Katie O'Reilly
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drkatfish.bsky.social
Katie O'Reilly
@drkatfish.bsky.social
5.9K followers 750 following 750 posts
Aquatic Invasive Species with Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant | #GreatLakes | Come for the #ecology & #scicomm, get reeled in by the fish puns

https://iiseagrant.org/about/our-team/katie-oreilly/
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drkatfish.bsky.social
Katie O'Reilly @drkatfish.bsky.social · 16d
That's a wrap on 2025's #25DaysofFishmas - the 10th year of #Fishmas silliness! Thanks to everyone who has followed along as we explored some of the amazing fish that call the US home.

From Atlantic to Pacific, there's a lot worth protecting - wishing everyone peace and renewal of hope for 2026.
All of the fish species featured during the 2025 #25DaysofFishmas
drkatfish.bsky.social
New work from @uwiscseagrant.bsky.social + partners finds that bald eagle juveniles with higher levels of PFAS had lower antibody levels and white blood cell counts - potentially reducing their ability to respond to new infections, such as the H5N1 bird flu www.wpr.org/news/high-pf...
High PFAS levels in Wisconsin eaglets may reduce their ability to fend off illness
Preliminary findings from researchers show a decline in antibody levels among Wisconsin eaglets with high PFAS levels in their blood, potentially reducing their ability to fight off infections.
www.wpr.org
January 8, 2026 at 10:54 PM
Reposted by Katie O'Reilly
healthylakes.org
House funding package for FY26 largely maintains funding levels for Great Lakes & clean water programs, with modest increases in several areas. Given the significant cuts proposed in 2025, this outcome represents a hard-fought victory for the #GreatLakes. #CleanWater

buff.ly/YszgPlf
“Remarkable turnaround”—Budget Shows Strong Bipartisan Support for Continued Great Lakes Investment — Healthy Lakes
The House has passed a three-bill funding package that includes funding for the Department of Interior, the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and…
www.healthylakes.org
January 8, 2026 at 10:08 PM
Reposted by Katie O'Reilly
drfishsg.bsky.social
Historical PFAS trends in the Great Lakes using four decades of archived fish.

#GreatLakes 🧪

www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Analysis of the fish archive revealed that total bioaccumulative PFASs in predator fish peaked around 2008 and have since been decreasing.
January 6, 2026 at 8:40 PM
Reposted by Katie O'Reilly
queenofpeat.bsky.social
Let’s make 2026 the year of the bog. The world’s most unique and interesting plants, clean water, cooler climate. Bogs deserve our thanks, care, and deep respect. Please join me and love a bog today.
Image of an Alaskan bog with water and red moss in the foreground and trees in the background.
January 5, 2026 at 10:15 PM
Reposted by Katie O'Reilly
betterknowafish.bsky.social
Ringing in the new year with a new species for #SundayFishSketch! Introducing Rhinogobius chongkangensis, a newly described #TaiwanFishes #台灣魚類 from 中港溪 Chongkang watershed in 苗栗縣 Miaoli County in western Taiwan. In #Zootaxa authored by Chen I-Shiung 陳義雄 at National Taiwan Ocean University. 🦑🐡🧪
Photo of a crayon sketch of a Rhinogobius chongkangensis goby
January 4, 2026 at 2:37 PM
Reposted by Katie O'Reilly
jacsciart.bsky.social
My first fish sketch of the new year, as well as my first pencil sketch in a very long time. I drew a Mooneye for today's #SundayFishSketch 🐡
A pencil sketch of a Mooneye fish. The sketch is not very detailed, and guide lines can be seen around the fish to show angles of fins and features as well as proportions. The sketch is 6 inches long in total.
January 4, 2026 at 4:15 PM
Reposted by Katie O'Reilly
jftollefson.bsky.social
Picked a fish that had at least part of January in its name - Lutjanus - for my first #SundayFishSketch of 2026.
January 4, 2026 at 4:41 PM
Reposted by Katie O'Reilly
behrenskristen.bsky.social
A little bit whimsical for this #SundayFishSketch with a coelacanth! (Pretend I can spell, the braincell has not fired back up for Monday return to work yet)
Pen drawing of a coelacanth, lad has so many wonky nubbin fins.
January 4, 2026 at 7:01 PM
Reposted by Katie O'Reilly
kelleywelley.bsky.social
Here is a Pacific Longnose Parrotfish for #Sundayfishsketch Reference photo by #spanglersscuba
#sciart #coralreefs #marinelife
A watercolor painting of a Pacific Longnose Parrotfish
January 4, 2026 at 9:55 PM
Reposted by Katie O'Reilly
birderk.bsky.social
Ship traffic will be fun to watch. All the Great Lakes will likely have wave heights over 25 feet late tonight into late Monday night. The NWS in northern Michigan mentioned that the occasional hurricane force gust is possible on Lake Superior with top wave heights of 34 feet! #GreatLakes #weather
Graphic from Toledo’s 13 ABC showing predicted top wave heights for the Great Lakes. Superior is forecasted at 34 feet, Michigan at 33 feet, Huron at 28 feet, Erie at 27 feet, and Ontario at 29 feet. There will undoubtedly be some lake surfers out there because people are nuts.
December 28, 2025 at 3:07 PM
Reposted by Katie O'Reilly
tuexplorer1.bsky.social
The funniest moment with shrimps I've seen. "I'm not sharing thankyouverymuch." Is that a Stomiidae they're squabbling over? From @schmidtocean.bsky.social dive 665 #salasygomezridge #MarineLife
December 28, 2025 at 11:30 PM
Reposted by Katie O'Reilly
matteherbert.bsky.social
Reduced Sea Lamprey control efforts during the 2020 Covid shutdown caused an increase in #GreatLakes lamprey numbers. But control efforts since then have already brought them back under control. This demonstrates the importance of maintaining control efforts.
www.michiganpublic.org/environment-...
Invasive sea lamprey declining as control efforts in the Great Lakes resume
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the amount of sea lamprey in the Great Lakes surged because treatments were limited.
www.michiganpublic.org
December 28, 2025 at 9:59 PM
Reposted by Katie O'Reilly
amaranthhollow.bsky.social
Some Fishmas ornaments! Sven the sockeye salmon pattern by gheebeanscrafty
#crochet #fish #salmon #trout #amigurumi
Three crochet fish held in front of a Christmas tree.
December 28, 2025 at 6:17 PM
Reposted by Katie O'Reilly
drfishsg.bsky.social
Wrapping up the final four #25DaysOfFishmas plus three more for #SundayFishSketch. Ohio Lamprey, Ghost Shiner, American Shad, Atlantic Sturgeon, Common Shiner, Whale Shark, and a Cisco in a pear tree!
Ink and watercolor sketch of an Ohio lamprey. Three ink and watercolor fish sketches. Three ink and watercolor fish sketches.
December 29, 2025 at 3:14 AM
Reposted by Katie O'Reilly
jftollefson.bsky.social
Working on more scribble/less worry.
A generic colorful darter loosely based on rainbow darters. Pen and marker #SundayFishSketch
December 28, 2025 at 11:43 PM
Reposted by Katie O'Reilly
brucegerlach.bsky.social
A day late with my #SundayFishSketch, so more of a Sunday/MondayFishSketch.
tattooed-sky.blogspot.com/2025/12/doll...

#SundayFishSketch #DollyVardenTrout #Sketch
An ink drawing of a Dolly Varden trout.
December 22, 2025 at 9:36 PM
Reposted by Katie O'Reilly
kelleywelley.bsky.social
Here is are some watercolor paintings of the developmental phases of Bullethead Parrotfish, Chlorurus spilurus, for my Sunday Fish Sketch.
Reference photo(s) by Stephen Spangler

#sciart #marinelife #coralreefs
#parrotfish #spanglersscuba
#sundayfishsketch
Terminal phase of the Bullethead Parrotfish, Clorurus spilurus Intermediate phase of the Bullethead Parrotfish Juvenile phase of the Bullethead Parrotfish
December 28, 2025 at 3:48 PM
Reposted by Katie O'Reilly
jacsciart.bsky.social
I've been slacking on my posts for #SundayFishSketch, so here is an in progress illustration of a lanternfish that I've been working on for...a while 🐡
A work in progress illustration of a lanternfish. The fish is silvery in color with transparent fins. It has a large eye.
December 28, 2025 at 6:29 PM
Reposted by Katie O'Reilly
behrenskristen.bsky.social
Very quick #SundayFishSketch of something vaguely cichlid since I’m prepping for the road trip back to Michigan
Rough pencil sketch of a fish with an average cichlid body shape
December 28, 2025 at 7:24 PM
Reposted by Katie O'Reilly
betterknowafish.bsky.social
#SundayFishSketch Bonus: Another completed page in the new sketchbook! The hammour and least killifish turned out best I think.
Photo of a sketchbook page with four quadrants each with a crayon drawing, featuring a hamour grouper, a texas cichlid, a pair of least killifish, and a Japanese gizzard shad.
December 28, 2025 at 2:28 PM
Reposted by Katie O'Reilly
betterknowafish.bsky.social
I nearly forgot to draw today for this final #SundayFishSketch Sunday of 2025. Here is a porkfish / Anisotremus virginicus, inspired by the magical tonkatsu curry I had last night at dinner!
Photo of a crayon sketch of a pork fish grunt in adult coloration
December 28, 2025 at 2:33 PM
Reposted by Katie O'Reilly
greatlakesnow.bsky.social
'Twas the night before Fishmas, and all through the lakes...

Check out our whimsical remake of the classic holiday tale featuring Great Lakes fish 🐟

www.greatlakesnow.org/2023/12/18/i...
I Speak for the Fish: ‘Twas the night before Fishmas - Great Lakes Now
A whimsical remake of the classic holiday tale ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas featuring the Spirit Sturgeon and other Great Lakes fish.
www.greatlakesnow.org
December 24, 2025 at 4:10 PM
Reposted by Katie O'Reilly
jethroreading32.bsky.social
For our final day of #25DaysOfFishmas, we're going full weird. Today's bizarre, lonely little fish is the needlebeard seadevil, Neoceratias spinifer. This prickly little lady is the only member of the family Neoceratiidae, nestling within the larger deep-sea anglefish order Ceratoidei.
An illustration of a strange black fish on a white background. It has a big head with long, needle-like teeth emerging from its upper and lower lips, and the eye is very small. The fins have strange, branching rays, and a smaller, more traditionally-shaped fish hangs off its tail. Credit: Bertelsen via Fishes of Australia
December 25, 2025 at 9:53 AM
Reposted by Katie O'Reilly
drfishsg.bsky.social
Definitely enabling me!

#25DaysOfFishmas
December 25, 2025 at 9:22 PM
drkatfish.bsky.social
get you family members who support/enable you #25DaysofFishmas
A sweater with a Santa holding a muskie that says "Merry Fishmas" and a set of trout cards
December 25, 2025 at 9:20 PM