Evolution Letters
@evolletters.bsky.social
OA journal publishing the best work in evolutionary biology. Jointly owned by @eseb.bsky.social & @sse-evolution.bsky.social, published by OUP. https://academic.oup.com/evlett
Tag us in your post about your Evolution Letters papers and we will repost!
Tag us in your post about your Evolution Letters papers and we will repost!
Reposted by Evolution Letters
Study on the diversification of jaw shape in pelagiarian/scombriform fishes led by @knapprew.bsky.social out in Evolution Letters as Editor's Choice. Gorgeous trichiuroid render by co-author @sternarchella.bsky.social nabbed the cover! Open access: academic.oup.com/evlett/artic...
February 7, 2026 at 6:52 PM
Study on the diversification of jaw shape in pelagiarian/scombriform fishes led by @knapprew.bsky.social out in Evolution Letters as Editor's Choice. Gorgeous trichiuroid render by co-author @sternarchella.bsky.social nabbed the cover! Open access: academic.oup.com/evlett/artic...
Reposted by Evolution Letters
Delighted that our article on pelagiarian mandible evolution has made the cover of @evolletters.bsky.social!
Check out our Editor’s Choice article academic.oup.com/evlett/artic... by @knapprew.bsky.social et al showing the K/Pg adaptive radiation in open-ocean fish in jaw morphology. With this amazing micro-CT image of the deep-sea black scabbardfish on the cover, by @sternarchella.bsky.social
February 7, 2026 at 5:46 PM
Delighted that our article on pelagiarian mandible evolution has made the cover of @evolletters.bsky.social!
Check out our Editor’s Choice article academic.oup.com/evlett/artic... by @knapprew.bsky.social et al showing the K/Pg adaptive radiation in open-ocean fish in jaw morphology. With this amazing micro-CT image of the deep-sea black scabbardfish on the cover, by @sternarchella.bsky.social
February 7, 2026 at 5:33 PM
Check out our Editor’s Choice article academic.oup.com/evlett/artic... by @knapprew.bsky.social et al showing the K/Pg adaptive radiation in open-ocean fish in jaw morphology. With this amazing micro-CT image of the deep-sea black scabbardfish on the cover, by @sternarchella.bsky.social
Reposted by Evolution Letters
Historical contingency limits adaptive diversification in a spatially structured environment
@evolletters.bsky.social from @megbehri.bsky.social
academic.oup.com/evlett/artic...
@evolletters.bsky.social from @megbehri.bsky.social
academic.oup.com/evlett/artic...
Historical contingency limits adaptive diversification in a spatially structured environment
Abstract. Understanding how genotype-by-environment (G × E) interactions influence evolutionary trajectories and contribute to historical contingency is ke
academic.oup.com
February 7, 2026 at 11:22 AM
Historical contingency limits adaptive diversification in a spatially structured environment
@evolletters.bsky.social from @megbehri.bsky.social
academic.oup.com/evlett/artic...
@evolletters.bsky.social from @megbehri.bsky.social
academic.oup.com/evlett/artic...
Reposted by Evolution Letters
Is speciation usually allopatric? Genomic analyses of 93 Drosophila species pairs show that gene flow during divergence is common—even among allopatric species—challenging the classic allopatric model of speciation. academic.oup.com/evlett/advan...
Genomic analyses in Drosophila do not support the classic allopatric model of speciation
Abstract. The allopatric model of speciation has dominated our understanding of speciation biology and biogeography since the Modern Synthesis. It is uncon
academic.oup.com
January 15, 2026 at 3:29 PM
Is speciation usually allopatric? Genomic analyses of 93 Drosophila species pairs show that gene flow during divergence is common—even among allopatric species—challenging the classic allopatric model of speciation. academic.oup.com/evlett/advan...
Is speciation usually allopatric? Genomic analyses of 93 Drosophila species pairs show that gene flow during divergence is common—even among allopatric species—challenging the classic allopatric model of speciation. academic.oup.com/evlett/advan...
Genomic analyses in Drosophila do not support the classic allopatric model of speciation
Abstract. The allopatric model of speciation has dominated our understanding of speciation biology and biogeography since the Modern Synthesis. It is uncon
academic.oup.com
January 15, 2026 at 3:29 PM
Is speciation usually allopatric? Genomic analyses of 93 Drosophila species pairs show that gene flow during divergence is common—even among allopatric species—challenging the classic allopatric model of speciation. academic.oup.com/evlett/advan...
Reposted by Evolution Letters
New paper out: “allopatric” Drosophila species aren’t so allopatric after all. We show that most currently allopatric species pairs probably overlapped in the past and exchanged genes at levels similar to sympatric pairs. @evolletters.bsky.social
doi.org/10.1093/evle... [1/6]
doi.org/10.1093/evle... [1/6]
Genomic analyses in Drosophila do not support the classic allopatric model of speciation
Abstract. The allopatric model of speciation has dominated our understanding of speciation biology and biogeography since the Modern Synthesis. It is uncon
doi.org
January 15, 2026 at 11:58 AM
New paper out: “allopatric” Drosophila species aren’t so allopatric after all. We show that most currently allopatric species pairs probably overlapped in the past and exchanged genes at levels similar to sympatric pairs. @evolletters.bsky.social
doi.org/10.1093/evle... [1/6]
doi.org/10.1093/evle... [1/6]
Reposted by Evolution Letters
Is lifespan shaped by genetic conflict between the sexes? In wild marmots, longevity is heritable but negatively genetically correlated between males and females, implying selection for longer life in one sex favors shorter life in the other. Image Credit: Wikimedia
academic.oup.com/evlett/advan...
academic.oup.com/evlett/advan...
January 6, 2026 at 2:04 PM
Is lifespan shaped by genetic conflict between the sexes? In wild marmots, longevity is heritable but negatively genetically correlated between males and females, implying selection for longer life in one sex favors shorter life in the other. Image Credit: Wikimedia
academic.oup.com/evlett/advan...
academic.oup.com/evlett/advan...
Reposted by Evolution Letters
Does predictability matter for adaptation? In fruit flies, predictable thermal variation favors evolved longevity, while unpredictable environments impose survival and reproductive costs—revealing distinct routes to adaptation under climate change. Image: Wikimedia
academic.oup.com/evlett/advan...
academic.oup.com/evlett/advan...
January 6, 2026 at 2:03 PM
Does predictability matter for adaptation? In fruit flies, predictable thermal variation favors evolved longevity, while unpredictable environments impose survival and reproductive costs—revealing distinct routes to adaptation under climate change. Image: Wikimedia
academic.oup.com/evlett/advan...
academic.oup.com/evlett/advan...
Reposted by Evolution Letters
Do alternative reproductive tactics promote evolutionary rescue? Riederer & Weissing show that claims for ART rescue depend on model assumptions—when thresholds evolve or mating success shifts, fixed tactics no longer prevent extinction leaving the question open.
academic.oup.com/evlett/advan...
academic.oup.com/evlett/advan...
Do alternative reproductive tactics facilitate evolutionary rescue? A comment on Knell & Parrett 2024
Abstract. This contribution is a comment on a simulation study of Robert J. Knell and Jonathan M. Parrett (Evo. Lett. 8, 539–349, 2024). There is growing e
academic.oup.com
January 6, 2026 at 1:59 PM
Do alternative reproductive tactics promote evolutionary rescue? Riederer & Weissing show that claims for ART rescue depend on model assumptions—when thresholds evolve or mating success shifts, fixed tactics no longer prevent extinction leaving the question open.
academic.oup.com/evlett/advan...
academic.oup.com/evlett/advan...
Reposted by Evolution Letters
How does development shape skull evolution? In lizards, neural crest–derived skull bones drive rapid sexually selected shape change within species but show long-term constraint, revealing developmental bias linking micro- and macroevolution. Image Credit: Wikimedia
academic.oup.com/evlett/advan...
academic.oup.com/evlett/advan...
January 5, 2026 at 1:47 PM
How does development shape skull evolution? In lizards, neural crest–derived skull bones drive rapid sexually selected shape change within species but show long-term constraint, revealing developmental bias linking micro- and macroevolution. Image Credit: Wikimedia
academic.oup.com/evlett/advan...
academic.oup.com/evlett/advan...
Reposted by Evolution Letters
Evolution isn’t always forward-looking. Experiments show that an early, beneficial mutation can trap E. coli on a local fitness peak, preventing ecotype diversification in structured environments and highlighting the role of G×E interactions.
academic.oup.com/evlett/advan...
academic.oup.com/evlett/advan...
Historical contingency limits adaptive diversification in a spatially structured environment
Abstract. Understanding how genotype-by-environment (G × E) interactions influence evolutionary trajectories and contribute to historical contingency is ke
academic.oup.com
January 5, 2026 at 1:42 PM
Evolution isn’t always forward-looking. Experiments show that an early, beneficial mutation can trap E. coli on a local fitness peak, preventing ecotype diversification in structured environments and highlighting the role of G×E interactions.
academic.oup.com/evlett/advan...
academic.oup.com/evlett/advan...
Reposted by Evolution Letters
Can sexual selection alone drive divergence? Experimental evolution in seed beetles shows that strong sexual selection accelerates divergence in reproductive traits and gene expression, even without environmental differences. Image credit: Udo Schmidt Wikimedia
academic.oup.com/evlett/advan...
academic.oup.com/evlett/advan...
January 5, 2026 at 1:42 PM
Can sexual selection alone drive divergence? Experimental evolution in seed beetles shows that strong sexual selection accelerates divergence in reproductive traits and gene expression, even without environmental differences. Image credit: Udo Schmidt Wikimedia
academic.oup.com/evlett/advan...
academic.oup.com/evlett/advan...
Reposted by Evolution Letters
Why has live birth evolved repeatedly in lizards? A mechanistic model linking behavior, thermal physiology, and life history shows cold climates favor viviparity, providing causal support for the classic cold-climate hypothesis. Image credit: Wikimedia
academic.oup.com/evlett/advan...
academic.oup.com/evlett/advan...
January 4, 2026 at 8:13 PM
Why has live birth evolved repeatedly in lizards? A mechanistic model linking behavior, thermal physiology, and life history shows cold climates favor viviparity, providing causal support for the classic cold-climate hypothesis. Image credit: Wikimedia
academic.oup.com/evlett/advan...
academic.oup.com/evlett/advan...
Reposted by Evolution Letters
Can microbial partners reduce agrochemical harm? In clover–rhizobia mutualisms, herbicide effects depend strongly on rhizobial strain, highlighting symbionts as potential buffers against stress. Image Matt Lavin @wikimedia
academic.oup.com/evlett/advan...
academic.oup.com/evlett/advan...
January 4, 2026 at 8:07 PM
Can microbial partners reduce agrochemical harm? In clover–rhizobia mutualisms, herbicide effects depend strongly on rhizobial strain, highlighting symbionts as potential buffers against stress. Image Matt Lavin @wikimedia
academic.oup.com/evlett/advan...
academic.oup.com/evlett/advan...
Reposted by Evolution Letters
Who really lives fast and dies young? In Drosophila, females show faster ageing and reproductive senescence than males across social environments, overturning sexual selection predictions and highlighting social effects on ageing. academic.oup.com/evlett/advan...
@laurenmharrison.bsky.social
@laurenmharrison.bsky.social
Fast females, slow males: accelerated ageing and reproductive senescence in Drosophila melanogaster females across diverse social environments
Abstract. Females and males typically differ in lifespan, patterns of ageing, and reproduction. General explanations for variation in the magnitude of this
academic.oup.com
December 19, 2025 at 12:06 PM
Who really lives fast and dies young? In Drosophila, females show faster ageing and reproductive senescence than males across social environments, overturning sexual selection predictions and highlighting social effects on ageing. academic.oup.com/evlett/advan...
@laurenmharrison.bsky.social
@laurenmharrison.bsky.social
Reposted by Evolution Letters
Why is phenotypic plasticity so common? Models show that even low migration between locally adapted populations can maintain costly plasticity in constant environments, revealing migration as a key driver of plastic trait evolution.
academic.oup.com/evlett/advan...
academic.oup.com/evlett/advan...
Evolution of phenotypic plasticity owing to migration
Phenotypes can change without alterations in the underlying genotype—a phenomenon known as phenotypic plasticity—the evolution of which is typically trigge
academic.oup.com
December 19, 2025 at 12:03 PM
Why is phenotypic plasticity so common? Models show that even low migration between locally adapted populations can maintain costly plasticity in constant environments, revealing migration as a key driver of plastic trait evolution.
academic.oup.com/evlett/advan...
academic.oup.com/evlett/advan...
Reposted by Evolution Letters
Why do selfing rates vary across a species’ range? In alpine monkeyflower, self-fertilization increases away from the range center, supporting the abundant center hypothesis over historical range expansion in shaping reproductive assurance.
academic.oup.com/evlett/advan...
Photo Credit: Brewbooks
academic.oup.com/evlett/advan...
Photo Credit: Brewbooks
December 19, 2025 at 12:03 PM
Why do selfing rates vary across a species’ range? In alpine monkeyflower, self-fertilization increases away from the range center, supporting the abundant center hypothesis over historical range expansion in shaping reproductive assurance.
academic.oup.com/evlett/advan...
Photo Credit: Brewbooks
academic.oup.com/evlett/advan...
Photo Credit: Brewbooks
Reposted by Evolution Letters
Can we predict gene expression evolution? In flour beetles, transcriptome-wide selection predicts expression change, with indirect selection acting strongest on pleiotropic, network-central genes—linking co-expression architecture to adaptation.
academic.oup.com/evlett/artic... Photo: Udo Schmidt
academic.oup.com/evlett/artic... Photo: Udo Schmidt
December 18, 2025 at 1:01 PM
Can we predict gene expression evolution? In flour beetles, transcriptome-wide selection predicts expression change, with indirect selection acting strongest on pleiotropic, network-central genes—linking co-expression architecture to adaptation.
academic.oup.com/evlett/artic... Photo: Udo Schmidt
academic.oup.com/evlett/artic... Photo: Udo Schmidt
Reposted by Evolution Letters
How do genetic variances and covariances evolve over deep time? This paper unifies quantitative genetics and macroevolution with analytical models for G-matrix evolution on phylogenies, enabling new tests of multivariate trait evolution.
academic.oup.com/evlett/artic...
academic.oup.com/evlett/artic...
Multivariate trait evolution: models for the evolution of the quantitative genetic G-matrix on phylogenies
Abstract. Genetic covariance matrices (G-matrices) are a key focus for research and predictions from quantitative genetic evolutionary models of multiple t
academic.oup.com
December 18, 2025 at 1:00 PM
How do genetic variances and covariances evolve over deep time? This paper unifies quantitative genetics and macroevolution with analytical models for G-matrix evolution on phylogenies, enabling new tests of multivariate trait evolution.
academic.oup.com/evlett/artic...
academic.oup.com/evlett/artic...
Reposted by Evolution Letters
Do extra chromosome sets mask bad mutations? Simulations show tetraploids often carry higher genetic load than diploids, depending on dominance, demography, and drift—with important implications for fitness and conservation.
academic.oup.com/evlett/artic...
academic.oup.com/evlett/artic...
The hidden threat: genetic load dynamics in tetraploids and diploids
Polyploid organisms often display unique evolutionary dynamics compared to diploids. One unresolved question is how polyploidy affects the accumulation of
academic.oup.com
December 18, 2025 at 12:59 PM
Do extra chromosome sets mask bad mutations? Simulations show tetraploids often carry higher genetic load than diploids, depending on dominance, demography, and drift—with important implications for fitness and conservation.
academic.oup.com/evlett/artic...
academic.oup.com/evlett/artic...
Reposted by Evolution Letters
Surprisingly, sperm length is not linked to sperm storage traits. Instead, vagina length emerges as a key—yet overlooked—player in post-copulatory sexual selection in birds. academic.oup.com/evlett/article/9/6/686/8271462
Relative testis size is associated with vagina length but not sperm storage traits in Galliformes
Abstract. Post-copulatory sexual selection, comprised of sperm competition and cryptic female choice, is a powerful evolutionary force that can drive the r
academic.oup.com
December 17, 2025 at 2:08 PM
Surprisingly, sperm length is not linked to sperm storage traits. Instead, vagina length emerges as a key—yet overlooked—player in post-copulatory sexual selection in birds. academic.oup.com/evlett/article/9/6/686/8271462
Reposted by Evolution Letters
Maternal age matters beyond early survival. This study shows persistent effects on male—but not female—offspring fitness in a wild mammal population. academic.oup.com/evlett/artic...
December 17, 2025 at 2:05 PM
Maternal age matters beyond early survival. This study shows persistent effects on male—but not female—offspring fitness in a wild mammal population. academic.oup.com/evlett/artic...
Reposted by Evolution Letters
Early-season helping in Polistes wasps shows increasing returns - more helpers lead to convex gains in sexual productivity, resolving a key paradox in the origins of eusociality.
academic.oup.com/evlett/artic...
@ricaliari.bsky.social @twenseleers.bsky.social
academic.oup.com/evlett/artic...
@ricaliari.bsky.social @twenseleers.bsky.social
December 16, 2025 at 5:45 PM
Early-season helping in Polistes wasps shows increasing returns - more helpers lead to convex gains in sexual productivity, resolving a key paradox in the origins of eusociality.
academic.oup.com/evlett/artic...
@ricaliari.bsky.social @twenseleers.bsky.social
academic.oup.com/evlett/artic...
@ricaliari.bsky.social @twenseleers.bsky.social
Reposted by Evolution Letters
Seasonal adaptation leaves genome-wide signatures across all traits, while food quality drives narrower, oligogenic responses—showing populations can track multiple environmental axes at once. Now out in Evolution Letters academic.oup.com/evlett/artic...
Variation in the resource environment affects patterns of seasonal adaptation at phenotypic and genomic levels in Drosophila melanogaster
Abstract. Natural populations often experience heterogeneity in the quality and abundance of environmentally acquired resources across both space and time,
academic.oup.com
December 16, 2025 at 5:37 PM
Seasonal adaptation leaves genome-wide signatures across all traits, while food quality drives narrower, oligogenic responses—showing populations can track multiple environmental axes at once. Now out in Evolution Letters academic.oup.com/evlett/artic...