼️ Our anglerfish research is now featured in @ScienceMagazine! 🐟🎣 "Why do anglerfish have glowing lures? It might be sex" Check it out here! 🧪🌊🐟🦇 www.science.org/content/arti...
2199
Reposted by Alex Maile
Danna Staaf @dannastaaf.bsky.social · 09/04/2026
Got sent a press release for this awesome paper doi.org/10.1643/i202... by @anoplogaster.bsky.social and became instantly obsessed with the much-too-human face of the attached anglerfish photo (credit: Matthew Davis), so I had to give it a body
A photograph of the anglerfish species Bufoceratias wedli from the Field Museum of Natural History imaged in vivid green and red. It looks upsettingly like a warped human head with thick red lips and small red teeth and a large chin. Its tiny tail sticks out of the back like a ponytail. CREDIT: Matthew DavisA digital drawing of a vivid green and red merperson with a large head inspired by the photograph of the anglerfish. The pectoral fin of the anglerfish has become an ear; the tail of the anglerfish has become a ponytail. There are small red ear and nose piercings. The merperson appears happy, and sits in a tucked position reminiscent of a little old grandmother. The drawing is signed by the artist, Danna Staaf.
3268
Alex Maile @anoplogaster.bsky.social · 09/04/2026
This is fantastic.
130
Reposted by Alex Maile
KU Biodiversity Institute and Natural History Museum @kunhm.bsky.social · 08/04/2026
Student Spotlight! 🌟 Check out the latest article featuing KU Ichthyology graduate student @anoplogaster.bsky.social's research on the evolution of anglerfishes' lures. His study, in collaboration with Matthew Davis revealed that these lures serve a dual purpose: attracting both food and mates.
news.ku.edu
Research traces evolution of anglerfishes’ famed fishing-rod lures
Variously horrific- or alien-looking, many female anglerfishes sport long, protruding lures used for enticing prey or signaling during mating. Now, research from the University of Kansas is giving new...
0115
Alex Maile @anoplogaster.bsky.social · 08/04/2026
‼️NEW ANGLERFISH PAPER! 🐟🎣 So excited to share the final part of my Master’s research! We explore the bizarre tacklebox of anglerfish lures and show how these fishes evolved different ways to attract prey and maybe even mates in the deep sea. 🧪🦑🌊🦇🦀 Open access paper link: doi.org/10.1643/i202...
17329
Alex Maile @anoplogaster.bsky.social · 04/04/2026
Finally got around to framing these postcards from a Nagasaki University calendar I was gifted a few years ago. 🌊🐟🦑🦀
1111
Alex Maile @anoplogaster.bsky.social · 20/03/2026
Talk about a headache! (especially from your partner fusing to you!) This is a Ghostly Seadevil (Haplophryne mollis) from the University of Washington Burke Museum!
012
Alex Maile @anoplogaster.bsky.social · 12/02/2026
Morning from a Kansas reef 🐟🦀🦑🌊🦇
0103
Alex Maile @anoplogaster.bsky.social · 26/01/2026
Kansas snow day with the reef
130
Alex Maile @anoplogaster.bsky.social · 31/12/2025
These MN blizzard conditions make me long for Cretaceous weather.
030
Alex Maile @anoplogaster.bsky.social · 10/12/2025
When your R code runs perfectly on the first try 🧪
media.tenor.com
a man with his eyes closed is standing in a dark room
ALT: a man with his eyes closed is standing in a dark room
031
Alex Maile @anoplogaster.bsky.social · 05/12/2025
Lil puppies with fins
150
Alex Maile @anoplogaster.bsky.social · 04/12/2025
The swimming candy cane 🌊🐟🦑🦇
03710
Alex Maile @anoplogaster.bsky.social · 01/12/2025
An urchin a day keeps the bad vibes away
011
Alex Maile @anoplogaster.bsky.social · 01/12/2025
Snack time 🌊🦑🦇
081
Alex Maile @anoplogaster.bsky.social · 22/11/2025
If you hold it like this, it’s a hat! 🦑🌊🦇🧪
0121
Alex Maile @anoplogaster.bsky.social · 22/11/2025
When life puts a rock in the way, carry it around like an urchin 🦑🌊🦇🧪
2167
Alex Maile @anoplogaster.bsky.social · 20/11/2025
Watching the world go by 🦑🌊🦇🧪
0163
Alex Maile @anoplogaster.bsky.social · 19/11/2025
Snack time on the reef 🦑🌊🦇🧪
091
Alex Maile @anoplogaster.bsky.social · 13/11/2025
POV you’re in a crabby mood 🦑 🌊 🧪 🦇
16015
Alex Maile @anoplogaster.bsky.social · 05/11/2025
Our mini snail aquarium for this week’s lab on gastropods!
010
Alex Maile @anoplogaster.bsky.social · 05/11/2025
Snail radula in action
030
Alex Maile @anoplogaster.bsky.social · 31/10/2025
We didn't carve pumpkins this year, but here are some deep-sea fish jack-o'-lanterns l've made in prior years!
170
Alex Maile @anoplogaster.bsky.social · 31/10/2025
Happy Halloween! 🎃 🦇 🧪
052
Alex Maile @anoplogaster.bsky.social · 30/10/2025
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! 🧪🎃
082
Alex Maile @anoplogaster.bsky.social · 24/10/2025
A 3D printer is glamorous until you have to fix a wiring issue…
000
Alex Maile @anoplogaster.bsky.social · 20/10/2025
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... 🦑 🌊 🧪
0113
Alex Maile @anoplogaster.bsky.social · 20/10/2025
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... 🦑 🌊 🧪
042
Alex Maile @anoplogaster.bsky.social · 14/10/2025
Just a few more pieces left to glue — the monkfish is nearly complete! 🦑 🌊 🧪
415311
Alex Maile @anoplogaster.bsky.social · 06/10/2025
Happy Monday from these three amigos 🦑 🌊
0140
Alex Maile @anoplogaster.bsky.social · 06/10/2025
Just clown’in around 🦑 🌊 🧪
1343
Alex Maile @anoplogaster.bsky.social · 05/10/2025
New addition to the aquarium! A Longnose Hawkfish (Oxycirrhites typus). Loves the camera more than any other fish I’ve had.
2666462
Alex Maile @anoplogaster.bsky.social · 01/10/2025
New urchin, who dis? 🦑 🌊
0272
Alex Maile @anoplogaster.bsky.social · 26/09/2025
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. 🦑🌊
2256
Alex Maile @anoplogaster.bsky.social · 26/08/2025
Monocentris japonica — the Japanese pineapplefish (or pinecone fish)
0105
Alex Maile @anoplogaster.bsky.social · 19/07/2025
Anyone else walk into the fish store and suddenly feel like handing over their wallet for a new tank?
050
Alex Maile @anoplogaster.bsky.social · 09/07/2025
Went to Duluth to celebrate wedding anniversary prior to #JMIH. Pretty cool aquarium and sturgeon touch tank!
071
Alex Maile @anoplogaster.bsky.social · 06/06/2025
Returned from visiting family to see new leaves on my mangroves! 🧪🌊🦑
091
Alex Maile @anoplogaster.bsky.social · 31/05/2025
Always ask your doctor for a copy of your CT scan. You never know when it may come in handy, say for Halloween…
030
Alex Maile @anoplogaster.bsky.social · 31/05/2025
Such smol mouths 👄… Poor things don’t have typical tetrodontid beaks
170