iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

I stuffed up the link to the OCSG meeting schedule (with links to past talk recordings), and the link to tomorrow’s talk. Try here (meeting 27): docs.google.com/spreadsheets...

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It sure does! Sorry about that. Try this: docs.google.com/spreadsheets...

Jump into the OCSG and enjoy all the past talks and a friendly community! bsky.app/profile/brennian.bsky.social/post/3lfqeocig4c2z (or send me a message and I’ll send you the link!)

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Follow the link below to Squamate Genomics Nirvana (Zoom link to join Michelle’s talk, and recordings of all past talks/meetings): docs.google.com/spreadsheets... Come see what it’s all about!

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Aaron Griffing @aaronhgriffing.bsky.social · 29/06/2026

Have you ever seen a leaftail gecko? Maybe you thought to yourself, “damn, I wonder what’s in those genes?” If so, you’re a nerd. But good news, you’ll be interested in tomorrow’s (20 Aug @ 12pm AEST) talk by Michelle van der Sluijs on leaftail genomics! Interested in joining?

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Reposted by Ian Brennan

#JMIH26 is just a little over a week away. If you're attending, be sure to check out the symposium @danpaluh.bsky.social and I organized celebrating the career and legacy of Aaron Bauer! It will be filled with amazing talks about geckos, snakes, skinks, and more!

Text: Bauer Fest, Celebrating the career and legacy of Aaron M. Bauer. JMIH 2026, New Orleans, Louisiana

Silhouettes of geckos are filled with a floral shirt design

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Ian Brennan @brennian.bsky.social · 21/04/2026

I love this Matt. And am thrilled by your use of contractions in scientific literature 😉 But surely it’s “gene-tree species-tree” discordance.

Ian Brennan @brennian.bsky.social · 01/04/2026

Hot damn that’s a great design. Also, I think that caterpillar might’ve been in the Village People.

! Awesome. Hemiergis is like: SKIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINK

One ‘I’ per each total limb loss. Like any good squamate.

That's all for now. But keep your eyes peeled for more cool research on these uniquely Australian skinks from Janne.

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But if you're in Australia, you're more likely to run into one of two genera: Ctenotus (110+ species) like this Ctenotus pantherinus. Lerista (105+ spp) like this Lerista apoda. These guys make up the bulk of the group and range from fully limbed to completely limbless! 📸 Stephen Zozaya. 3/4

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Janne's work highlights the amazing diversity of this group and cleans up some taxonomy. Like this long snake tooth skink Coeranoscincus reticulatus, now Saiphos reticulatus. And this prickly forest skink Gnypetoscincus queenslandiae, now Concinnia queenslandiae. 📸 Wes Read 2/4

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Ian Brennan @brennian.bsky.social · 11/01/2026

To a first approximation, all Australian vertebrates are lizards. 🦎 But not just any lizards, Sphenomorphine skinks! With more than 280 species they are hyper variable. Now, Janne Torkkola has pulled together the biggest phylogeny of the group to date. Read for free: doi.org/10.1016/j.ym... 1/4

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BSky’s translate feature did not rescue me here.

Ian Brennan @brennian.bsky.social · 21/11/2025

I know some Oz native bees do for sure (blue-banded). I’m not sure which these are, but looks like they’re resting to me!

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Ian Brennan @brennian.bsky.social · 21/11/2025

Isn’t that how they sleep at night? I realize it’s still light out in the pic, but

Ian Brennan @brennian.bsky.social · 06/11/2025

Yeah baaabbbyyy. 10 tons of floating prime rib right there.

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Ian Brennan @brennian.bsky.social · 28/10/2025

I should also say: a huge big hug to everyone who missed out (not sure if you were in the race Tim?), very familiar with that feeling.

Ian Brennan @brennian.bsky.social · 28/10/2025

Thanks Tim! This one has a few rejections notched on its belt, so it’s nice to finally get it funded. Keep your eyes on us for more macroevolutionary work on Australian vertebrates.

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Ian Brennan @brennian.bsky.social · 17/10/2025

A siren’s song of friendship, if you will.

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Ian Brennan @brennian.bsky.social · 17/10/2025

What if it’s really an invitation?

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Ian Brennan @brennian.bsky.social · 13/10/2025

All the past talks (and future ones too) are saved here: docs.google.com/spreadsheets... Come see what it’s all about!

Ian Brennan @brennian.bsky.social · 13/10/2025

Jump into the OCSG and enjoy all the past talks and a friendly community! bsky.app/profile/brennian.bsky.social/post/3lfqeocig4c2z

sbky.app

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Ian Brennan @brennian.bsky.social · 13/10/2025

How can genomics tell us about biome change? I don’t know. But Mitzy Pepper does, and she’s going to tell us as part of the Open Consortium of Squamate Genomics upcoming talk this Thursday at 9am Canberra time (AEDT). Interested in joining?

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Ian Brennan @brennian.bsky.social · 28/08/2025

Holy cow I just figured out you can submit directly to a journal from BioRxiv @biorxiv-evobio.bsky.social. Awesome.

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Ian Brennan @brennian.bsky.social · 28/08/2025

Why is it easier to submit a manuscript to @biorxivpreprint.bsky.social than to *any* journal? How is that possible?

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Ian Brennan @brennian.bsky.social · 28/08/2025

🍎 Man, that 4 game series against the Phils in September is gonna be a doozy.

Ian Brennan @brennian.bsky.social · 22/08/2025

Any good recs for resources?

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Ian Brennan @brennian.bsky.social · 29/07/2025

Has anyone on here used GitHub pages to build a website? Either for personal or for a piece of software? Would love to ask some questions as I’m apparently too dumb to work through the GitHub instructions.

Ian Brennan @brennian.bsky.social · 17/07/2025

For anyone interested in watching the monthly OCSG research talks, all have been recorded and can be found here: docs.google.com/spreadsheets... Arthur’s incredible talk will be up soon!

Ian Brennan @brennian.bsky.social · 16/07/2025

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Good morning Australasian reptile genomics folks (that seems very specific). The Open Consortium on Squamate Genomics has a presentation by Arthur Georges (Uni Canberra) on Telomere-to-Telomere reptile genomes, this morning at 9am AEST. Join us for some dragon chat! bsky.app/profile/bren...

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Saganura Sylvagemma Teretistes Viridihyla

Ranoidea Rawlinsonia Rhyaconastes Sandyrana

Nyctimystes (more) Pengilleyia Pelodryas Spicicalyx Papuahyla

Mahonabatrachus Megatestis Melvillihyla Mosleyia Nasutibatrachus Nyctimystes

Hyalotos Ischnohyla Kallistobatrachus Lathrana Leptobatrachus Litoria !

Cyclorana Drymomantis Dryopsophus Eremnoculus Exedrobatrachus Exochohyla

If you've made it this far, here are images of all the pelodryadid genera. Check out the paper for even more images and other cool stuff. tinyurl.com/4udpmxsm Amnihyla Colleeneremia Coggerdonia Carichyla Chlorohyla

This was a huge effort from a lot of people over many years. Most are not on BlueSky (Stephen Richards, Glenn Shea, Michael Mahony, et al.) but thanks to @stevedonnellan.bsky.social @keoghlabanu.bsky.social and @damienesquerre.bsky.social

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Right now you might be thinking "what's the best way to keep track of these new names?" While the common databases are working to incorporate these names, try this handy PDF table of new/old names: tinyurl.com/rtc32yxe It even has links to @amphibiaweb.org and FrogID.

tinyurl.com

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But what are my favorite new names? Here's just a couple: Megatestis: "mighty/marvelous testicles". Big aquatic treefrogs that can float around on their nards. Nasutibatrachus: little frogs with a big nose. Spicicalyx: fun to say. Named for their spiky heels.

Here's just a taste of some of the amazing diversity in this group of frogs: 1. Mahonabatrachus timida 2. Pelodryas splendida 3. Exochohyla prora 4. Ranoidea raniformis 5. Nyctimystes pulcher 6. Mosleyia nannotis 7. Cyclorana platycephala 8. Litoria nasuta

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The thing is, pelodryadids didn't get the memo that they're supposed to be "tree frogs". Instead, they've evolved to live in deserts (Pelodryas), fast flowing streams (Mosleyia), burrow underground (Cyclorana), float in billabongs (Megatestis), and in claim every outback toilet and shower.