Author | Lightnews

Ellen O. Martinson @waspvenom.bsky.social · Jul 25

That's a weird one! It looks to be a rust gall, which are formed by fungi. You should upload your finding to gallformers (www.gallformers.org/gall/3482) so there can be a second observation of it!

Unknown a-subverticillata-rust-gall

Unknown a-subverticillata-rust-gall - A not applicable, integral gall found on the lower leaf/flower/stem.

www.gallformers.org

2

Reposted by Ellen O. Martinson

Louis Nastasi @toomanywasps.bsky.social · Jul 17

New #gall #wasp paper in PESW! We provide an updated key, checklist, and commentary for the four tribes of “herb gall wasps” including some nomenclatural changes. Check it out here: bioone.org/journals/pro...

Review of Herb Gall Wasp Tribes (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae: Aylacini Sensu lato), with an Updated Key to Cynipid Tribes and a Checklist of World Species

We review the tribes of Cynipidae that are known to contain gall inducers on herbaceous plants, which are presently classified in four tribes: Aulacideini, Aylacini, Diastrophini, and Phanacidini. We ...

bioone.org

8 13

Reposted by Ellen O. Martinson

Keith Trujillo @neurochicano.bsky.social · Jul 17

go.bsky.app/8zZNEGV

Great resource to connect early career folks with more senior scientists looking to hire postdocs! 🧪

16 61 88

Reposted by Ellen O. Martinson

Scott P. Egan @scottpegan.bsky.social · Jun 21

Hey #Evol2025 - My colleague @waspvenom.bsky.social and I are looking for a postdoc for our #NSF - #USDA funded grant to understand the genetic basis of gall formation! Please see that attached ad, and feel free to talk to me @evolmtg.bsky.social, or contact Dr. Ellen Martinson directly!

23 33

Ellen O. Martinson @waspvenom.bsky.social · Jun 1

If you see this post a flower🪷

The Rocky Mountain Irises are blooming in Northern New Mexico!

A bunch of rocky mountain irises in a field with mountains in the background

4 15

Reposted by Ellen O. Martinson

Noam Ross @noamross.net · Apr 19

🚨Report your NSF grant terminations! 🚨

We are starting to collect information on NSF grant terminations to create a shared resource as we have for NIH. The more information we collect, the more we can organize, advocate, and fight back! Please share widely!

airtable.com/appGKlSVeXni...

NSF Grant Termination Information Collection Form

Please use this form to submit information identifying specific NSF grants that have been cancelled for any reason after January 20, 2025.

We are tracking these grants to increase transparency, organize affected PIs, and facilitate responses, including via litigation. Please share the form as widely as possible with your networks.

We are actively building a pipeline to organize these terminations and will soon have a tracker akin to our NIH grant tracker at https://airtable.com/appjhyo9NTvJLocRy/shrNto1NNp9eJlgpA

WE WILL NOT DISCLOSE THE IDENTITY OF ANYONE WHO USES THIS FORM TO PROVIDE INFORMATION. We will keep your identity confidential.

These resources are maintained by Noam Ross of rOpenSci and Scott Delaney of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, with input and support from additional volunteers. For any questions, please contact Scott Delaney on Signal (sdelaney.84).

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE!

7 660 640

Reposted by Ellen O. Martinson

Caitlin S., PhD @paleophile.bsky.social · Feb 19

The Democrats on the House Science Committee have set up a website to collect stories from fired federal employees, anonymously if desired. Please amplify. (This helps the lawyers establish standing for bringing legal cases against the administration!)

democrats-science.house.gov/sciencefirings

13 2K 2.3K

Reposted by Ellen O. Martinson

Matthew Herron @matthewherron.bsky.social · Feb 19

I lost my job at the National Science Foundation yesterday, along with 167 of my colleagues, including some dear friends. This was the best job I've ever had, and I thought it would be my last. The PI community has been sympathetic and supportive, without exception. I will miss working for you.

590 2.1K 13K

Reposted by Ellen O. Martinson

Jess Awad @parasitoidrex.bsky.social · Feb 12

Gall midges and their parasitoids are abundant, megadiverse, and very hard to identify! Such "double dark taxa" systems present special challenges for ecology and agriculture. 🧵🧪🐙 @smnstuttgart.bsky.social @marinamoser.bsky.social @krogmann.bsky.social doi.org/10.1093/aesa...

Untangling host specialization in a “double dark taxa” system

Abstract. Platygastrine wasps (Hymenoptera: Platygastridae) are parasitoids of gall midges (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae). They and their hosts are exceptionally

doi.org

3 24 67

Reposted by Ellen O. Martinson

Dr. Kat Napaaqtuk❄️ @napaaqtuk.bsky.social · Feb 6

Posted with alt text 🧪

Research is under attack. Help protect it! Paraphrased: Most US science is federally funded through NIH and NSF, both of which are being targeted by the new administration. What's happened? The executive branch halted communication, travel, and attempted to freeze grants. Longstanding programs and proposals suspected of promoting diversity and DEI are being eliminated. NSF has been instructed to shrink by 25-50%. Future threats: every NIH and NSF employee has been offered a buyout due to deep future cuts. Funding may be decentralized to block grants to states, giving states that are "loyal" more funding rather than merit based funding. Grant reviews may be done by government workers who don't have the expertise or time needed. Take action: contact your representatives and demand protection of NIH, NSF, and all government funded research. Call the capital switchboard at 202-224-3121. Submit a comment to the House subcommittee on science, space, and technology. Spread the word. Learn more by following trusted scientists on bluesky

4 140 200

Reposted by Ellen O. Martinson

Heeyoung Kim - Botanical Artist & Instructor @brushwhisperer.bsky.social · Jan 7

“Dead” plant stuff hold food for birds during winter, when food is scarce. Galls such as this goldenrod gall have insect larvae in them. You can see who knows what to do … 😊. My tiny brush again 🤓.
#birdsinart #botanicalart #naturalhistoryart #SciArt #natureart #conservation #oneearth

11 41 310

Reposted by Ellen O. Martinson

Dr Maggie J Watson @terngirl.bsky.social · Oct 20

Parasitoids FTW!!! Illustration in homage to Eric Carle by Sloan Tomlinson

3 41 160

Reposted by Ellen O. Martinson

Ellen O. Martinson @waspvenom.bsky.social · Dec 17

Why do insect galls have such varied shapes even among closely related species?? The Enemy Hypothesis, posits that pressure from parasitoids drives the dynamic evolution of external gall traits. We have a new paper in @rsocpublishing.bsky.social on this hypothesis see more in this 🧵! 🧪 #galls

Many examples of the diversity in morphology of insect induced galls from hairy to colorful to spiky.

3 21 49

Ellen O. Martinson @waspvenom.bsky.social · Dec 17

Additionally it shows the importance of collecting guild information when studying these communities. End 🧵

3

Ellen O. Martinson @waspvenom.bsky.social · Dec 17

These insights enhance our understanding of the evolutionary dynamics between galling insects and their parasitoids and highlight the broader ecological implications of symbiotic interactions as drivers of biodiversity and ecosystem complexity.

1 2

Ellen O. Martinson @waspvenom.bsky.social · Dec 17

Conversely related gall species with the same gall morphology had consistent parasitoid guilds even though the taxonomy of the community changed

1 2

Ellen O. Martinson @waspvenom.bsky.social · Dec 17

We also searched for other studies that had guild data available. We found that in four galling systems (Aciurina flies, oak gall wasps, rose gall wasps, and sawflies) there are significant differences in enemy guild composition in closely related gall inducers with distinct gall morphologies

1 2

Ellen O. Martinson @waspvenom.bsky.social · Dec 17

So we determined the guilds for as much of the parasitoid community as possible between two closely related galling Aciurina flies with very different external gall morphologies

1 1

Ellen O. Martinson @waspvenom.bsky.social · Dec 17

We propose that to properly test the EH, you need to consider the ecological interactions with the gall, as certain external traits are better at deterring particular enemy guilds. For example, thick-walled galls defend well against parasitoids with short ovipositors, but poorly against long ones

1 1

Ellen O. Martinson @waspvenom.bsky.social · Dec 17

Traditionally the Enemy Hypothesis was tested by looking at the differences in parasitoid species between galls with different external morphologies. However, changes only in taxonomy could be from other neutral processes (drift, range expansion, etc) which don’t support the EH

1 1

Ellen O. Martinson @waspvenom.bsky.social · Dec 17

With Quin Baine and @bugsinbugs.bsky.social #insects #evosky The full paper can be found here: doi.org/10.1098/rspb...

External insect gall morphology influences the functional guilds of natural enemy communities | Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences

The evolution of diverse and novel morphological traits is poorly understood, especially how symbiotic interactions can drive these adaptations. The extreme diversity of external traits in insect-indu...

doi.org

1 2

Ellen O. Martinson @waspvenom.bsky.social · Dec 17

Why do insect galls have such varied shapes even among closely related species?? The Enemy Hypothesis, posits that pressure from parasitoids drives the dynamic evolution of external gall traits. We have a new paper in @rsocpublishing.bsky.social on this hypothesis see more in this 🧵! 🧪 #galls

3 21 49

Reposted by Ellen O. Martinson

Alex Wild @alexwild.bsky.social · Dec 6

Positively galling: a gallery of insect galls.

Gall-making insects - Alex Wild

Many insects induce plants to grow unusual swellings to feed and house them. This gallery shows a few of them.

www.alexanderwild.com

4 29 140

Ellen O. Martinson @waspvenom.bsky.social · Nov 30

Find out more at www.sciencefriday.com/articles/a-t...

A Tale Of Two Glassworkers And Their Marine Marvels

Leopold and Rudolf Blaschka are perhaps best known for crafting a collection of glass flowers for Harvard. But together they made their mark fashioning thousands of marine invertebrate models.

www.sciencefriday.com

1

Ellen O. Martinson @waspvenom.bsky.social · Nov 30

Today, the collection is housed in a dedicated gallery at the Harvard Museum of Natural History. Where you can see hundreds of plants and a few invertebrates as well! I encourage you all to go see it if you're in the area!

https://www.artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-100-year-old-glass-flowers-accurate-rival-real-thing

1 1