Reposted by Dr. Catherine Macdonald SICB journals @sicbjournals.bsky.social · 17hIOB "Cephalofoil curvature and sexual #dimorphism In both locations, males had more pointed cephalofoils than females, as exemplified in Fig. 5. from Liu et al A Head of the Curve: Bonnethead #Shark (Sphyrna tiburo) Cephalofoil #Morphology and Trophic #Ecology doi.org/10.1093/iob/... 0133
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Macdonald Craig Pittman @craigtimes.bsky.social · 29/09/2026New study finds #Florida waterway, Biscayne Bay, provides critically important refuge for sharks & rays. www.wlrn.org/environment/... via @jenstaletovich.bsky.socialwlrn.orgBiscayne Bay provides a critical refuge for sharks and rays, new global study findsA first-of-its-kind shark and ray mapping effort found the bay, along with waters off the southern Everglades and a tiny South Florida key, plays an essential part in their survival. “Biscayne Bay is ... 0177
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Macdonald Jenny Staletovich @jenstaletovich.bsky.social · 29/09/2026Biscayne Bay provides a critical refuge for sharks and rays, new global study finds www.wlrn.org/environment/...wlrn.orgBiscayne Bay provides a critical refuge for sharks and rays, new global study findsA first of its kind shark and ray mapping effort found the bay, along with waters off the southern Everglades and a tiny South Florida key play an essential part in their survival. “Biscayne Bay is Mi... 0183
Dr. Catherine Macdonald @drcatmac.bsky.social · 29/09/2026@emilyyeager9.bsky.social they’re at it again 261
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Macdonald IUCN SSC Marine Conservation Committee (MCC) @sscmarine.bsky.social · 26/09/2026NEW PUBLICATION ALERT Read the latest publication released by the IUCN SSC Shark Specialist Group with an update on the Important Shark and Ray Areas (ISRA) project: North American and Caribbean Atlantic: A regional compendium of Important Shark and Ray Areas Read here: doi.org/10.59216/ssg... 1115
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Macdonald Coral City Camera @coralcitycamera.bsky.social · 27/09/2026No fear! The Rainbows follow Scarface through Coral City ✌️🌈🦜🐟🍋🦈 #lemonshark #sharksofcoralcity #scarface #nofear #coralcitycamera 241352
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Macdonald Trevor A. Branch @trevorabranch.bsky.social · 25/09/2026Concern that executive action on recreational fishing and shark fishing may threaten the status of US fisheries as being well-managed, sustainable and science-based www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...theguardian.comTrump’s executive order on recreational fishing is a ‘giveaway of fish and ocean ecosystem’, advocates warnFederal agencies told to prioritize recreational fishing and to reconsider scientific standards as well as regulations 0117
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Macdonald Dean Napolitano @dinonapolitano.bsky.social · 25/09/2026“Thousands of the salmon were recorded passing a former dam site in 2024 and 2025, researchers say, and have reoccupied nearly the full extent of their known historical range.” By Rebecca Dzombaknytimes.comSalmon Are Thriving After Klamath Dam Removals, Study Finds (Gift Article)The first fall runs of chinook salmon since the project in California and Oregon was completed have surpassed researchers’ expectations. 14784199
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Macdonald IUCN SSC Shark Specialist Group @iucnshark.bsky.social · 25/09/2026NEW PUBLICATION ALERT | 259 important shark, ray, and chimaera habitats mapped across North America and the Caribbean New additions to the global ISRA eAtlas reveal major migration corridors, nursery grounds, and aggregation sites across Atlantic, Caribbean and Pacific waters. 187
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Macdonald Robin Hayward 🌳 🏳️⚧️ @canopyrobin.com · 25/09/2026We're publishing new guidance to support trans people who do fieldwork (any work outside the office)! Now we need your help to get them seen so please share! inclusivefieldwork.leeds.ac.uk/trans/ 15597444
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Macdonald David Shiffman, Ph.D. 🦈 @whysharksmatter.bsky.social · 22/09/2026My latest for @therevelator.org is all about the important shark and ray areas project, a global-scale collaboration that has identified over 1,000 places significant for migration, reproduction, and more. 🧪🌎🦑🦈 To Save Sharks and Rays, Protect These Places therevelator.org/save-sharks-...therevelator.orgTo Save Sharks and Rays, Protect These Places • The RevelatorThe Important Shark and Ray Areas project has identified thousands of critical habitats for some of the world’s most threatened fishes. Now saving these sites is up to us. 15735
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Macdonald Gettin' Fishy With It Podcast @gettinfishypod.bsky.social · 17/09/2026Today is #worldmantaday and we are throwing back to our episode all about cloacal diving! Guest @emilyyeager9.bsky.social spoke to us about these amazing animals and how symbiosis may be a bit more complicated than you think! Did you know that manta are basically mobile ecosystems? Check out our ep! 1139
Dr. Catherine Macdonald @drcatmac.bsky.social · 18/09/2026This is a legally and morally indefensible argument with horrifying potential repercussions for threatened species and habitats. 01311
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Macdonald Ben Goldfarb @bengoldfarb.bsky.social · 17/09/2026“Felling a tree is not a take of the bats roosting in it unless the tree is felled for the purpose of killing or capturing them.” The @USFWS's new interpretation of the Endangered Species Act, as revealed by Nesvik's memo, is the perfect blend of evil and stupidity. www.nytimes.com/2026/09/16/c...nytimes.comTrump Administration Moves to Gut a Core Endangered Species ProtectionAn internal memo reinterprets the law so that only the intentional killing of animals, not collateral harm, is illegal. 38030
Dr. Catherine Macdonald @drcatmac.bsky.social · 17/09/2026Throwback this #WorldMantaDay to our paper on the little (and sometimes not so little) personal-space-violating fish mantas would probably like to forget. 120
Dr. Catherine Macdonald @drcatmac.bsky.social · 16/09/2026I know there are many things to be righteously, importantly angry about, and many of them are more important than this decision (!) …and yet, I hope you all will still find it in yourselves to save just a little anger to deploy on behalf of science and scientists, too. 05322
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Macdonald Ada Palmer @adapalmer.bsky.social · 09/09/2026Chinook salmon have recolonised 88% of their historic range on the Klamath River, with more than 13,000 fish passing the old Iron Gate Dam site in 2025, up from 7,700 the year before. Two years after the dams’ removal, it’s going better than anyone predicted. buff.ly/pToC9gB #ShareGoodNewsToonature.comRewilding the upper Klamath River Basin: rapid recolonization of Chinook salmon following the world’s largest dam removal - Scientific ReportsScientific Reports - Rewilding the upper Klamath River Basin: rapid recolonization of Chinook salmon following the world’s largest dam removal 182507840
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Macdonald Trevor A. Branch @trevorabranch.bsky.social · 09/09/2026This is seismic news for fisheries scientists. Northern cod is *the* iconic symbol of total fisheries collapse due to overfishing (and other factors) *and* the iconic symbol of a complete failure to recover for decades afterwards. This is like announcing the complete recovery of bison on land. 8576732174
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Macdonald Save Our Seas Foundation @saveourseas.bsky.social · 07/09/2026One young researcher discusses the project that offered the first valuable insight into marine science, from fieldwork to publication, reflecting on the fieldwork, mentorship and practical experience that shaped his path into marine science. More below in Ryan McMullen’s blog.saveourseas.comStarting ‘em young: rethinking how we mentor undergraduate student researchers to succeed in today’s ever-changing science landscapeFor many marine scientists, their undergraduate years are a time of unparalleled independence, growth, and self-discovery. During no other period of one’s life is there such freedom to pursue one’s ... 0125
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Macdonald Science Magazine @science.org · 04/09/2026Butterfly populations across the U.S. are in alarming decline, a 2025 Science study found. The authors note that butterflies have the potential for rapid recovery under favorable conditions, showing the importance of proactive conservation strategies. scim.ag/46vegsb #NationalWildlifeDay 17635
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Macdonald Trevor A. Branch @trevorabranch.bsky.social · 04/09/2026The US House passed the Northeast Lobstermen Protection Act (H.R. 9436) by a vote of 219-196, which stops NOAA from protecting endangered right whales through to 2035 by requiring more expensive ropeless lobster pots. 1/n defenders.org/newsroom/hou...defenders.orgHouse Gambles with Survival for North Atlantic Right Whales in Latest Vote to Delay ProtectionsThe House of Representatives voted to pass H.R. 9436, a bill that will delay conservation protections for critically endangered North Atlantic right whales. 51712
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Macdonald Rebecca Solnit @rebeccasolnit.bsky.social · 01/09/2026Protest that endures, I think, is moved by a hope far more modest than that of public success: namely, the hope of preserving qualities in one's own heart and spirit that would be destroyed by acquiescence. Wendell Berry, What Are People For? 121173350
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Macdonald Tom Near @tjnear.bsky.social · 29/08/20261/11 🐟 2nd new preprint today from @chasedbrownstein.bsky.social We investigated how losing the swim bladder, the organ that most fishes use to control their buoyancy, has shaped the diversity of ray-finned fishes over 90 million years of Earth history. The results surprised us. 🧵 110943
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Macdonald Coral City Camera @coralcitycamera.bsky.social · 28/08/2026Today day was sharky, very very sharky! Three species, nurse, lemon, and bull; more than fifty passes!! 🩺🦈🍋🦈🐂🦈 #nurseshark #lemonshark #bullshark #sharksofcoralcity #coralcitycamera 455597
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Macdonald Joshua Weitz @joshuasweitz.bsky.social · 25/08/2026NSF just announced its GRFP solicitation due in October - deadline varies by field: www.nsf.gov/funding/oppo... Now for the bad news... * NSF estimates they will issue 1,500 awards, down from 2,500+ last year. * NSF removed STEM Education and Learning Research as a Major Field.nsf.govNSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) 6139169
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Macdonald Fredrik Jutfelt 🐠 @jutfelt.bsky.social · 24/08/2026Come join us, PhD and postdoc positions! Please spread! Supervisor @patricepottier.bsky.social (patricepottierlab.com), me as co-supervisor. Impacts of climate change on different life-stages in fish.🐟🧪 PhD web103.reachmee.com/ext/I005/103... Postdoc web103.reachmee.com/ext/I005/103... 06770
Dr. Catherine Macdonald @drcatmac.bsky.social · 24/08/2026Yes hello when your swamp is on fire is that A) bad or B) very bad? Asking for a region. 193
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Macdonald Coral City Camera @coralcitycamera.bsky.social · 22/08/2026Scarface checks in. The injury from a fight with a fisherman continues to heal from last year when the corners of his jaw was completely shredded. Sadly his jaw may never heal. He’s a bit skinnier than we’d like to see but he must be eating well enough to keep on swimming ✅🍋🦈 #coralcitycamera 14832145
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Macdonald David Shiffman, Ph.D. 🦈 @whysharksmatter.bsky.social · 20/08/2026I started my Ph.D. program 15 years ago this week. Which means I've now known @drcatmac.bsky.social and @drjuliawester.bsky.social for 15 years! I really hit the lottery with my Ph.D. cohort! 3371
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Macdonald Minorities in Shark Sciences @misselasmo.bsky.social · 19/08/2026There are only 5 tickets left! 🎟️ Are you ready to experience sharks beyond what you see on a screen? Join us on September 27 as we head out on a live research vessel to learn about (and tag!) these amazing animals! 🦈 donate.misselasmo.org/event/shark-... 0104
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Macdonald Dr Alex Bond @thelabandfield.bsky.social · 17/08/2026Big new @adriftlab.bsky.social paper - we show for the first time that plastics affects seabirds at the POPULATION level. Plastic ingested as a chick reduces recruitment of birds to the breeding population. And the story is pretty grim. 🧵 www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/... 316092
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Macdonald Save Our Seas Foundation @saveourseas.bsky.social · 13/08/2026Freckled guitarfish occur in the western Atlantic Ocean, favouring sandy, muddy or weedy shorelines near patch reefs, when not actively hunting. As with all guitarfish, they swim like sharks usually do: through side-to-side sweeps of their tail. 📷: Bryant Turffs | © Marine Megafauna Foundation 072
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Macdonald Coral City Camera @coralcitycamera.bsky.social · 10/08/2026Graysby shows off what nice teeth it has #graysby #grouper #teeth #showoff #coralcitycamera 556597
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Macdonald Frank Burdon @fburdon.bsky.social · 03/08/2026What co-benefits do we gain when planting trees along stream margins? We don't fully know. Fully-funded PhD going now — mapping food webs across Mt Taranaki's "ring of restoration" 🌱🐟 Please repost among your networks Email: frank.burdon@waikato.ac.nz 21515
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Macdonald Coral City Camera @coralcitycamera.bsky.social · 07/08/2026We love our eels in Coral City! (That’s a moray!) 🙌🐉 #spottedmoray #moray #eel #thatsamoray #coralcitycamera 14715134
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Macdonald Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution @whoi.edu · 06/08/2026In 1963, WHOI biologist Dick Backus set his sights on a question that had puzzled scientists for decades: what caused the daily vertical movement of plankton? The sun or an internal clock? During an eclipse, Backus was able to monitor that the migration was triggered by changing light levels! 03410
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Macdonald David Shiffman, Ph.D. 🦈 @whysharksmatter.bsky.social · 03/08/2026ICYMI, the longest-ever post on Southern Fried Science contains answers to 50 (ish) of the most commonly-asked questions about careers in marine biology, answered by me and a panel of experts. Please share! www.southernfriedscience.com/marine-biolo...southernfriedscience.comMarine Biology Career AdviceYou asked us questions about marine biology careers, and our panel of experts answered them! In April, I solicited your questions about careers in marine biology, and we received nearly 100 questio… 24320
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Macdonald Chuck “Charles” Bangley, PhD @dogfishwalker.bsky.social · 31/07/2026Dusky sharks have been a prohibited species in US fisheries since 1999. These big adults are a sign that policy is working. A fully grown dusky shark can reach 14 feet in length and stand toe-to-toe with white sharks in the food web. 2197
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Macdonald Coral City Camera @coralcitycamera.bsky.social · 28/07/2026Our bull shark security squad keeping all the haters at bay 🙅♂️😤🐂🦈 #bullshark #sharksofcoralcity #sharkweekiseverydayincoralcity #shark #coralcitycamera 749176
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Macdonald Charles Bergquist @cbquist.bsky.social · 28/07/2026BONUS: you can hear @whysharksmatter.bsky.social say 'Wow!' in some tape at the top. Thanks to him for the invitation to join. 131
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Macdonald Charles Bergquist @cbquist.bsky.social · 28/07/2026Today on the @scifri.bsky.social podcast, hear @drcatmac.bsky.social tell the SHOCKING TRUTH about Megalodon!!! Plus, a remora's er, um ..'cloacal diving.' And other fun stuff. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...podcasts.apple.comTracking shark populations, one shark at a timePodcast Episode · Science Friday · July 28 · 18m 145
Dr. Catherine Macdonald @drcatmac.bsky.social · 28/07/2026Thanks for this, because at least now I will have some idea what’s happening when someone inevitably asks me an otherwise incomprehensible question about this at a public talk. 2355
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Macdonald Dr Craig R McClain @drcraigmc.bsky.social · 26/07/2026The Japanese spider crab spans nearly four meters claw to claw, the largest arthropod alive. Why? Cold, deep water lets an animal grow slow and live long, and because water carries a weight that legs on land never could. On land an arthropod this size collapses. 🦀 🧪 #HowToBuildAGiant #marinelife 38020
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Macdonald David Shiffman, Ph.D. 🦈 @whysharksmatter.bsky.social · 25/07/2026www.cracked.com/article_3616... Love this Cracked article about my research with @whitenacklab.bsky.social @drcatmac.bsky.socialcracked.com5 Nonsense Things Shark Week Taught Us, According to ScienceEvery shark ever has not been killed for shark-fin soup 37528
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Macdonald Save Our Seas Foundation @saveourseas.bsky.social · 22/07/2026In Lunyuk, 96% of fishers are willing to release threatened bycatch if compensated for lost income. Yet, the true insight of the trial shows that when fishers don't absorb the financial blow of conservation alone, it opens a door that shifts local values towards a more sustainable future.saveourseas.comChanging fisher behaviour is challenging - it takes time for values to be embeddedChanging fisher behaviour sounds simple from the outside. We can design a rule, offer an incentive, or ask people to release threatened species. But in a small fishing community like Lunyuk, change is... 0137
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Macdonald David Shiffman, Ph.D. 🦈 @whysharksmatter.bsky.social · 19/07/2026There was an interactive Directory of explorers! We found @drcatmac.bsky.social ! 231
Dr. Catherine Macdonald @drcatmac.bsky.social · 15/07/2026We need to collaboratively imagine alternatives: there are no transformative futures that just replicate existing logics, ethics, or power structures. 061
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Macdonald High Seas Alliance @highseasalliance.bsky.social · 14/07/2026🦈 Highly migratory sharks and rays don’t recognise geopolitical boundaries, but they are equally affected by the global effects of destructive activities, pollution & climate change. The High Seas Treaty can effectively protect them with the establishment of High Seas #MPAs. #SharkAwarenessDay 04618
Dr. Catherine Macdonald @drcatmac.bsky.social · 15/07/2026While the movie includes scarcely a lick of science, I think his performance captured some of the best things about being a scientist—the curiosity and wonder that drives us, the passion that sustains our work, and the thrill of discovery. 1142