Michalis Mihalitsis
@mikemihalitsis.bsky.social
Assistant Professor at the University of Guam.
Coral reef fish. Functional Morphology. Fish Evolution & Ecology
Google Scholar: http://bit.ly/2A7o146
Coral reef fish. Functional Morphology. Fish Evolution & Ecology
Google Scholar: http://bit.ly/2A7o146
Pinned
Super excited that our new paper is out today in
@pnas.org. Title: Lateral jaw motion in fish expands the functional repertoire of vertebrates and underpins the success of a dominant herbivore lineage.
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
@pnas.org. Title: Lateral jaw motion in fish expands the functional repertoire of vertebrates and underpins the success of a dominant herbivore lineage.
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
New paper titled ‘Functional novelties and behavioural flexibility underpin diversification of the surgeonfish feeding mechanism’. 🐟🐠
link: doi.org/10.1098/rspb...
link: doi.org/10.1098/rspb...
November 26, 2025 at 1:07 AM
New paper titled ‘Functional novelties and behavioural flexibility underpin diversification of the surgeonfish feeding mechanism’. 🐟🐠
link: doi.org/10.1098/rspb...
link: doi.org/10.1098/rspb...
Reposted by Michalis Mihalitsis
Coral reef conservation is under pressure to act boldly in the face of climate-altered futures.
But how do we choose sustainable, responsible options?
Here, myself, @proftiffanym.bsky.social & David Bellwood introduce "MIMO". 👇
@cp-cellrepsustain.bsky.social
www.cell.com/cell-reports...
But how do we choose sustainable, responsible options?
Here, myself, @proftiffanym.bsky.social & David Bellwood introduce "MIMO". 👇
@cp-cellrepsustain.bsky.social
www.cell.com/cell-reports...
October 14, 2025 at 10:00 PM
Coral reef conservation is under pressure to act boldly in the face of climate-altered futures.
But how do we choose sustainable, responsible options?
Here, myself, @proftiffanym.bsky.social & David Bellwood introduce "MIMO". 👇
@cp-cellrepsustain.bsky.social
www.cell.com/cell-reports...
But how do we choose sustainable, responsible options?
Here, myself, @proftiffanym.bsky.social & David Bellwood introduce "MIMO". 👇
@cp-cellrepsustain.bsky.social
www.cell.com/cell-reports...
Reposted by Michalis Mihalitsis
Our paper on Nautilus sex determination made the cover of @currentbiology.bsky.social !
With @reef-combo.bsky.social @anariesgo.bsky.social and Hector Torrado!
@leibnizlib.bsky.social
Check it out now!
With @reef-combo.bsky.social @anariesgo.bsky.social and Hector Torrado!
@leibnizlib.bsky.social
Check it out now!
Our latest issue is out!👇
www.cell.com/current-biol...
On the cover: Nautilus ≈ 🐙+🐚
(Maybe — like the Nautilus — our journal is a living fossil, believing in the interest and inspiration our readers might draw from the diversity of biological systems, questions and approaches we try to feature🙏 )
www.cell.com/current-biol...
On the cover: Nautilus ≈ 🐙+🐚
(Maybe — like the Nautilus — our journal is a living fossil, believing in the interest and inspiration our readers might draw from the diversity of biological systems, questions and approaches we try to feature🙏 )
September 24, 2025 at 4:25 PM
Our paper on Nautilus sex determination made the cover of @currentbiology.bsky.social !
With @reef-combo.bsky.social @anariesgo.bsky.social and Hector Torrado!
@leibnizlib.bsky.social
Check it out now!
With @reef-combo.bsky.social @anariesgo.bsky.social and Hector Torrado!
@leibnizlib.bsky.social
Check it out now!
Reposted by Michalis Mihalitsis
New species alert! A Pascua goby from the Coral Sea. This genus now contains four species. Two from the Eastern Pacific and two from Australia, with more than 5,500km separating them. Lots of fun describing my second new species. #TeamFish #Fish
doi.org/10.3390/fish...
doi.org/10.3390/fish...
September 4, 2025 at 10:15 AM
New species alert! A Pascua goby from the Coral Sea. This genus now contains four species. Two from the Eastern Pacific and two from Australia, with more than 5,500km separating them. Lots of fun describing my second new species. #TeamFish #Fish
doi.org/10.3390/fish...
doi.org/10.3390/fish...
Reposted by Michalis Mihalitsis
JOB OPPORTUNITIES with Guam Coral Reef Initiative (Five openings!)
www.guamcoralreefs.info/opportunities
#coralreefs #coralrestoration #jobs #careers #guam #restorationjobs #reefrestoration #coralreefecology #waterquality #marinebiology
www.guamcoralreefs.info/opportunities
#coralreefs #coralrestoration #jobs #careers #guam #restorationjobs #reefrestoration #coralreefecology #waterquality #marinebiology
September 3, 2025 at 5:30 AM
JOB OPPORTUNITIES with Guam Coral Reef Initiative (Five openings!)
www.guamcoralreefs.info/opportunities
#coralreefs #coralrestoration #jobs #careers #guam #restorationjobs #reefrestoration #coralreefecology #waterquality #marinebiology
www.guamcoralreefs.info/opportunities
#coralreefs #coralrestoration #jobs #careers #guam #restorationjobs #reefrestoration #coralreefecology #waterquality #marinebiology
Reposted by Michalis Mihalitsis
Naso! Great genus of surgeonfishes, sporting the vicious cutting scalpel blades at the base of their tail. Here is a better color photo of that bignose where you can see the tail blades.
🐟🦑🧪🌎
🐟🦑🧪🌎
August 26, 2025 at 3:47 AM
Naso! Great genus of surgeonfishes, sporting the vicious cutting scalpel blades at the base of their tail. Here is a better color photo of that bignose where you can see the tail blades.
🐟🦑🧪🌎
🐟🦑🧪🌎
Reposted by Michalis Mihalitsis
Acanthuriform fishes! Research goals on Moorea are focused on morphology and evolution of defensive spines and backbones of surgeonfishes, angelfishes, and butterflyfishes. We have a scientific permit to collect specimens, and here are 2 beauties, Acanthurus lineatus and Pygoplites diacanthus. 🐟🦑🧪
August 21, 2025 at 8:14 PM
Acanthuriform fishes! Research goals on Moorea are focused on morphology and evolution of defensive spines and backbones of surgeonfishes, angelfishes, and butterflyfishes. We have a scientific permit to collect specimens, and here are 2 beauties, Acanthurus lineatus and Pygoplites diacanthus. 🐟🦑🧪
Reposted by Michalis Mihalitsis
Devonian ray-finned fishes were not particularly species rich, particularly compared to their lobe-finned cousins. This implies early actinopts might've also been anatomically monotonous. But a deep dive into their jaw anatomy w/ µCT reveals subtle but important structural diversity.
Curious about Devonian actinopterygian lower jaws? Look no further--our new paper provides comprehensive descriptions for 19 species in a tidy ~50 page summary! anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
July 22, 2025 at 9:11 PM
Devonian ray-finned fishes were not particularly species rich, particularly compared to their lobe-finned cousins. This implies early actinopts might've also been anatomically monotonous. But a deep dive into their jaw anatomy w/ µCT reveals subtle but important structural diversity.
Reposted by Michalis Mihalitsis
🐠🦈 Just out: In this paper we ask "How has reef trophic structure changed since humans started removing predatory fishes from Caribbean coral reefs?".
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Illustrations @cookedillustrations.com
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Illustrations @cookedillustrations.com
July 1, 2025 at 6:40 PM
🐠🦈 Just out: In this paper we ask "How has reef trophic structure changed since humans started removing predatory fishes from Caribbean coral reefs?".
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Illustrations @cookedillustrations.com
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Illustrations @cookedillustrations.com
Reposted by Michalis Mihalitsis
Out today in @plosbiology.org! We show that two major advances in fish feeding - highly protrusible jaws and large teeth - are functionally and evolutionarily incompatible with each other. @mikemihalitsis.bsky.social and Peter Wainwright. Free to read: journals.plos.org/plosbiology/...
Incompatibility between two major innovations shaped the diversification of fish feeding mechanisms
Large teeth and highly protrusible jaws are two feeding innovations that have evolved in fishes. High-speed videography and comparative phylogenetic analyses indicate that they are incompatible with e...
journals.plos.org
June 24, 2025 at 6:29 PM
Out today in @plosbiology.org! We show that two major advances in fish feeding - highly protrusible jaws and large teeth - are functionally and evolutionarily incompatible with each other. @mikemihalitsis.bsky.social and Peter Wainwright. Free to read: journals.plos.org/plosbiology/...
Reposted by Michalis Mihalitsis
High-speed video shows that some reef fish can move their jaws side to side, a rare trait among vertebrates that enables efficient feeding on algae growing on rocks and in crevices. doi.org/g9hg4h
How are they biting? High-speed video reveals unexpected jaw movements in reef fish
Some reef fish have the unexpected ability to move their jaws from side to side, biologists at the University of California, Davis have discovered.
phys.org
May 6, 2025 at 2:02 AM
High-speed video shows that some reef fish can move their jaws side to side, a rare trait among vertebrates that enables efficient feeding on algae growing on rocks and in crevices. doi.org/g9hg4h
Super excited that our new paper is out today in
@pnas.org. Title: Lateral jaw motion in fish expands the functional repertoire of vertebrates and underpins the success of a dominant herbivore lineage.
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
@pnas.org. Title: Lateral jaw motion in fish expands the functional repertoire of vertebrates and underpins the success of a dominant herbivore lineage.
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
May 6, 2025 at 5:28 AM
Super excited that our new paper is out today in
@pnas.org. Title: Lateral jaw motion in fish expands the functional repertoire of vertebrates and underpins the success of a dominant herbivore lineage.
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
@pnas.org. Title: Lateral jaw motion in fish expands the functional repertoire of vertebrates and underpins the success of a dominant herbivore lineage.
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Reposted by Michalis Mihalitsis
Marine ecologist Gemma Galbraith builds remotely operated vehicles and uses them to assess how coral reefs are being affected by climate change
https://go.nature.com/4lbiAD8
https://go.nature.com/4lbiAD8
Deep dive: How I use robots to survey coral reefs
Marine ecologist Gemma Galbraith builds remotely operated vehicles and uses them to assess how coral reefs are being affected by climate change.
go.nature.com
March 31, 2025 at 2:34 PM
Marine ecologist Gemma Galbraith builds remotely operated vehicles and uses them to assess how coral reefs are being affected by climate change
https://go.nature.com/4lbiAD8
https://go.nature.com/4lbiAD8
1/10 *** New paper out *** (on behalf of Nick Peoples who is not on Bluesky). I am beyond excited to present our new paper out now in @Nature! Here, we show that rapid gain and loss of tooth complexity accelerates diversification in fishes! www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Evolutionary lability of a key innovation spurs rapid diversification - Nature
A study shows that the rapid diversification of cichlids in African lakes is driven by their ability to evolve between having simple or complex teeth.
www.nature.com
March 4, 2025 at 5:32 AM
1/10 *** New paper out *** (on behalf of Nick Peoples who is not on Bluesky). I am beyond excited to present our new paper out now in @Nature! Here, we show that rapid gain and loss of tooth complexity accelerates diversification in fishes! www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Congratulations to PhD student Nick Peoples in the Wainwright Lab on his first paper, looking at a key innovation across ray-finned fishes and its evolutionary dynamics. 🐟
#teamfish #evolution
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
#teamfish #evolution
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Evolutionary lability of a key innovation spurs rapid diversification - Nature
A study shows that the rapid diversification of cichlids in African lakes is driven by their ability to evolve between having simple or complex teeth.
www.nature.com
February 26, 2025 at 11:03 PM
Congratulations to PhD student Nick Peoples in the Wainwright Lab on his first paper, looking at a key innovation across ray-finned fishes and its evolutionary dynamics. 🐟
#teamfish #evolution
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
#teamfish #evolution
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
uog.peopleadmin.com/postings/4332
Join us at the University of Guam!
Assistant Professor position in Marine Microbiology 🐟
Join us at the University of Guam!
Assistant Professor position in Marine Microbiology 🐟
February 12, 2025 at 12:12 PM
uog.peopleadmin.com/postings/4332
Join us at the University of Guam!
Assistant Professor position in Marine Microbiology 🐟
Join us at the University of Guam!
Assistant Professor position in Marine Microbiology 🐟
Reposted by Michalis Mihalitsis
Hot new #OpenAccess paper by ECR superstar @jzamborainmason.bsky.social on Downscaling global reference points to assess the sustainability of local fisheries. We downscaled a global model to examine whether Ahus Island's fishery is sustainable.
conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
Downscaling global reference points to assess the sustainability of local fisheries
Multispecies coral reef fisheries are typically managed by local communities who often lack research and monitoring capacity, which prevents estimation of well-defined sustainable reference points to...
conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
January 19, 2025 at 10:20 PM
Hot new #OpenAccess paper by ECR superstar @jzamborainmason.bsky.social on Downscaling global reference points to assess the sustainability of local fisheries. We downscaled a global model to examine whether Ahus Island's fishery is sustainable.
conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
Reposted by Michalis Mihalitsis
Just out in early view @Conbiology we show how to assess the sustainability of data poor reef fisheries leveraging information from global models!
@joshuacinner.bsky.social @mikemihalitsis.bsky.social
conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
@joshuacinner.bsky.social @mikemihalitsis.bsky.social
conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Downscaling global reference points to assess the sustainability of local fisheries
Multispecies coral reef fisheries are typically managed by local communities who often lack research and monitoring capacity, which prevents estimation of well-defined sustainable reference points to....
conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
January 20, 2025 at 4:49 AM
Just out in early view @Conbiology we show how to assess the sustainability of data poor reef fisheries leveraging information from global models!
@joshuacinner.bsky.social @mikemihalitsis.bsky.social
conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
@joshuacinner.bsky.social @mikemihalitsis.bsky.social
conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...