Reposted by Simon MaddockConference on Reptile and Amphibian Knowledge (CROAK) 2026 @croak-conference.bsky.social · 20/07/2026Early bird tickets are now on sale to everyone! Head to www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/croak-2026... to register and to www.croakconference.org/abstract-sub... if you want to present. Abstract submission closes soon! We already have some amazing talks and posters lined up, can't wait to see everyone there! 042
Reposted by Simon MaddockConference on Reptile and Amphibian Knowledge (CROAK) 2026 @croak-conference.bsky.social · 02/07/2026Abstract submissions for CROAK are now open! We welcome submissions for talks and posters on amphibians and reptiles from any sector and career stage 🦎🐸 Link & further details here: www.croakconference.org/abstract-sub... [ 📸: Malayodracon robinsonii, @saunakpal.bsky.social ] 147
Reposted by Simon MaddockAaron Griffing @aaronhgriffing.bsky.social · 26/06/2026Awesome new pre-print: @brennian.bsky.social and company back at it with the most glorious figures about glorious limb-reduced geckos. doi.org/10.64898/202... 061
Reposted by Simon MaddockConference on Reptile and Amphibian Knowledge (CROAK) 2026 @croak-conference.bsky.social · 25/06/2026Save the date! We are very happy to announce the first CROAK - Conference on Reptile and Amphibian Knowledge - to be held at the Rigg and Furrow Brewery in Northumberland on 15 –16 September 2026. We welcome delegates from all backgrounds and will soon open abstract submissions and registration. + 157
Reposted by Simon MaddockConference on Reptile and Amphibian Knowledge (CROAK) 2026 @croak-conference.bsky.social · 25/06/2026We are very happy to announce that the first plenary speaker for CROAK 2026 will be Richard Griffiths, Emeritus Professor of Biological Conservation at Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, University of Kent (www.kent.ac.uk/.../research...). Stay tuned for more information! 022
Reposted by Simon MaddockConference on Reptile and Amphibian Knowledge (CROAK) 2026 @croak-conference.bsky.social · 25/06/2026We are very happy to announce that the second plenary speaker for CROAK 2026 will be Wolfgang Wüster, Professor of Zoology (Molecular Ecology) at Bangor University (www.bangor.ac.uk/.../sens/wol...). Follow this page to stay up to date with CROAK news! 022
Reposted by Simon MaddockRod Page @rdmpage.bsky.social · 27/05/2026Interesting new tool to extract phylogenies from images (Tremble). It is crazy that this is still something we have to do. doi.org/10.1093/bioi...doi.orgTreemble: a graphical tool to generate Newick strings from phylogenetic tree imagesAbstractSummary. Phylogenetic trees are ubiquitous and central to biology, but most published trees are available only as visual diagrams and not in the ma 29237
Reposted by Simon MaddockAnthony (Tony) J. Martin @ichnologist.bsky.social · 25/05/2026As a geoscientist with lots of biology in my background, training, & interests, I love these examples of how plate tectonics intersects with evolution: in this case, frog diversification driven by tectonic processes, with the latter also influencing climate. 🧪🪨⚒️🐸🌋 0355
Simon Maddock @simonmaddock.bsky.social · 06/05/2026I am very happy to see Becci Morris' first ever paper published 🥳 In this study we find that the New Guinea frog genus Mantophryne diversified due to a combination of tectonic activity and climate reorganisation in the Late Pliocene – Early Pleistocene doi.org/10.1002/ece3... 🧪🐸 1376
Simon Maddock @simonmaddock.bsky.social · 05/05/2026Amazing first full day of our Newcastle University undergraduate Biology/Zoology Scotland fieldcourse. This year we have come to the shore of Loch Lomond. My group have been doing reptile and amphibian ecological surveys and we found adders, slow worms, frogs, toads, and palmate newts 🐍🐸🧪 0121
Simon Maddock @simonmaddock.bsky.social · 02/04/2026Our new paper (led by Rémi Martin) found that British toads have low genetic diversity and low geographic structuring. Most of the genetic differences were driven by isolation-by-distance. Levels of genetic diversity decreased the further north the population tinyurl.com/43wxrfuk 🧪🐸🌎🐍#consgen 1122
Reposted by Simon MaddockPutter Tiatragul @puttert.bsky.social · 11/03/2026Adios *Anilios*! Glad our phylogeny was somewhat helpful in synonymising @simonmaddock.bsky.social! mapress.com/zt/article/v...mapress.com No justification for recognition of the blindsnake genera Anilios and Sundatyphlops (Squamata: Typhlopidae) | Zootaxa 1142
Reposted by Simon MaddockWolfgang Wüster @wolfgangwuster.bsky.social · 31/01/2026Workshop on #ConservationGenetics at #HWM2026 led by Axel Barlow and @simonmaddock.bsky.social of @bangoruniversity.bsky.social and Newcastle University -assessing participant knowledge and solving scenarios. 081
Reposted by Simon MaddockEllen Sharkey @ellensharkey.bsky.social · 08/12/2025The most exciting find of my recent fieldwork: the Montane Mahé Caecilian. Only found on the highest peak in Seychelles, this Critically Endangered amphibian had not been observed since 2015. 📷: @simonmaddock.bsky.social 1256
Reposted by Simon MaddockLukas Musher @lukemusher.bsky.social · 01/12/2025I have a new preprint demonstrating a genome-architecture-aware approach to inferring species trees and introgression landscapes from a small number of genomes. If you are interested in phylogenomics, birds, or hybridization, this is for you! www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1... 18241
Reposted by Simon MaddockDr Tiffany Kosch 👩🔬 🤿🐸🧬 @tiffanykosch.bsky.social · 21/11/2025Over 41% of amphibian species are threatened with extinction. The challenges they face are huge—but so are the successes. I'm honored to contribute to this new paper offering a rare optimistic look at amphibian conservation. 👉rdcu.be/eQPL7 0137
Reposted by Simon MaddockTommaso Jucker @tommaso-jucker.bsky.social · 14/11/2025🚨Job opportunity🚨 We are hiring a 3yr research technician. If you love fieldwork, are passionate about forests & mountains, and want to up-skill in remote sensing, sensor networks and running field experiments this could be the dream job for you! 🧪🌳⛰️🛰️🌡️🍄 www.bristol.ac.uk/jobs/find/de...bristol.ac.ukDetails | Working at Bristol | University of Bristol 24142
Reposted by Simon MaddockDarren Irwin (he / him) @darrenirwin.bsky.social · 06/11/2025New and improved! (as of today, now with page numbers and an issue number ;) "Evidence for ancient selective sweeps followed by differentiation among three species of Sphyrapicus sapsuckers" Led by Dr. Libby Natola: doi.org/10.1093/jeb/...doi.orgEvidence for ancient selective sweeps followed by differentiation among three species of Sphyrapicus sapsuckersAbstract. Genomic differentiation usually accompanies speciation, but that differentiation is often highly heterogeneous across the genome. Understanding w 0198
Reposted by Simon MaddockPythonMaps @pythonmaps.bsky.social · 03/11/2025Day three of the #30DayMapChallenge - Polygons. This map shows the earths tectonic plates. I have overlayed all of the earthquakes with a magnitude greater than 4.0 over the last 20 years, coloured according to their magnitude (blue (smallest) - red (largest). 25216
Reposted by Simon MaddockDeepak Veerappan🐢🦎🐍🐸🔬🧬🌳⛰️ 🐕🏃♂️✌️ @deepakveerappan.bsky.social · 03/11/2025Here is the link to the open access article academic.oup.com/zoolinnean/a...academic.oup.comIsland-hopping anurans: diversification dynamics in a widespread frog familyAbstract. Examining diversification patterns associated with dispersal, vicariance, and local adaptation is critical in elucidating drivers of speciation. 031
Simon Maddock @simonmaddock.bsky.social · 03/11/2025Awesome work by @deepakveerappan.bsky.social on this paper. Here we explore "Island-hopping anurans: diversification dynamics in a widespread frog family". The article is Open Access so go and check it out! 051
Reposted by Simon MaddockKatia Bougiouri @katiabou.bsky.social · 19/08/2025📢 We're excited to launch our AaRCademy Workshop Series kicking off October 7th online! 🧬Our first session, "aDNA Data Processing", will be led by Nikolay Oskolkov from Lund University. 📅 Registration closes September 7th! Sign up via the QR code or link below. #aDNA @aarc-community.bsky.social 12512
Reposted by Simon MaddockEvelyn Jensen @eljensen.bsky.social · 04/07/2025Thrilled that Rachel Gray had a successful viva today! 🐢🐢🧬🧬 My first PhD student #ProudPI Major thanks to @simonmaddock.bsky.social and Axel Barlow for being examiners @sciencesncl.bsky.social 0222
Reposted by Simon MaddockJohn Nguyễn @johnv-nguyen.bsky.social · 01/07/2025I'm not procrastinating.... making #Pride caecilian DNA stickers is a requirement of my dissertation. Schistometopum thomense and S. ephele, the iconic duo of my PhD work. 1173
Reposted by Simon MaddockEvelyn Jensen @eljensen.bsky.social · 24/06/2025Returning from another amazing field course hosted at Leshiba Wilderness in South Africa. Wonderful students, great colleagues @simonmaddock.bsky.social and Marion! Highlight was the honey badger on the camera trap! @sciencesncl.bsky.social 182
Reposted by Simon MaddockBob Smith @anotherbobsmith.bsky.social · 14/04/2025DICE is advertising an additional four PhD studentships through our Leverhulme ‘Space for Nature’ Doctoral Scholars programme. All have a deadline of Deadline 23/04/25. www.kent.ac.uk/durrell-inst...kent.ac.ukLeverhulme ScholarsLeverhulme Scholars 11011
Reposted by Simon MaddockMarkus Eichhorn @markuseichhorn.bsky.social · 14/04/2025Online map of non-woodland trees in England published by @forestresearchuk.bsky.socialforestresearch.gov.ukEngland’s non-woodland trees mapped and available freely for the first time - Forest Research 23717
Simon Maddock @simonmaddock.bsky.social · 08/04/2025New paper led by Miranda Sherlock on "Submerged Corridors of Ancient Gene Flow in an Island Amphibian". In this paper we found that populations of the Seychelles #caecilian Hypogeophis rostratus would have been connected by palaeo-islands across Seychelles onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.... 🧪🐸🐍 0124
Reposted by Simon MaddockAlex Gunderson @agunderson.bsky.social · 27/03/2025We made the cover www.nature.com/articles/s41... 310518
Reposted by Simon MaddockDr Emma Shuttleworth @em-shuttleworth.bsky.social · 11/03/2025JOB ALERT Exciting opportunity for a Lecturer (equivalent to Assistant Professor) in #PhysicalGeography specialising in #peatland science to join our #Geography department at @uniofmanchester.bsky.social. Full details for the job can be found here: www.jobs.manchester.ac.uk/Job/JobDetai...jobs.manchester.ac.ukLecturer in Physical Geography :Oxford Road 11319
Simon Maddock @simonmaddock.bsky.social · 07/03/2025An awesome evening for the launch of the new Adder Pilsner label from Allendale Brewery. Beer and adder talks (the work going on in the North Pennines). What is not to like?! Lucy and Samuel did a fantastic job presenting the work we have been doing on Conservation Genomics of adders in the region. 272
Reposted by Simon MaddockPedro Brandão-Dias F Pinto @pedrobd.bsky.social · 04/03/2025New paper alert! 🚨- My final PhD chapter is finally out! What happens to different eDNA components in water? 🌊💧 We tested particle size (small vs. large) and DNA molecule length (86 vs. 387 bp) in recirculating streams—and what we found might surprise you! 🧵👇 #eDNA #MolecularEcology 🔗 Read more:onlinelibrary.wiley.comComparing the Fate of eDNA by Particle Sizes and Molecule Lengths in Recirculating StreamsThe detection of environmental DNA (eDNA) has revolutionized aquatic species monitoring, yet interpreting eDNA data remains challenging due to gaps in our understanding of eDNA ecology (i.e., origin,... 52714
Reposted by Simon MaddockMartine Maron @martinemaron.bsky.social · 05/03/2025Looking for a PhD in birds and woodlands? We have a funded project available to those eligible to apply as a domestic student (in Australia) @uq-cbcs.bsky.social - message me if interested! 01111
Reposted by Simon MaddockAlistair Boxall @alistairboxall.bsky.social · 04/02/2025If you missed the webinar on progress on the NERC ECOMIX project then you can now view it online. In the presentation, the team provide an update on the monitoring, modelling and ecotoxicology work being done on Yorkshire's rivers. www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSXB...youtube.comUK Freshwater Quality Programme Webinar, January 2025: A project update from ECOMIX.YouTube video by wateratleeds 163
Simon Maddock @simonmaddock.bsky.social · 23/01/2025The IUCN Red List and Green Status workshops are going fantastically. Tonight we had a break from the computer and found several of the #amphibians that we have been assessing. Here is a beautiful Gardiner's Seychelles #frog (Sechellophryne gardineri), one of the smallest frogs in the World. 🧪🐍🐸🔬 2243
Simon Maddock @simonmaddock.bsky.social · 21/01/2025The first day of the joint IUCN Red List and Green Status of Species workshop (the first time they have ever run concurrently) was a great success, focussing on the #frogs of the Seychelles. On to the #caecilians tomorrow 061
Simon Maddock @simonmaddock.bsky.social · 20/01/2025Today's "SEYCHELLES ENDEMIC AMPHIBIANS AND REPTILES: CURRENT KNOWLEDGE AND NEXT STEPS FOR CONSERVATION" symposium was a great success, with many fascinating talks. There have been lots of updates since the last time we ran a Seychelles amphibian symposium in 2019. 1101
Reposted by Simon MaddockMarkus Roesch @markusroesch.bsky.social · 20/01/2025It was a great pleasure to present Seychelles reptile diversity and my research on the endemic bronze geckos today at the "Seychelles Endemic #Amphibian & #Reptile Symposium". 🦎🐍 @jimlabisko.bsky.social @simonmaddock.bsky.social 0192
Simon Maddock @simonmaddock.bsky.social · 17/01/2025Proud supervisor alert 🚨 @ellensharkey.bsky.social is looking at the impacts of climate change on Seychelles caecilians for her PhD. Today she encountered her first ever #caecilian and it was a beauty ... a large female Stejneger's Caecilian (Hypogeophis alternans) @seychellesherps.bsky.social 🧪🐸 0170
Reposted by Simon MaddockWieland Heim @wielandheim.bsky.social · 08/01/2025Finally published: migration routes and adult survival of the critically endangered Yellow-breasted Bunting doi.org/10.1038/s415... -moderate survival in E but no returning birds in W -long autumn (moult) stopovers in China Many thanks to all collaborators in 🇷🇺🇩🇪🇲🇳🇹🇭🇲🇲 #animalmigration #ornithology 04025
Reposted by Simon MaddockEarth BioGenome Project 🌍 @ebpgenome.bsky.social · 07/01/2025Leap into amphibian genomics 🐸 with this new year read. The Amphibian Genomics Consortium (AGC) is advancing global efforts to sequence high-quality genomes and bridge the gap in amphibian research. 1208
Reposted by Simon MaddockSociety for the Study of Evolution @sse-evolution.bsky.social · 16/01/2025Are you or do you know an undergrad interested in evolution? The SSE Undergraduate Diversity at Evolution program provides funding, mentoring, and a presentation opportunity at #Evol2025. Applications due Monday! buff.ly/4eExoFL 01519
Simon Maddock @simonmaddock.bsky.social · 16/01/2025There is a symposium happening on Monday 20th Jan, titled "SEYCHELLES ENDEMIC #AMPHIBIANS AND #REPTILES: CURRENT KNOWLEDGE AND NEXT STEPS FOR #CONSERVATION". We will be streaming the talks if you can't be here: Link tinyurl.com/Seychelleshe... or use QR code. Nb. Schedule is Seychelles time. 🧪🐍🐸🔬 22315
Simon Maddock @simonmaddock.bsky.social · 03/01/2025This is a reminder that the closing date for applications for this PhD is today at 12 midday (GMT) 022
Reposted by Simon MaddockJosh Luke Davis 🏳️🌈 @joshlukedavis.com · 20/12/2024🎉Here we go agaaaaaaain🎉 Another year, another new species round up! Over the last 12 months @nhm-london.bsky.social scientists have described ✨190 new species✨, including everything from bats to bees. Although my favourite from this year is probably the caecillian 🥰🧪 www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/new...nhm.ac.ukDiCaprio’s snake and Sauron’s piranha: Natural History Museum describes 190 new species in 2024Over the last 12 months our scientists have been describing a dizzying array of new species. 49735
Reposted by Simon MaddockDax Kellie @daxkellie.bsky.social · 17/12/2024✅ Do you use R or Python? ✅ Are you an ecologist/biologist? Then you might find our website ALA Labs useful! ALA Labs is full of how-to articles to visualise or analyse biodiversity data. Some are for beginners, others are advanced/experimental 😀 labs.ala.org.au 🧪🌏 #rstats #python #quartopub 722565
Simon Maddock @simonmaddock.bsky.social · 11/12/2024This is also a reminder that we are looking for a PhD student to work on adder conservation in the UK. Get in touch if you want to know more! 044
Simon Maddock @simonmaddock.bsky.social · 11/12/2024We are looking for a PhD student to work on "Faunal diversity dynamics of the Seychelles using environmental DNA". Your primary supervisors would be David Gower (NHM, London) and Julia Day (UCL). For more details of the project and funding see trees-dla.ac.uk/projects/fau... 🐍🧪🐸🔬 23221
Reposted by Simon MaddockChenxin Li, PhD @chenxinli2.bsky.social · 10/12/2024Friends don't let friends make bad graphs repo has been updated! Friends don't let friends use boxplot for binomial (bimodal) data. Is your box plot hiding something from you? #DataVisualization github.com/cxli233/Frie... 1130785