Cristina Ottocento, PhD
@crisottocento.bsky.social
Researcher in Chemical Ecology
Evolutionary biologist from 🇮🇹 - PhD at Jyväskylä University, Postdoc at Helsinki University 🇫🇮 - now at INRAE France 🇫🇷
Evolutionary biologist from 🇮🇹 - PhD at Jyväskylä University, Postdoc at Helsinki University 🇫🇮 - now at INRAE France 🇫🇷
Pinned
New paper now out! Wing colouration in female wood tiger moths can be an honest signal of chemical defence, but only under specific conditions besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/... @biobiiana.bsky.social @jmappes.bsky.social @crisottocento.bsky.social
Honest signalling in predator–prey interactions: Testing the resource allocation hypothesis
Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
Thrilled to share this! Mostly done at @helsinki.fi, Konnevesi Station and @uniofjyvaskyla.bsky.social 🇫🇮 with wonderful colleagues! In this study, we investigate whether the link between warning signals and chemical defences comes from how resources are allocated between these costly traits 🐦🦋
Reposted by Cristina Ottocento, PhD
The Map butterfly differs in wing size and color between seasons. We tested how these differences influence body temperature dynamics, revealing potentially optimized thermal performance between seasons. 🦋☀️
The study, led by Dani and Irča, is in preprint version: doi.org/10.64898/202...
The study, led by Dani and Irča, is in preprint version: doi.org/10.64898/202...
February 11, 2026 at 1:46 PM
The Map butterfly differs in wing size and color between seasons. We tested how these differences influence body temperature dynamics, revealing potentially optimized thermal performance between seasons. 🦋☀️
The study, led by Dani and Irča, is in preprint version: doi.org/10.64898/202...
The study, led by Dani and Irča, is in preprint version: doi.org/10.64898/202...
Reposted by Cristina Ottocento, PhD
Moths move significantly less when exposed to artificial nighttime light, new research from the Centre for Ecology and Conservation at the University of Exeter, Cornwall shows.
Read More: news.exeter.ac.uk/faculty-of-e...
@uniexecec.bsky.social #ExeterEcology
Read More: news.exeter.ac.uk/faculty-of-e...
@uniexecec.bsky.social #ExeterEcology
Artificial nighttime lighting is suppressing moth activity
Moths move significantly less when exposed to artificial nighttime light, new research shows. Moths’ attraction to artificial light, such as streetlights, is common knowledge and has been much studied...
news.exeter.ac.uk
January 28, 2026 at 11:25 AM
Moths move significantly less when exposed to artificial nighttime light, new research from the Centre for Ecology and Conservation at the University of Exeter, Cornwall shows.
Read More: news.exeter.ac.uk/faculty-of-e...
@uniexecec.bsky.social #ExeterEcology
Read More: news.exeter.ac.uk/faculty-of-e...
@uniexecec.bsky.social #ExeterEcology
Reposted by Cristina Ottocento, PhD
Join us! We’re recruiting a PhD researcher to uncover how hedgehogs & other insectivores survive prey toxins. Dive into molecular evolution & protein biochemistry @shabmohammadi.bsky.social @livuni-ives.bsky.social @livuni-ismib.bsky.social @mpi-ce.bsky.social
🦔 www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
🦔 www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
November 6, 2025 at 9:12 AM
Join us! We’re recruiting a PhD researcher to uncover how hedgehogs & other insectivores survive prey toxins. Dive into molecular evolution & protein biochemistry @shabmohammadi.bsky.social @livuni-ives.bsky.social @livuni-ismib.bsky.social @mpi-ce.bsky.social
🦔 www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
🦔 www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
Reposted by Cristina Ottocento, PhD
(1) Really happy to share our recent review "Speciation in ants: unlocking ant diversity to study speciation". 😀
doi.org/10.25849/myr...
Ants are ecologically diverse and abundant organisms with strong potential to advance the study of speciation. Despite extensive research on their taxonomy, ...
doi.org/10.25849/myr...
Ants are ecologically diverse and abundant organisms with strong potential to advance the study of speciation. Despite extensive research on their taxonomy, ...
Myrmecol. News 36: 1-24
Myrmecological News
doi.org
January 16, 2026 at 1:04 PM
(1) Really happy to share our recent review "Speciation in ants: unlocking ant diversity to study speciation". 😀
doi.org/10.25849/myr...
Ants are ecologically diverse and abundant organisms with strong potential to advance the study of speciation. Despite extensive research on their taxonomy, ...
doi.org/10.25849/myr...
Ants are ecologically diverse and abundant organisms with strong potential to advance the study of speciation. Despite extensive research on their taxonomy, ...
Reposted by Cristina Ottocento, PhD
Happy New Year! Butterflies and moths are often seen as a symbol of hope and new beginnings 🦋
Keep an eye out for these species in your gardens and local green spaces this month, and let us know what you see.
Keep an eye out for these species in your gardens and local green spaces this month, and let us know what you see.
January 1, 2026 at 8:00 AM
Happy New Year! Butterflies and moths are often seen as a symbol of hope and new beginnings 🦋
Keep an eye out for these species in your gardens and local green spaces this month, and let us know what you see.
Keep an eye out for these species in your gardens and local green spaces this month, and let us know what you see.
Reposted by Cristina Ottocento, PhD
First report of the invasive pest species Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in Eastern Europe
Free download: doi.org/10.18476/202...
#pest #moth @braconidae-ua.bsky.social @smnstuttgart.bsky.social @bioone.bsky.social
Free download: doi.org/10.18476/202...
#pest #moth @braconidae-ua.bsky.social @smnstuttgart.bsky.social @bioone.bsky.social
January 4, 2026 at 8:59 AM
First report of the invasive pest species Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in Eastern Europe
Free download: doi.org/10.18476/202...
#pest #moth @braconidae-ua.bsky.social @smnstuttgart.bsky.social @bioone.bsky.social
Free download: doi.org/10.18476/202...
#pest #moth @braconidae-ua.bsky.social @smnstuttgart.bsky.social @bioone.bsky.social
Reposted by Cristina Ottocento, PhD
Excited about our new preprint showing bidirectional adaptive introgression between invasive and native crop pests over ecological timescales www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
The collision of two genomes threatens global food security
Human activity alters selection pressures and species' ranges, creating opportunities for hybridisation through secondary contact. Ancient hybridization has enabled adaptive radiation, but its role in...
www.biorxiv.org
December 26, 2025 at 11:21 AM
Excited about our new preprint showing bidirectional adaptive introgression between invasive and native crop pests over ecological timescales www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
Reposted by Cristina Ottocento, PhD
Thrilled to announce a Postdoc opportunity in our group on the evolutionary genetics and ecology of colour. Wonderful system, great collaborators, and room to shape your own ideas.
Apply by 7 Jan: jobs.helsinki.fi/job/13477181...
Apply by 7 Jan: jobs.helsinki.fi/job/13477181...
December 12, 2025 at 2:56 PM
Thrilled to announce a Postdoc opportunity in our group on the evolutionary genetics and ecology of colour. Wonderful system, great collaborators, and room to shape your own ideas.
Apply by 7 Jan: jobs.helsinki.fi/job/13477181...
Apply by 7 Jan: jobs.helsinki.fi/job/13477181...
Reposted by Cristina Ottocento, PhD
You are ABSOLUTELY NOT going to regret listening to this bird:
A male rock ptarmigan (Lagopus muta) in winter plumage.
Ptarmigan is from Gaelic 'tarmachan' meaning "croaker". The p- was added when people mistakenly assumed it was a Greek word.
A bird forever warning people: "A werewolf!" (just in case of werewolves).
Ptarmigan is from Gaelic 'tarmachan' meaning "croaker". The p- was added when people mistakenly assumed it was a Greek word.
A bird forever warning people: "A werewolf!" (just in case of werewolves).
December 6, 2025 at 5:10 PM
You are ABSOLUTELY NOT going to regret listening to this bird:
Reposted by Cristina Ottocento, PhD
A bit later due to personal chaos but our latest paper is now out in JEB! In it we show that under diet stress female moths that produced higher amounts of a specific pheromone component had longer development times and lower fertility academic.oup.com/jeb/advance-...
Resource limitation reveals that high acetate levels in Heliothis subflexa sex pheromone blend are associated with reduced fitness
Abstract. Sexual communication allows individuals to find and choose a mate, but also to avoid hybridization with individuals from different species. Sexua
academic.oup.com
December 4, 2025 at 4:58 PM
A bit later due to personal chaos but our latest paper is now out in JEB! In it we show that under diet stress female moths that produced higher amounts of a specific pheromone component had longer development times and lower fertility academic.oup.com/jeb/advance-...
Reposted by Cristina Ottocento, PhD
🚨Two funded PhDs on the evolutionary ecology of antipredator colouration 🦋 with myself and Iliana Medina.
One in Swansea tinyurl.com/4thtbph6 deadline Jan 12th @crocus-dla.bsky.social
The other in Melbourne - deadline Jan 1st
Please share among potential students!
One in Swansea tinyurl.com/4thtbph6 deadline Jan 12th @crocus-dla.bsky.social
The other in Melbourne - deadline Jan 1st
Please share among potential students!
December 1, 2025 at 2:40 PM
🚨Two funded PhDs on the evolutionary ecology of antipredator colouration 🦋 with myself and Iliana Medina.
One in Swansea tinyurl.com/4thtbph6 deadline Jan 12th @crocus-dla.bsky.social
The other in Melbourne - deadline Jan 1st
Please share among potential students!
One in Swansea tinyurl.com/4thtbph6 deadline Jan 12th @crocus-dla.bsky.social
The other in Melbourne - deadline Jan 1st
Please share among potential students!
Reposted by Cristina Ottocento, PhD
Very happy to see our opinion article out in @cp-trendsecolevo.bsky.social today. 🥳 We ask whether sexual signals can influence the evolutionary trajectory of naturally selected adaptations, such as protective colouration, for better or for worse 🧐 1/n
doi.org/10.1016/j.tr...
doi.org/10.1016/j.tr...
November 29, 2025 at 2:07 PM
Very happy to see our opinion article out in @cp-trendsecolevo.bsky.social today. 🥳 We ask whether sexual signals can influence the evolutionary trajectory of naturally selected adaptations, such as protective colouration, for better or for worse 🧐 1/n
doi.org/10.1016/j.tr...
doi.org/10.1016/j.tr...
Reposted by Cristina Ottocento, PhD
New PhD position: Butterfly Evolution at High Elevations 🦋⛰️
The project aims to understand the rapid evolution and adaptation of white butterflies at high elevations.
DEADLINE: January 11, 2025
More info: pavelmatos.wordpress.com/join-us/
The project aims to understand the rapid evolution and adaptation of white butterflies at high elevations.
DEADLINE: January 11, 2025
More info: pavelmatos.wordpress.com/join-us/
Join us
Opportunities Below are the positions currently open in our lab. Fully-funded PhD position The project aims to understand rapid evolution and adaptation in white butterflies flying at high elevatio…
pavelmatos.wordpress.com
November 29, 2025 at 12:44 PM
New PhD position: Butterfly Evolution at High Elevations 🦋⛰️
The project aims to understand the rapid evolution and adaptation of white butterflies at high elevations.
DEADLINE: January 11, 2025
More info: pavelmatos.wordpress.com/join-us/
The project aims to understand the rapid evolution and adaptation of white butterflies at high elevations.
DEADLINE: January 11, 2025
More info: pavelmatos.wordpress.com/join-us/
Reposted by Cristina Ottocento, PhD
📣 New paper out!
We explored how fungal infection 🍄 affects the bright warning colours of wild poison frogs 🐸. Neither melanin nor carotenoid colouration reliably signals infection status. Defensive signals may remain consistent even under pathogen pressure 👩🔬🧪
Thread from @biobiiana.bsky.social 👇
We explored how fungal infection 🍄 affects the bright warning colours of wild poison frogs 🐸. Neither melanin nor carotenoid colouration reliably signals infection status. Defensive signals may remain consistent even under pathogen pressure 👩🔬🧪
Thread from @biobiiana.bsky.social 👇
November 24, 2025 at 2:29 PM
📣 New paper out!
We explored how fungal infection 🍄 affects the bright warning colours of wild poison frogs 🐸. Neither melanin nor carotenoid colouration reliably signals infection status. Defensive signals may remain consistent even under pathogen pressure 👩🔬🧪
Thread from @biobiiana.bsky.social 👇
We explored how fungal infection 🍄 affects the bright warning colours of wild poison frogs 🐸. Neither melanin nor carotenoid colouration reliably signals infection status. Defensive signals may remain consistent even under pathogen pressure 👩🔬🧪
Thread from @biobiiana.bsky.social 👇
Reposted by Cristina Ottocento, PhD
The reed leafhopper has become a major crop pest targeting sugar beets & potatoes. Scientists from @kaltenpoth-lab.bsky.social et al. show that it hosts 7 bacteria, 2 of which spread plant diseases. The microbial community may be key to its success in switching hosts. www.ice.mpg.de/524703/PR_Vo...
New super pest combines broad spectrum of microbes
The reed leafhopper has evolved rapidly from a reed grass specialist into a dangerous pest that attacks important crops such as sugar beets, potatoes, carrots and onions, as well as reeds. It lives in...
www.ice.mpg.de
November 21, 2025 at 10:24 AM
The reed leafhopper has become a major crop pest targeting sugar beets & potatoes. Scientists from @kaltenpoth-lab.bsky.social et al. show that it hosts 7 bacteria, 2 of which spread plant diseases. The microbial community may be key to its success in switching hosts. www.ice.mpg.de/524703/PR_Vo...
Reposted by Cristina Ottocento, PhD
Scientists are expected to do peer reviewing but no one tells you HOW. After talking with several folks about this today at #AGU24 , it seems a good time to link to this presentation I made several years ago -- feel free to use/share! docs.google.com/presentation...
Effective, efficient, and fair peer reviewing 2023
Effective, efficient, and fair peer reviewing Ben Bond-Lamberty Based on a presentation at the AGU Early Career Scientist Workshop, 2019 1
docs.google.com
December 12, 2024 at 10:18 PM
Scientists are expected to do peer reviewing but no one tells you HOW. After talking with several folks about this today at #AGU24 , it seems a good time to link to this presentation I made several years ago -- feel free to use/share! docs.google.com/presentation...
Reposted by Cristina Ottocento, PhD
The story on chemical communication in #poisonfrogs doesn't stop with the sexy fingers! "Histological and Gene Expression Analyses of the Arm and Finger Macroglands of Two Hyloxalus Frogs" is the new paper by the super talented Diana Abondano (Link in comments)! Out now in MolEcol. #cienciacriolla🇨🇴
November 10, 2025 at 3:12 PM
The story on chemical communication in #poisonfrogs doesn't stop with the sexy fingers! "Histological and Gene Expression Analyses of the Arm and Finger Macroglands of Two Hyloxalus Frogs" is the new paper by the super talented Diana Abondano (Link in comments)! Out now in MolEcol. #cienciacriolla🇨🇴
Reposted by Cristina Ottocento, PhD
Watson’s death is a fantastic reminder that you can be intelligent without being a good person.
The obituary of someone who gained widespread fame through remarkable achievements at a young age and then expected to be taken seriously for anything he said thereafter.
James Watson, Co-Discoverer of the Structure of DNA, Is Dead at 97
www.nytimes.com
November 7, 2025 at 7:57 PM
Watson’s death is a fantastic reminder that you can be intelligent without being a good person.
Reposted by Cristina Ottocento, PhD
BehaveAI is live!
Our biologically inspired video analysis tool sees motion as colour. Track animals or objects, classify their behaviour, and handle complex natural scenes with ease.
Semi-supervised annotation, no GPUs required, user-friendly, free & open source.
Pre-print tinyurl.com/BehaveAI
Our biologically inspired video analysis tool sees motion as colour. Track animals or objects, classify their behaviour, and handle complex natural scenes with ease.
Semi-supervised annotation, no GPUs required, user-friendly, free & open source.
Pre-print tinyurl.com/BehaveAI
November 6, 2025 at 10:09 AM
BehaveAI is live!
Our biologically inspired video analysis tool sees motion as colour. Track animals or objects, classify their behaviour, and handle complex natural scenes with ease.
Semi-supervised annotation, no GPUs required, user-friendly, free & open source.
Pre-print tinyurl.com/BehaveAI
Our biologically inspired video analysis tool sees motion as colour. Track animals or objects, classify their behaviour, and handle complex natural scenes with ease.
Semi-supervised annotation, no GPUs required, user-friendly, free & open source.
Pre-print tinyurl.com/BehaveAI
Reposted by Cristina Ottocento, PhD
🚨🚨Job! 🚨🚨Permanent (75% time) job! We are a pretty awesome research group & seek a manager who deals with everything: personnel tasks, organizing retreats, preparing code for teaching / data structures for research... Fluency in German & English essential. stellenboerse.uni-mainz.de#/jgu/job/51527
stellenboerse.uni-mainz.de
October 17, 2025 at 7:38 AM
🚨🚨Job! 🚨🚨Permanent (75% time) job! We are a pretty awesome research group & seek a manager who deals with everything: personnel tasks, organizing retreats, preparing code for teaching / data structures for research... Fluency in German & English essential. stellenboerse.uni-mainz.de#/jgu/job/51527
Reposted by Cristina Ottocento, PhD
“Above all, we must realise that each of us makes a difference with our life. Each of us impacts the world around us every single day. We have a choice to use the gift of our life to make the world a better place - or not to bother.”
www.theguardian.com/science/2025...
www.theguardian.com/science/2025...
Jane Goodall, world-renowned primatologist, dies aged 91
Jane Goodall Institute says ‘tireless advocate’ for natural world died in California during US speaking tour
www.theguardian.com
October 1, 2025 at 8:19 PM
“Above all, we must realise that each of us makes a difference with our life. Each of us impacts the world around us every single day. We have a choice to use the gift of our life to make the world a better place - or not to bother.”
www.theguardian.com/science/2025...
www.theguardian.com/science/2025...
Reposted by Cristina Ottocento, PhD
📢🦋 Our paper ‘Global selection on insect antipredator coloration’ is out and featured on the cover of @science.org
We ran a huge experiment to find out how ecological context favours camouflage and warning colouration as antipredator strategies. 1/6
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
We ran a huge experiment to find out how ecological context favours camouflage and warning colouration as antipredator strategies. 1/6
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
September 25, 2025 at 6:26 PM
📢🦋 Our paper ‘Global selection on insect antipredator coloration’ is out and featured on the cover of @science.org
We ran a huge experiment to find out how ecological context favours camouflage and warning colouration as antipredator strategies. 1/6
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
We ran a huge experiment to find out how ecological context favours camouflage and warning colouration as antipredator strategies. 1/6
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Reposted by Cristina Ottocento, PhD
I have a job opening in my lab. If you are interested in bird behaviour and predator prey interactions please take a look! werkenbij.uva.nl/en/vacancies...
Vacancy — Postdoc Position in Decision Making in Birds
Are you an expert in animal behavior? Do you have experience working with birds? The Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics (IBED) is looking for a motivated researcher to investigate the ro...
werkenbij.uva.nl
September 25, 2025 at 10:10 AM
I have a job opening in my lab. If you are interested in bird behaviour and predator prey interactions please take a look! werkenbij.uva.nl/en/vacancies...
Reposted by Cristina Ottocento, PhD
Funded PhD position available 🎉 Come and work with me in Helsinki to uncover the pathways producing colourful tiger moth wings. Lots of options for genomics, CRISPR, fieldwork, behaviour experiments… Email with questions! jobs.helsinki.fi/job/Helsinki...
September 24, 2025 at 8:53 AM
Funded PhD position available 🎉 Come and work with me in Helsinki to uncover the pathways producing colourful tiger moth wings. Lots of options for genomics, CRISPR, fieldwork, behaviour experiments… Email with questions! jobs.helsinki.fi/job/Helsinki...