Shaun Killen
@shaunkillen.bsky.social
Prof of Ecophysiology at Uni of Glasgow. Metabolic physiology, pred/prey interactions, social behaviour, fisheries-induced evolution. 🇨🇦 in 🏴
7/9 The interactive Explore page already shows emerging patterns by species, country, habitat, and life stage even with early submissions. As the dataset grows, so will the depth of analysis.
November 25, 2025 at 1:11 PM
7/9 The interactive Explore page already shows emerging patterns by species, country, habitat, and life stage even with early submissions. As the dataset grows, so will the depth of analysis.
5/9 Who can contribute? Anyone who watches fish - researchers, divers, aquarists, students, naturalists, recreational or professional fishers. The form takes 1-2 min and guidance is provided.
November 25, 2025 at 1:11 PM
5/9 Who can contribute? Anyone who watches fish - researchers, divers, aquarists, students, naturalists, recreational or professional fishers. The form takes 1-2 min and guidance is provided.
2/9 ShoalBase is a global, open database of fish social behaviour; a place to collect observations that usually stay unpublished, unseen, or scattered.
November 25, 2025 at 1:11 PM
2/9 ShoalBase is a global, open database of fish social behaviour; a place to collect observations that usually stay unpublished, unseen, or scattered.
Our new study: territorial cichlids ramped up metabolic rate around conspecifics, while cardinal tetras showed little change. And only in tetras did individual sociability relate to metabolic rate. Energetic consequences of “social living” depend on social system. link.springer.com/article/10.1...
November 4, 2025 at 10:54 AM
Our new study: territorial cichlids ramped up metabolic rate around conspecifics, while cardinal tetras showed little change. And only in tetras did individual sociability relate to metabolic rate. Energetic consequences of “social living” depend on social system. link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Fisheries can drive selection, but what about small-scale ornamental fisheries? Our new study shows Amazonian fishes interact w/ traps in species- & environment-specific ways, hinting at overlooked selective potential. Led by @marpineda.bsky.social Read here: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10....
September 9, 2025 at 10:37 AM
Fisheries can drive selection, but what about small-scale ornamental fisheries? Our new study shows Amazonian fishes interact w/ traps in species- & environment-specific ways, hinting at overlooked selective potential. Led by @marpineda.bsky.social Read here: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10....
Our new paper shows how arena size can bias sociability estimates in sticklebacks: bigger tanks = lower sociability, even after adjusting for tank size. Repeatability highest at intermediate size. #methodsmatter! Great work from @mgmci13.bsky.social! Read it here: link.springer.com/article/10.1...
September 2, 2025 at 1:11 PM
Our new paper shows how arena size can bias sociability estimates in sticklebacks: bigger tanks = lower sociability, even after adjusting for tank size. Repeatability highest at intermediate size. #methodsmatter! Great work from @mgmci13.bsky.social! Read it here: link.springer.com/article/10.1...
(5/7) Size, age, social environment, abiotic factors all affect sleep architecture. Correlations btwn SMR & behaviour, environmental effects on SMR/AS, heritability, scaling relationships - all could be confounded with sleep-wake states and partitioning of maintenance processes.
August 28, 2025 at 3:46 PM
(5/7) Size, age, social environment, abiotic factors all affect sleep architecture. Correlations btwn SMR & behaviour, environmental effects on SMR/AS, heritability, scaling relationships - all could be confounded with sleep-wake states and partitioning of maintenance processes.
(4/7) Another issue: due to partitioning of different functions between sleep and wakefulness, treatment or environmental effects on SMR via effects on specific functions (e.g. protein synthesis) may be missed entirely if you measure during the wrong state.
August 28, 2025 at 3:46 PM
(4/7) Another issue: due to partitioning of different functions between sleep and wakefulness, treatment or environmental effects on SMR via effects on specific functions (e.g. protein synthesis) may be missed entirely if you measure during the wrong state.
(3/7) We modelled the consequences: Sleep-only measurements underestimate daily integrated energy costs. Wake-only measurements overestimate them. The bias isn't random - it follows predictable patterns based on variation in individual or species sleep architecture.
August 28, 2025 at 3:46 PM
(3/7) We modelled the consequences: Sleep-only measurements underestimate daily integrated energy costs. Wake-only measurements overestimate them. The bias isn't random - it follows predictable patterns based on variation in individual or species sleep architecture.
(2/7) The problem: Different maintenance processes happen at different times. Ion regulation & thermoregulation are active during wake. Protein synthesis, many brain functions, immunity peak during sleep. How “maintenance” is defined and what constitutes SMR depends entirely on WHEN you measure it.
August 28, 2025 at 3:46 PM
(2/7) The problem: Different maintenance processes happen at different times. Ion regulation & thermoregulation are active during wake. Protein synthesis, many brain functions, immunity peak during sleep. How “maintenance” is defined and what constitutes SMR depends entirely on WHEN you measure it.
In our new correspondence, we discuss how light-based methods of sleep disruption may generate confounds that complicate interpretation of results. Light affects hormones, circadian rhythms & stress responses beyond just sleep! @helenanorman.bsky.social onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
August 27, 2025 at 3:37 PM
In our new correspondence, we discuss how light-based methods of sleep disruption may generate confounds that complicate interpretation of results. Light affects hormones, circadian rhythms & stress responses beyond just sleep! @helenanorman.bsky.social onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Animal brains don’t think in a vacuum, they think in heatwaves & hypoxia, and around predators, parasites, and social groups. Our new review maps mechanisms, timescales, and gaps for understanding animal cognition in changing environments: authors.elsevier.com/a/1lau5Esvgs...
August 12, 2025 at 9:06 AM
Animal brains don’t think in a vacuum, they think in heatwaves & hypoxia, and around predators, parasites, and social groups. Our new review maps mechanisms, timescales, and gaps for understanding animal cognition in changing environments: authors.elsevier.com/a/1lau5Esvgs...
A gift from a student 🥹. Blobfish before and after decompression = me before and after grant deadlines.
August 11, 2025 at 10:56 AM
A gift from a student 🥹. Blobfish before and after decompression = me before and after grant deadlines.
After so many years of toil, we've finally done it. Definitive proof that guppies can quantum phase shift between dimensions. Congrats to @helenanorman.bsky.social for this game-changing discovery. 🥳 #fishsci
July 3, 2025 at 1:32 PM
After so many years of toil, we've finally done it. Definitive proof that guppies can quantum phase shift between dimensions. Congrats to @helenanorman.bsky.social for this game-changing discovery. 🥳 #fishsci
As usual, Nathan Fielder is right.
June 9, 2025 at 8:55 PM
As usual, Nathan Fielder is right.
Outstanding talk by @helenanorman.bsky.social for @pintofscience.uk on the nature of sleep in fish and other animals. Incredible that we know so little about this vitally important process. More to come from this fantastic scientist!
May 21, 2025 at 6:40 AM
Outstanding talk by @helenanorman.bsky.social for @pintofscience.uk on the nature of sleep in fish and other animals. Incredible that we know so little about this vitally important process. More to come from this fantastic scientist!
Kayaked around the gorgeous Loch Drunkie, apparently named after the time whisky smugglers rolled their cargo into the water to dodge tax men. Today, no whisky, no rain, no midges. Just a creeping feeling that Scotland is becoming Portugal. Has barely rained here since March 😮 .
May 18, 2025 at 3:25 PM
Kayaked around the gorgeous Loch Drunkie, apparently named after the time whisky smugglers rolled their cargo into the water to dodge tax men. Today, no whisky, no rain, no midges. Just a creeping feeling that Scotland is becoming Portugal. Has barely rained here since March 😮 .
Hogwarts is looking especially glorious today 🤩 #UofGlasgow
May 13, 2025 at 11:00 AM
Hogwarts is looking especially glorious today 🤩 #UofGlasgow
Any fish heads know what this massive group of European minnows is doing? Is this a spawning aggregation? Lots of cool collective behaviours on display. #fishsci
May 10, 2025 at 6:11 PM
Any fish heads know what this massive group of European minnows is doing? Is this a spawning aggregation? Lots of cool collective behaviours on display. #fishsci
Typical Tiree traffic jams. No horns, just hooves. #IsleofTiree
May 8, 2025 at 2:22 PM
Typical Tiree traffic jams. No horns, just hooves. #IsleofTiree
If you see this, post the most recent photo of yourself from your camera roll. No cheating!
May 7, 2025 at 7:26 PM
If you see this, post the most recent photo of yourself from your camera roll. No cheating!
Attenborough voice: Between the Isles of Tiree and Coll, a lone human paddles through turquoise water. Three seals follow. Watching. Studying. But mostly mocking the paddling ability. The human lurches on toward pristine sands, dignity mostly intact.
#SeaKayaking #Tiree #Coll #SealJudgement
#SeaKayaking #Tiree #Coll #SealJudgement
May 6, 2025 at 4:37 PM
Attenborough voice: Between the Isles of Tiree and Coll, a lone human paddles through turquoise water. Three seals follow. Watching. Studying. But mostly mocking the paddling ability. The human lurches on toward pristine sands, dignity mostly intact.
#SeaKayaking #Tiree #Coll #SealJudgement
#SeaKayaking #Tiree #Coll #SealJudgement
Great day for a run! 11th year in a row coming back to the magical Isle of #Tiree for their annual half marathon 😊. Always amazing scenery, community, and hospitality. Now for a few more days of chilling on this incredible wee island.
May 3, 2025 at 4:33 PM
Great day for a run! 11th year in a row coming back to the magical Isle of #Tiree for their annual half marathon 😊. Always amazing scenery, community, and hospitality. Now for a few more days of chilling on this incredible wee island.
Hard to imagine a bigger political fumble. All Poilievre needed to do was denounce a fascist, but couldn't bring himself to do it. Couldn't have happened to a more useless windbag. Good riddance PP!
April 29, 2025 at 11:57 AM
Hard to imagine a bigger political fumble. All Poilievre needed to do was denounce a fascist, but couldn't bring himself to do it. Couldn't have happened to a more useless windbag. Good riddance PP!
Attenborough voice: “And now, with the return of the reef’s apex predator, we observe a subtle but striking shift…” Our new study led by @zoe-storm.bsky.social: recovering reef sharks trigger caution in mesopredators. Less feeding, more vigilance.
besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
April 8, 2025 at 9:32 AM
Attenborough voice: “And now, with the return of the reef’s apex predator, we observe a subtle but striking shift…” Our new study led by @zoe-storm.bsky.social: recovering reef sharks trigger caution in mesopredators. Less feeding, more vigilance.
besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...