Reposted by Evolutionary Biomechanics lab GreifswaldDr. Jonas Wolff @wolffspider.bsky.social · 24/08/2026One of the remaining larger construction sites in resolving the phylogenetic systematics of spiders has been cleaned up! You find out refined classification system of the marronoid clade of spiders here: doi.org/10.1111/cla.... (Open Access) 1/5 192
Evolutionary Biomechanics lab Greifswald @evoimec.bsky.social · 17/08/2026Silk line of the common cellar spider Pholcus phalangioides after immersion in water. Recorded with a Field emission scanning electron miscoscope at 3,400x magnification. Sample and image selection by Siripanyo Promnil from our lab. 010
Reposted by Evolutionary Biomechanics lab GreifswaldEuropean Research Council (ERC) @erc.europa.eu · 16/08/2026A spider that catapults ants into its web! “The snare mechanism seems to have evolved as a highly specialized way of allowing the spider to ‘pick off’ potentially hazardous prey one at a time and transport them a safe distance away from ant trails and nests.” @wolffspider.bsky.social 1146
Reposted by Evolutionary Biomechanics lab GreifswaldDr. Jonas Wolff @wolffspider.bsky.social · 22/07/2026Three of us @evoimec.bsky.social presented about our research on the behavioural ecology of silk spinning in spiders. 133
Evolutionary Biomechanics lab Greifswald @evoimec.bsky.social · 02/07/2026Spider running performance varies enormously. We joined forces with David Labonte's Evolutionary Biomechanics lab in London for the broadest spider speed assay so far: 258 spp / 139 families Preprint: doi.org/10.64898/202... Press coverage by the New Scientist: www.newscientist.com/article/2532...newscientist.comThe world's fastest spider tops 3.5 metres per secondThe most comprehensive database ever compiled of how fast arachnids can run has shown how leg anatomy and evolutionary history influence spiders’ running speed 094
Evolutionary Biomechanics lab Greifswald @evoimec.bsky.social · 29/06/2026Wow, our ballista spider study was literally catapulted across the media, e.g. BBC, ABC, CNN, New York Times, New Scientist, Spiegel and a lot of regional newspapers, radio and tv stations. We were also highlighted by Nature: www.nature.com/articles/d41...nature.comDaily briefing: Humans and great apes giggle in the same rhythmsThe findings hint that vocal motor control might have evolved from a shared ancestor. Plus, sea turtles’ navigation skills are only so-so and what’s next for the International Space Station. 032
Reposted by Evolutionary Biomechanics lab GreifswaldAjay Narendra @pipilika.bsky.social · 23/06/2026Very excited to share our discovery of an engineering masterpiece from the Australian rainforest! In our latest paper in @currentbiology.bsky.social we report a hunting strategy in a spider, whose web outperforms every known biological catapult system. 17331
Evolutionary Biomechanics lab Greifswald @evoimec.bsky.social · 24/06/2026The #Australian ballista #spider (Propostira sp.) uses its silk's elastic energy storage capacity to build the most powerful snare and selective in the #animal kingdom. Read about our discovery here: doi.org/10.1016/j.cu... Video by Ajay Narendra. Recorded with 3,000 fps, playback 100x slowed down! 1139
Evolutionary Biomechanics lab Greifswald @evoimec.bsky.social · 26/02/2026found this when looking through old excursion photos - can you spot the spider? 010
Evolutionary Biomechanics lab Greifswald @evoimec.bsky.social · 29/01/2026Spiders possess multiple types of silk glands, which produce silk materials with contrasting properties. What happens if they combine different silks into a single line - Does this reinforce, even toughen, the silk thread? We got some answers from cellar and cave spiders: doi.org/10.1039/D5SM... 🔓 032
Reposted by Evolutionary Biomechanics lab GreifswaldDaniela Rößler @roesslerdaniela.bsky.social · 27/01/2026🕸️ Massive web stretch from our cribellating friend (Asianopis subrufa) recorded in the field. If you’re intrigued by this fabulous #spider #silk read on doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2529200123 by @evoimec.bsky.social et al :) 🕸️ 0298
Reposted by Evolutionary Biomechanics lab GreifswaldDaniela Rößler @roesslerdaniela.bsky.social · 27/01/2026🕸️ The #silk of this gorgeous little cribellator is not your standard silk - read @evoimec.bsky.social new study here: doi.org/10.1073/pnas... 🕸️ 13117
Evolutionary Biomechanics lab Greifswald @evoimec.bsky.social · 27/01/2026Netcasting spiders modulate silk thread stiffness via a tailorable multi-fibre meta-structure to construct a web that is hyperelastic and high load-bearing at the same time. Read about our discovery in PNAS: doi.org/10.1073/pnas... 🔓 & with video content! 1178
Reposted by Evolutionary Biomechanics lab GreifswaldDr. Jonas Wolff @wolffspider.bsky.social · 10/11/2025@maitryjani.bsky.social from my lab @evoimec.bsky.social talks about her scientific journey and newest paper in @jexpbiol.bsky.social ERC Spotlight: journals.biologists.com/jeb/article/... 073
Reposted by Evolutionary Biomechanics lab GreifswaldDr. Jonas Wolff @wolffspider.bsky.social · 04/12/2025Just back from a productive writing retreat of @evoimec.bsky.social and @multipleye-lab.bsky.social on the remote island of Hiddensee. Look out for new papers coming up from our labs! 081
Reposted by Evolutionary Biomechanics lab GreifswaldRoyal Society Publishing @royalsocietypublishing.org · 04/12/2025We're excited to announce the finalists of the #RSPPhotoComp 2025! 🎉 Starting with #microimaging and overall winner, 'Mesmerizing spider threads' by Dr Martin Ramirez, capturing two exceptional silk threads of the Australian net-caster spider (sample obtained by Dr Jonas Wolff @evoimec.bsky.social). 29543
Evolutionary Biomechanics lab Greifswald @evoimec.bsky.social · 24/05/2025Very nice visualisation of sexual dimorphism in arthropod jump performance 😎 010
Reposted by Evolutionary Biomechanics lab GreifswaldSandy Kawano, PhD @sandyk.bsky.social · 29/11/2024Are you interested in learning about how engineering and physics can be applied to study the motions of #plants, #invertebrates, and #animals? Here's a non-exhaustive list of Comparative Biomechanists to get started! 🦋 🐟 🦎 🌿 🧪 go.bsky.app/HvHFgvB Apologies for any that I may have been missed. 109740
Evolutionary Biomechanics lab Greifswald @evoimec.bsky.social · 19/02/2025Check out the beautiful light arts in our little city. Featuring an animation of bird flight that you get going by running inside the installation. #Kinematics / #biomechanics meets arts. 000
Reposted by Evolutionary Biomechanics lab GreifswaldJillian 정화 @bugsorbust.bsky.social · 27/01/2025Eight legs to bring a little joy to your timeline (skyline?). Zoropsis spinimana, aka the “Nosferatu spider.” Isn’t she so cute? 🥹 Thank you to @wolffspider.bsky.social and your lab @evoimec.bsky.social for a warm welcome in Greifswald! Please follow them and their amazing work! 3486
Evolutionary Biomechanics lab Greifswald @evoimec.bsky.social · 20/01/2025We are looking forward to an exciting new year of science. Which fascinating new discoveries will it bring? 031