iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Paul Clerkin @paulclerkin.bsky.social · 08/06/2026

Check out our new, highly intuitive, digital smart key! keys.lucidcentral.org/keys/v4/deep... We designed this key with feedback from the users to develop the next generation of intuitive digital keys for non-taxonomists. Let me know what you think!

keys.lucidcentral.org

Deepwater sharks of the Western Indian Ocean - Lucid4 Key Player

0102

Paul Clerkin @paulclerkin.bsky.social · 15/04/2026

Here is an UN article about our recent work in the Indian Ocean where we explored and mapped vulnerable ecosystems, investigated fisheries resources, studied rare deep-sea shark species, and monitor seabirds and whales in the Southwest Indian Ocean offshore region. www.fao.org/newsroom/sto...

011

Paul Clerkin @paulclerkin.bsky.social · 07/04/2026

encountered some Taningia danae while I sampling at sea a while back. They get ~7ft long and have photophores the size of chicken eggs that it has at them ends of its arms which they used to flash and stun prey. Who knows what other crazy creatures and adaptations we will discover next!

031

Paul Clerkin @paulclerkin.bsky.social · 28/03/2026

Here is a beautiful gulper shark that we sighted at 1400 m depth in the Indian Ocean last year. We deployed 3 cameras on each dive and collected eDNA, which should make for a very interesting study :) 🦈 🔬 🧪 🤓

040

Paul Clerkin @paulclerkin.bsky.social · 26/03/2026

Everyone's Megamouth enthusiasm and support reminds me to share this exciting paper we published two years ago. Big shout out to all the friends and collaborators who made this happen! www.sharkmans-world.org/doc/Clerkin%...

010

Paul Clerkin @paulclerkin.bsky.social · 14/03/2026

Here are a few more puctures from my fanastic trip to the Smithsonian earlier this week. Its hard not to nerd out in their fish collection. Which of these species do you like/love the most?

141

Paul Clerkin @paulclerkin.bsky.social · 13/03/2026

I am so honored to have been invited to the Smithsonian to perform the dissection on their historic Megamouth shark. This is the LARGEST of their >6 mil fish specimens. We collected a TON of samples and hope to answer the important questions that will help protect this unique and beautiful species

021

Paul Clerkin @paulclerkin.bsky.social · 27/02/2026

You always have to be careful measuring the sharp end.

051

Paul Clerkin @paulclerkin.bsky.social · 26/02/2026

Another happy tag and release in the Atlantic with NOAA a few years ago. I love finding these photos.

082

Paul Clerkin @paulclerkin.bsky.social · 26/02/2026

You got enough teeth there, bud?

030

Paul Clerkin @paulclerkin.bsky.social · 25/02/2026

This warm weather has me ready to get back in the field! We took out the hook and cleaned those parasites out of this Sandtigers nostrils/nares. Of course, we collected data, tagged and released it. Look at those chompers!

010

Paul Clerkin @paulclerkin.bsky.social · 13/02/2026

Here is a story about some of the work we did last year in the Indian Ocean offshore deep-sea region. It was so exciting to do cutting edge science with a fantastic team and know that our work will inform management, conservation, and ultimately help protect our oceans. www.fao.org/in-action/co...

fao.org

Research vessel Dr. Fridtjof Nansen unveils the secrets of the Indian Ocean’s international waters

The UN-flagged research vessel R/V Dr. Fridtjof Nansen has completed a landmark scientific mission to the high seas of the southwest Indian Ocean, shedding n...

062

Paul Clerkin @paulclerkin.bsky.social · 31/01/2026

I stumbled upon this picture from Alaska during Shark Week 2020. I love exploring with this little ROV. Where would you like to take an ROV?

030

Paul Clerkin @paulclerkin.bsky.social · 20/01/2026

The Qatar airport was super nice! I could have spent a little more time here actually :)

110

Paul Clerkin @paulclerkin.bsky.social · 16/01/2026

I can't believe we captured video of the ultra rare Dark Mouth Chimaera (Chimaera buccanigella), known from only two specimens and never seen alive before! I also discovered this species so I was over the moon. What a lucky shot 🤩

182

Paul Clerkin @paulclerkin.bsky.social · 15/01/2026

was so excited to do this deepwater camera work in the Indian Ocean! We got a ton of great shots including this deepwater lantern shark. Most lantern sharks can generate light which they use for defense and communication. There are ~50 species and a lot of them are hard to tell apart.

042

Paul Clerkin @paulclerkin.bsky.social · 14/01/2026

I was very excited to deliver this talk at the Explorers Club in NYC last year. I have been trying to incorporate 3D scans and cyber-taxonomy into my work to shift access to important specimens from limited and exclusive to a small group to radically open to anyone. The technology is here!

020

Paul Clerkin @paulclerkin.bsky.social · 03/01/2026

Hard to believe it has been 10 full years since I was last in South Africa. Time sure does fly.

020

Paul Clerkin @paulclerkin.bsky.social · 09/12/2025

Look at those stabby stabbies on this lantern shark!

131

Paul Clerkin @paulclerkin.bsky.social · 09/12/2025

I love the holiday season. It’s nice to have the Christmas decorations up at sea but it makes me miss my own decorations and the fresh snow in Virginia. Someone stop me from going to sea so close to the holidays next year!

020

Paul Clerkin @paulclerkin.bsky.social · 08/12/2025

After climbing a bunch of ladders I finally made it up to the crows nest :) just in time for the sunset.

000

Paul Clerkin @paulclerkin.bsky.social · 05/12/2025

Another wonderful deepwater camera deployment! We’re going to 1400 meters 🤩 Bring the popcorn!

020

Paul Clerkin @paulclerkin.bsky.social · 01/12/2025

We had another successful and beautiful BRUVs deployment. I did 8 hours straight without realizing it. The scenes are amazing and the pilot chairs in the ROV room are very cozy :) I don’t mind doing deepsea exploration in my sweat pants.

030

Paul Clerkin @paulclerkin.bsky.social · 30/11/2025

This is a Loose Jaw. For a long time researchers thought the membrane on the bottom of its jaw was damaged in specimens but it turns out they don’t have a membrane there so they can snap the jaws faster. Nature is wild. This group is so fascinating and let’s face it, terrifying.

032

Paul Clerkin @paulclerkin.bsky.social · 29/11/2025

In 2013 I did an Alien Shark documentary for Shark Week with Captain Phil where we discovered new unknown species on the show (a shark week first)! Phil is so knowledgeable that he is a consultant on the FAO/UN research expedition I am on now. It is great to see him.

010

Paul Clerkin @paulclerkin.bsky.social · 27/11/2025

Look at this beautiful ROV! I’ve decided I want one.

020

Paul Clerkin @paulclerkin.bsky.social · 26/11/2025

There is a story from FAO/UN about the expedition I am on. We are testing the digital key we have been working on and studying deepwater sharks using taxonomy, genetics, eDNA, and underwater video. I am having a WONDERFUL time 🤩 www.fao.org/in-action/co...

020

Paul Clerkin @paulclerkin.bsky.social · 26/11/2025

020

Paul Clerkin @paulclerkin.bsky.social · 25/11/2025

I love when I get to deploy my deepwater cameras! Sorry for the low quality images (pictures of the live feed screen). I hope I can share some of the actual videos soon! These are the first images/videos ever taken in this area 🤩 (about 1000 m deep).

010

Paul Clerkin @paulclerkin.bsky.social · 23/11/2025

Prepping gear for deployment tomorrow. It is very exciting but we’re doing a lot of last minute problem solving. This trip has definitely adhered to Murphy’s Law.

010

Paul Clerkin @paulclerkin.bsky.social · 23/11/2025

For some reason I love setting up eDNA labs at sea. I need to do a good job since these samples will be a big part of my research for the next 18 months.

000

Paul Clerkin @paulclerkin.bsky.social · 21/11/2025

Goodbye Mozambique! Deepsea exploration here we come!

000

Paul Clerkin @paulclerkin.bsky.social · 20/11/2025

I went on a short a short stroll and came across all these fruit bats in a park in Maputo. I was so fascinated by these as a kid. Does anyone else think fruit bats are super cool?

000

Paul Clerkin @paulclerkin.bsky.social · 20/11/2025

Ran into paintings of the man himself on my way to explore the deepsea of the Indian Ocean. #theexplorersclub #EAFNansen

000

Paul Clerkin @paulclerkin.bsky.social · 20/11/2025

First time in Mozambique (Maputo). I wish we had more time here.

010

Paul Clerkin @paulclerkin.bsky.social · 17/11/2025

I was in NYC a few weeks ago getting medially certified to work at sea as co-team leader on the Research Vessel Dr. Fridtjof Nansen. I popped into the Explorers Club headquarters to hangout until my flight home and guess whose picture I found? #FridtjofNansen #theexplorersclub

020

Paul Clerkin @paulclerkin.bsky.social · 15/11/2025

After all these years of sticking with GoPro I think maybe I am switching to Insta360(?). Do any of you have experience with these? I'm kind of jumping in with both feet.

000

Paul Clerkin @paulclerkin.bsky.social · 15/11/2025

Let's face it, most of my friends on here are weird. I bet you know what this is (without reading the description). I knew immediately .

000

Paul Clerkin @paulclerkin.bsky.social · 14/11/2025

I always want to travel light, but that is super hard when you need anchors...

000

Paul Clerkin @paulclerkin.bsky.social · 05/08/2025

This is what you get in the Explorers Club Annual Dinner swag bag. Pretty nice and it comes in an awesome backpack :)

010

Paul Clerkin @paulclerkin.bsky.social · 04/08/2025

Bumped into Sylvia Earle. She is always so down to earth. Everyone loved the shirt @cottoncrustacean !

0172

Paul Clerkin @paulclerkin.bsky.social · 04/08/2025

I was at the Explorers Club Headquarters in NYC and I bumped into one of my favorite underwater robots :) Plus this piece of the first lunar rover.

000

Paul Clerkin @paulclerkin.bsky.social · 03/08/2025

I was at the Explorers Club a few months ago and what did I see in the Research Collections? Roy Chapman Andrews' whip! Roy Chapman Andrews was an explorer who carried a whip and was the real life Indiana Jones. Steven Spielberg visited the club twice which led to him developing Indiana Jones.

000

Paul Clerkin @paulclerkin.bsky.social · 03/08/2025

I had a fantastic time at the Explorers Club annual dinner after my NGEN talk. I met so many wonderful, interesting, and kind people. I can't wait to go again next year. (To everyone who asked about my pin, it's made by @circadiancrunuch and she has a bunch of awesome stuff)

010

Paul Clerkin @paulclerkin.bsky.social · 30/07/2025

Excited to have been able to contribute to this publication on the discovery of a NEW SPECIES of manta ray! Officially named Mobula yarae. The specific epithet, yarae, is in reverence to “Yara”, mother of the waters, from ancient Tupi and Guaraní mythology." link.springer.com/article/10.1...