Derek D. Houston
@derekdhouston.bsky.social
Evolutionary Biology, Phylogeography, Ichthyology, Conservation Genetics, Community Ecology, Friend of Rough Fish
A few semesters ago my senior seminar topic was Colorado native fishes, and the student who presented on this species quoted a podcast where the guest stated the fish possessed "luscious Mick Jagger lips" and that phrase comes to mind every single time I see one.
Despite lacking any teeth on their jaws, Colorado pikeminnows are the top native predators in the Colorado River basin. They do have long, curved teeth in their throat (pharyngeal teeth) that help them process prey (mostly fish, but whatever they can catch!) that they swallow whole #25DaysofFishmas
December 8, 2025 at 5:37 PM
A few semesters ago my senior seminar topic was Colorado native fishes, and the student who presented on this species quoted a podcast where the guest stated the fish possessed "luscious Mick Jagger lips" and that phrase comes to mind every single time I see one.
Reposted by Derek D. Houston
Despite lacking any teeth on their jaws, Colorado pikeminnows are the top native predators in the Colorado River basin. They do have long, curved teeth in their throat (pharyngeal teeth) that help them process prey (mostly fish, but whatever they can catch!) that they swallow whole #25DaysofFishmas
December 8, 2025 at 2:19 PM
Despite lacking any teeth on their jaws, Colorado pikeminnows are the top native predators in the Colorado River basin. They do have long, curved teeth in their throat (pharyngeal teeth) that help them process prey (mostly fish, but whatever they can catch!) that they swallow whole #25DaysofFishmas
Reposted by Derek D. Houston
Colorado pikeminnow is one of 4 species of pikeminnows (Ptychocheilus genus), all found in western North America + all large, predatory fish in the Leuciscidae (minnow) family. Though none grow as large - or as old (50+ years!) - as the Colorado pikeminnow! #25DaysofFishmas
December 8, 2025 at 2:07 PM
Colorado pikeminnow is one of 4 species of pikeminnows (Ptychocheilus genus), all found in western North America + all large, predatory fish in the Leuciscidae (minnow) family. Though none grow as large - or as old (50+ years!) - as the Colorado pikeminnow! #25DaysofFishmas
Reposted by Derek D. Houston
Suwannee bass is one of the smaller members of the black bass genus (Micropterus) typically growing only ~8 in/21 cm long - though females grow faster + reach larger sizes than males. Mature fish often have turquoise blue coloration on the cheeks/belly that's brighter when breeding #25DaysofFishmas
December 4, 2025 at 2:04 PM
Suwannee bass is one of the smaller members of the black bass genus (Micropterus) typically growing only ~8 in/21 cm long - though females grow faster + reach larger sizes than males. Mature fish often have turquoise blue coloration on the cheeks/belly that's brighter when breeding #25DaysofFishmas
Reposted by Derek D. Houston
I'm recruiting a Ph.D. student for Fall 2026.
Interested in comparative studies and trait evolution in fishes?
Send me an email with a CV and research interests. Please take a look at my website (jcorush.github.io ) for more information about my research.
#hybridization #minnows #mudskippers
Interested in comparative studies and trait evolution in fishes?
Send me an email with a CV and research interests. Please take a look at my website (jcorush.github.io ) for more information about my research.
#hybridization #minnows #mudskippers
Corush Lab
jcorush.github.io
December 4, 2025 at 12:38 AM
I'm recruiting a Ph.D. student for Fall 2026.
Interested in comparative studies and trait evolution in fishes?
Send me an email with a CV and research interests. Please take a look at my website (jcorush.github.io ) for more information about my research.
#hybridization #minnows #mudskippers
Interested in comparative studies and trait evolution in fishes?
Send me an email with a CV and research interests. Please take a look at my website (jcorush.github.io ) for more information about my research.
#hybridization #minnows #mudskippers
I regret that my Biology of Fishes class is offered in the Spring, so they don't get to hear about Fishmas in real time.
It’s time to hang up the holiday GAR-land 🎄
Move over Florida Man, it’s Florida Gar’s time to shine!
On Day 3 of #25DaysofFishmas, we head down to the Sunshine State to find the Florida gar (Lepisosteus platyrhincus), an ancient-looking fish whose appearance hasn’t changed much since the Mesozoic
Move over Florida Man, it’s Florida Gar’s time to shine!
On Day 3 of #25DaysofFishmas, we head down to the Sunshine State to find the Florida gar (Lepisosteus platyrhincus), an ancient-looking fish whose appearance hasn’t changed much since the Mesozoic
December 3, 2025 at 4:10 PM
I regret that my Biology of Fishes class is offered in the Spring, so they don't get to hear about Fishmas in real time.
Reposted by Derek D. Houston
If we're talking about the alleged rampant scourge of non-disabled "cheaters," it's worth noting that extended time has a huge impact on test scores for disabled students, but only nominal impact on test scores for non-disabled students.
So if someone "doesn't need it?" Let them have it anyway
So if someone "doesn't need it?" Let them have it anyway
December 3, 2025 at 1:03 PM
If we're talking about the alleged rampant scourge of non-disabled "cheaters," it's worth noting that extended time has a huge impact on test scores for disabled students, but only nominal impact on test scores for non-disabled students.
So if someone "doesn't need it?" Let them have it anyway
So if someone "doesn't need it?" Let them have it anyway
Reposted by Derek D. Houston
So our campus just announced the six undergraduate programs being put on the chopping block.
One of them is Philosophy.
Philosophy.
Can we be a university without offering a Philosophy major?
One of them is Philosophy.
Philosophy.
Can we be a university without offering a Philosophy major?
December 2, 2025 at 9:54 PM
So our campus just announced the six undergraduate programs being put on the chopping block.
One of them is Philosophy.
Philosophy.
Can we be a university without offering a Philosophy major?
One of them is Philosophy.
Philosophy.
Can we be a university without offering a Philosophy major?
Reposted by Derek D. Houston
It’s time to hang up the holiday GAR-land 🎄
Move over Florida Man, it’s Florida Gar’s time to shine!
On Day 3 of #25DaysofFishmas, we head down to the Sunshine State to find the Florida gar (Lepisosteus platyrhincus), an ancient-looking fish whose appearance hasn’t changed much since the Mesozoic
Move over Florida Man, it’s Florida Gar’s time to shine!
On Day 3 of #25DaysofFishmas, we head down to the Sunshine State to find the Florida gar (Lepisosteus platyrhincus), an ancient-looking fish whose appearance hasn’t changed much since the Mesozoic
December 3, 2025 at 2:00 PM
It’s time to hang up the holiday GAR-land 🎄
Move over Florida Man, it’s Florida Gar’s time to shine!
On Day 3 of #25DaysofFishmas, we head down to the Sunshine State to find the Florida gar (Lepisosteus platyrhincus), an ancient-looking fish whose appearance hasn’t changed much since the Mesozoic
Move over Florida Man, it’s Florida Gar’s time to shine!
On Day 3 of #25DaysofFishmas, we head down to the Sunshine State to find the Florida gar (Lepisosteus platyrhincus), an ancient-looking fish whose appearance hasn’t changed much since the Mesozoic
Reposted by Derek D. Houston
Blueberry species (genus Vaccinium) circled the Northern Hemisphere to travel from North America to Hawai'i— and then closed the loop to hybridize with a North American species 🌿
buff.ly/3mu6eqJ
buff.ly/3mu6eqJ
December 2, 2025 at 3:54 PM
Blueberry species (genus Vaccinium) circled the Northern Hemisphere to travel from North America to Hawai'i— and then closed the loop to hybridize with a North American species 🌿
buff.ly/3mu6eqJ
buff.ly/3mu6eqJ
Reposted by Derek D. Houston
I named my fists AUG and UGA because one starts it and the other finishes it.
I named my fists Master and Commander, because together they’re gonna send you to the far side of the world.
I named my fists Pride and Prejudice, because it is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of two fists must be in want of whupping ass
December 1, 2025 at 3:39 PM
I named my fists AUG and UGA because one starts it and the other finishes it.
Reposted by Derek D. Houston
The Christmas darter isn't the only darter in the holiday spirit! Other seasonally-appropriate darter species include the candy darter (Etheostoma osburni), lollipop darter (E. neopterum), Halloween darter (Percina crypta), and, of course, the holiday darter (E. brevirostrum) #25DaysofFishmas
December 1, 2025 at 2:20 PM
The Christmas darter isn't the only darter in the holiday spirit! Other seasonally-appropriate darter species include the candy darter (Etheostoma osburni), lollipop darter (E. neopterum), Halloween darter (Percina crypta), and, of course, the holiday darter (E. brevirostrum) #25DaysofFishmas
Reposted by Derek D. Houston
Don we now our gay apparel: The Christmas darter’s common name was suggested in 1963 “because of the gay decoration of the belly with symbolic red and green bands.” They're sexually dimorphic, with males being much more colorful than females - especially during the breeding season #25DaysofFishmas
December 1, 2025 at 2:08 PM
Don we now our gay apparel: The Christmas darter’s common name was suggested in 1963 “because of the gay decoration of the belly with symbolic red and green bands.” They're sexually dimorphic, with males being much more colorful than females - especially during the breeding season #25DaysofFishmas
Reposted by Derek D. Houston
🎶From Atlantic to Pacific, gee the fish facts are terrific!🎶
#25DaysofFishmas is hitting the road! While there's no place like H.O.M.E.S. for the holidays, we'll be traveling beyond the #GreatLakes this year to learn about freshwater fishes from across the US. The road trip kicks off December 1!
#25DaysofFishmas is hitting the road! While there's no place like H.O.M.E.S. for the holidays, we'll be traveling beyond the #GreatLakes this year to learn about freshwater fishes from across the US. The road trip kicks off December 1!
November 24, 2025 at 2:20 PM
🎶From Atlantic to Pacific, gee the fish facts are terrific!🎶
#25DaysofFishmas is hitting the road! While there's no place like H.O.M.E.S. for the holidays, we'll be traveling beyond the #GreatLakes this year to learn about freshwater fishes from across the US. The road trip kicks off December 1!
#25DaysofFishmas is hitting the road! While there's no place like H.O.M.E.S. for the holidays, we'll be traveling beyond the #GreatLakes this year to learn about freshwater fishes from across the US. The road trip kicks off December 1!
Spent the bulk of the day in the car, but now I have 25 more native fish species in my ichthyological teaching collection, including these juvenile roundtail chubs. Many thanks to CSU's Larval Fish Lab!
November 21, 2025 at 3:34 AM
Spent the bulk of the day in the car, but now I have 25 more native fish species in my ichthyological teaching collection, including these juvenile roundtail chubs. Many thanks to CSU's Larval Fish Lab!
Reposted by Derek D. Houston
For #FossilFriday & in honor of @alinemghilardi.bsky.social & colleagues' fantastic discovery of a new Cretaceous pterosaur in Brazil in a dinosaur regurgitalite ("fossil vomit"), here's a diagram I made for my book 'Dinosaurs Without Bones' (2014) showing the physics of a puking brachiosaur. 🧪🦕🤮🪨
November 14, 2025 at 1:14 PM
For #FossilFriday & in honor of @alinemghilardi.bsky.social & colleagues' fantastic discovery of a new Cretaceous pterosaur in Brazil in a dinosaur regurgitalite ("fossil vomit"), here's a diagram I made for my book 'Dinosaurs Without Bones' (2014) showing the physics of a puking brachiosaur. 🧪🦕🤮🪨
Reposted by Derek D. Houston
This has gotten surprisingly little attention — it's not even on the front page of @science.org right now — but it's really hard to describe what the SAFE Research Act would do to US science and scientists without sounding insane
www.science.org/content/arti...
www.science.org/content/arti...
November 14, 2025 at 5:16 PM
This has gotten surprisingly little attention — it's not even on the front page of @science.org right now — but it's really hard to describe what the SAFE Research Act would do to US science and scientists without sounding insane
www.science.org/content/arti...
www.science.org/content/arti...
Reposted by Derek D. Houston
Because international student enrollment is so often used as a cudgel in discussions about immigration, this is a good time to remind people that international students aren't taking up spaces for US students at state schools, they are paying full tuition that FUNDS SCHOLARSHIPS FOR US STUDENTS.
November 14, 2025 at 5:32 PM
Because international student enrollment is so often used as a cudgel in discussions about immigration, this is a good time to remind people that international students aren't taking up spaces for US students at state schools, they are paying full tuition that FUNDS SCHOLARSHIPS FOR US STUDENTS.
Reposted by Derek D. Houston
New paper on deep-sea fish diversity out now in @sse-evolution.bsky.social, with @cmartinez.bsky.social and @sarahtfried.bsky.social
academic.oup.com/evolut/advan...
academic.oup.com/evolut/advan...
Distinct evolutionary signatures underlie body shape diversity across deep sea habitats
Abstract. The deep sea is known for extreme biological conditions such as high pressure, little-to-no solar light and cold temperatures. Despite these chal
academic.oup.com
October 13, 2025 at 7:09 PM
New paper on deep-sea fish diversity out now in @sse-evolution.bsky.social, with @cmartinez.bsky.social and @sarahtfried.bsky.social
academic.oup.com/evolut/advan...
academic.oup.com/evolut/advan...
I don't want to gloat TOO much about this accomplishment, but someone's all caught up on grading as of ten minutes ago
November 5, 2025 at 11:57 PM
I don't want to gloat TOO much about this accomplishment, but someone's all caught up on grading as of ten minutes ago
Reposted by Derek D. Houston
Meet the Apalachicola redhorse, a newly described fish species.
Meet the Apalachicola Redhorse, a Newly Recognized Fish Species
For more than 50 years, the Apalachicola redhorse was a fish with no name. Learn more about this newly recognized species of sucker.
blog.nature.org
November 5, 2025 at 2:26 PM
Meet the Apalachicola redhorse, a newly described fish species.
Reposted by Derek D. Houston
Hear from Dr. Lindsay Zanno, associate research professor at North Carolina State University, head of paleontology at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, and co-author of a new study published in Nature.
Nanotyrannus Confirmed: Dueling Dinosaurs Fossil Rewrites the Story of T. rex
YouTube video by North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences
www.youtube.com
October 30, 2025 at 5:33 PM
Hear from Dr. Lindsay Zanno, associate research professor at North Carolina State University, head of paleontology at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, and co-author of a new study published in Nature.
Reposted by Derek D. Houston
Genuinely delighted to download a PhD thesis from a university repository where the author has neglected to remove the words "BITCH THIS IS YOUR THESIS" from the filename.
October 30, 2025 at 8:21 AM
Genuinely delighted to download a PhD thesis from a university repository where the author has neglected to remove the words "BITCH THIS IS YOUR THESIS" from the filename.
Reposted by Derek D. Houston
New sucker just dropped -
Description of the Apalachicola Redhorse (Catostomidae: Moxostoma ) | Zootaxa share.google/ixQSEQq1DX3p...
Description of the Apalachicola Redhorse (Catostomidae: Moxostoma ) | Zootaxa share.google/ixQSEQq1DX3p...
October 16, 2025 at 10:36 PM
New sucker just dropped -
Description of the Apalachicola Redhorse (Catostomidae: Moxostoma ) | Zootaxa share.google/ixQSEQq1DX3p...
Description of the Apalachicola Redhorse (Catostomidae: Moxostoma ) | Zootaxa share.google/ixQSEQq1DX3p...