Rob Heathcote
@rjpheathcote.bsky.social
Behavioural ecologist interested in sensory ecology of social behaviour and predator-prey interactions. Royal Society University Research Fellow.
University of Oxford
University of Oxford
Reposted by Rob Heathcote
🧵1/9 There are 35,000+ fish species, but we have formal social-behaviour classifications for a tiny fraction. Most knowledge lives in the experience of researchers, fishers, divers, aquarists, naturalists, and Indigenous communities, but almost none of it is centralised. So we built ShoalBase.org.
ShoalBase | Join, Explore, Contribute Now
ShoalBase offers a global database on fish social behaviour, supporting research, conservation, and ecology through community contributions and visual data mapping.
ShoalBase.org
November 25, 2025 at 1:11 PM
🧵1/9 There are 35,000+ fish species, but we have formal social-behaviour classifications for a tiny fraction. Most knowledge lives in the experience of researchers, fishers, divers, aquarists, naturalists, and Indigenous communities, but almost none of it is centralised. So we built ShoalBase.org.
Reposted by Rob Heathcote
PhD opportunity: MOVE
Details: blogs.reading.ac.uk/crocus-dla/c...
Deadline: 12/01/26
Supervisors: @shoalgroup.bsky.social, @inesfuertbauer.bsky.social, @wlallen.bsky.social, @nhcooper123.bsky.social, @marinapapa.bsky.social
Apply: blogs.reading.ac.uk/crocus-dla/p...
Details: blogs.reading.ac.uk/crocus-dla/c...
Deadline: 12/01/26
Supervisors: @shoalgroup.bsky.social, @inesfuertbauer.bsky.social, @wlallen.bsky.social, @nhcooper123.bsky.social, @marinapapa.bsky.social
Apply: blogs.reading.ac.uk/crocus-dla/p...
November 20, 2025 at 9:09 AM
PhD opportunity: MOVE
Details: blogs.reading.ac.uk/crocus-dla/c...
Deadline: 12/01/26
Supervisors: @shoalgroup.bsky.social, @inesfuertbauer.bsky.social, @wlallen.bsky.social, @nhcooper123.bsky.social, @marinapapa.bsky.social
Apply: blogs.reading.ac.uk/crocus-dla/p...
Details: blogs.reading.ac.uk/crocus-dla/c...
Deadline: 12/01/26
Supervisors: @shoalgroup.bsky.social, @inesfuertbauer.bsky.social, @wlallen.bsky.social, @nhcooper123.bsky.social, @marinapapa.bsky.social
Apply: blogs.reading.ac.uk/crocus-dla/p...
Reposted by Rob Heathcote
Join us! 🧬🪰🎉🔬
We are currently advertising two #PhD projects to study the #evolution, #development and #genomics of sexual traits in stalk-eyed flies.
Deadline for applying is Wednesday, January 7, 2026. Get in touch for more info!
We are currently advertising two #PhD projects to study the #evolution, #development and #genomics of sexual traits in stalk-eyed flies.
Deadline for applying is Wednesday, January 7, 2026. Get in touch for more info!
November 17, 2025 at 3:58 PM
Join us! 🧬🪰🎉🔬
We are currently advertising two #PhD projects to study the #evolution, #development and #genomics of sexual traits in stalk-eyed flies.
Deadline for applying is Wednesday, January 7, 2026. Get in touch for more info!
We are currently advertising two #PhD projects to study the #evolution, #development and #genomics of sexual traits in stalk-eyed flies.
Deadline for applying is Wednesday, January 7, 2026. Get in touch for more info!
Reposted by Rob Heathcote
Interested in fighting, flies, and evolution? I've got a project at Durham investigating the ecology, evolution, and genetics of aggression in fruit flies (Drosophila): iapetus.ac.uk/studentships.... All questions welcome - just shoot me a message or email!
What drives aggression? Linking Ecology, Evolution, and Genes
iapetus.ac.uk
November 11, 2025 at 10:58 AM
Interested in fighting, flies, and evolution? I've got a project at Durham investigating the ecology, evolution, and genetics of aggression in fruit flies (Drosophila): iapetus.ac.uk/studentships.... All questions welcome - just shoot me a message or email!
Reposted by Rob Heathcote
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 Rob Heathcote
MSc by Res opportunity - developing behavioural indicators to inform killer whale conservation with
@exeter.ac.uk @whaleresearch.bsky.social @seadocsociety.bsky.social
People from underrepresented groups in marine science encouraged to apply.
Deadline 19Dec
www.exeter.ac.uk/study/fundin...
@exeter.ac.uk @whaleresearch.bsky.social @seadocsociety.bsky.social
People from underrepresented groups in marine science encouraged to apply.
Deadline 19Dec
www.exeter.ac.uk/study/fundin...
October 22, 2025 at 10:44 AM
MSc by Res opportunity - developing behavioural indicators to inform killer whale conservation with
@exeter.ac.uk @whaleresearch.bsky.social @seadocsociety.bsky.social
People from underrepresented groups in marine science encouraged to apply.
Deadline 19Dec
www.exeter.ac.uk/study/fundin...
@exeter.ac.uk @whaleresearch.bsky.social @seadocsociety.bsky.social
People from underrepresented groups in marine science encouraged to apply.
Deadline 19Dec
www.exeter.ac.uk/study/fundin...
Reposted by Rob Heathcote
🚨Fully-funded PhD opportunity in my group🚨
🧬How does parental ageing shape the next generation?🐾
Find out by studying meerkats!
🧪Epigenetic clocks
✨Bioinformatics
📊Long-term data
🌍Kalahari fieldwork
💡Big evolutionary questions
Get in touch or APPLY NOW
Please share!
www.uea.ac.uk/course/phd-d...
🧬How does parental ageing shape the next generation?🐾
Find out by studying meerkats!
🧪Epigenetic clocks
✨Bioinformatics
📊Long-term data
🌍Kalahari fieldwork
💡Big evolutionary questions
Get in touch or APPLY NOW
Please share!
www.uea.ac.uk/course/phd-d...
October 17, 2025 at 9:12 AM
🚨Fully-funded PhD opportunity in my group🚨
🧬How does parental ageing shape the next generation?🐾
Find out by studying meerkats!
🧪Epigenetic clocks
✨Bioinformatics
📊Long-term data
🌍Kalahari fieldwork
💡Big evolutionary questions
Get in touch or APPLY NOW
Please share!
www.uea.ac.uk/course/phd-d...
🧬How does parental ageing shape the next generation?🐾
Find out by studying meerkats!
🧪Epigenetic clocks
✨Bioinformatics
📊Long-term data
🌍Kalahari fieldwork
💡Big evolutionary questions
Get in touch or APPLY NOW
Please share!
www.uea.ac.uk/course/phd-d...
Reposted by Rob Heathcote
And a new chapter begins! I'm thrilled to have started a PDRA role at @biology.ox.ac.uk with @rjpheathcote.bsky.social. Stay tuned for more fish content 🐟
October 7, 2025 at 4:22 PM
And a new chapter begins! I'm thrilled to have started a PDRA role at @biology.ox.ac.uk with @rjpheathcote.bsky.social. Stay tuned for more fish content 🐟
Reposted by Rob Heathcote
I'm v excited to be recruiting a PhD student to work on badger behaviour and ecology! Starting date is March 2026; see the ad here, or message me for more details: www.gregalbery.me/s/March-2026...
October 3, 2025 at 2:05 PM
I'm v excited to be recruiting a PhD student to work on badger behaviour and ecology! Starting date is March 2026; see the ad here, or message me for more details: www.gregalbery.me/s/March-2026...
Reposted by Rob Heathcote
The sun did briefly shine in Cambridge today on my last day in @camzoology.bsky.social. It has been a monumental 5.5 years, both professionally and personally. Words can't express my gratitude towards both the Department and the @marinebehavecol.bsky.social group for making me feel so at home 🐠
September 26, 2025 at 2:12 PM
The sun did briefly shine in Cambridge today on my last day in @camzoology.bsky.social. It has been a monumental 5.5 years, both professionally and personally. Words can't express my gratitude towards both the Department and the @marinebehavecol.bsky.social group for making me feel so at home 🐠
Reposted by Rob Heathcote
📢🦋 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 Rob Heathcote
We are hiring - PDRA position exploring how information access shapes social dynamics in killer whales. Collaboration with @samellisq.bsky.social @drwhale.bsky.social Prof Dan Franks (York) start 1st Nov (or ASAP) end 31st Oct 2028. Apps close on 19th Oct.
www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DOT336/p...
www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DOT336/p...
September 23, 2025 at 6:29 PM
We are hiring - PDRA position exploring how information access shapes social dynamics in killer whales. Collaboration with @samellisq.bsky.social @drwhale.bsky.social Prof Dan Franks (York) start 1st Nov (or ASAP) end 31st Oct 2028. Apps close on 19th Oct.
www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DOT336/p...
www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DOT336/p...
Reposted by Rob Heathcote
We're looking for a new postdoc on our new BBSCR grant (Graham Taylor/Tim Guilford/Cait Newport). See link below!
my.corehr.com/pls/uoxrecru...
my.corehr.com/pls/uoxrecru...
September 19, 2025 at 3:25 PM
We're looking for a new postdoc on our new BBSCR grant (Graham Taylor/Tim Guilford/Cait Newport). See link below!
my.corehr.com/pls/uoxrecru...
my.corehr.com/pls/uoxrecru...
Reposted by Rob Heathcote
Celebrating 10 years @aru-biology.bsky.social, now as Professor of Behavioural Biology! Endlessly grateful to the students and collaborators whose curiosity, mentorship, and teamwork made this journey so rewarding, whilst navigating and challenging academia's systemic hurdles #WomenInSTEM #ARUproud
September 1, 2025 at 7:38 AM
Celebrating 10 years @aru-biology.bsky.social, now as Professor of Behavioural Biology! Endlessly grateful to the students and collaborators whose curiosity, mentorship, and teamwork made this journey so rewarding, whilst navigating and challenging academia's systemic hurdles #WomenInSTEM #ARUproud
Reposted by Rob Heathcote
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...
Reposted by Rob Heathcote
I ll be giving a workshop on our new swaRmverse package at #Behaviour2025, come to learn more about quantifying spatiotemporal patterns of animal groups, practical tips on analysis, and discussion on next new features 😁 💻
Package info👇
doi.org/10.1111/2041...
& 🙏 to @asab.org for the travel grant🥰
Package info👇
doi.org/10.1111/2041...
& 🙏 to @asab.org for the travel grant🥰
July 27, 2025 at 9:14 AM
I ll be giving a workshop on our new swaRmverse package at #Behaviour2025, come to learn more about quantifying spatiotemporal patterns of animal groups, practical tips on analysis, and discussion on next new features 😁 💻
Package info👇
doi.org/10.1111/2041...
& 🙏 to @asab.org for the travel grant🥰
Package info👇
doi.org/10.1111/2041...
& 🙏 to @asab.org for the travel grant🥰
Reposted by Rob Heathcote
Why do treehoppers look so weird?! Our latest paper, out this week in @pnas.org, suggests a perhaps unexpected reason - static electricity ⚡ We show that treehoppers can detect the electrostatic cues of predators and that their crazy shapes may boost their electrosensitivity! doi.org/10.1073/pnas...
Electroreception in treehoppers: How extreme morphologies can increase electrical sensitivity | PNAS
The link between form and function of an organism’s morphology is usually apparent
or intuitive. However, some clades of organisms show remarkable ...
doi.org
July 24, 2025 at 11:44 AM
Why do treehoppers look so weird?! Our latest paper, out this week in @pnas.org, suggests a perhaps unexpected reason - static electricity ⚡ We show that treehoppers can detect the electrostatic cues of predators and that their crazy shapes may boost their electrosensitivity! doi.org/10.1073/pnas...
Reposted by Rob Heathcote
🔴New #trumpetfish content!🔴 This species is colour #polymorphic so we dove (pun intended) into how the relative abundance and saliency of each morph influences the #behaviour of their prey. Find out more via the link below! 🎺🐠
🔗 tinyurl.com/39vn5skp #behavioralecology
🔗 tinyurl.com/39vn5skp #behavioralecology
Antagonistic effects of predator color morph abundance and saliency on prey anti-predator responses
Predators can have different color morphs, but whether morph abundance or saliency is more influential in shaping antipredator behavior in prey remains unc
tinyurl.com
July 23, 2025 at 2:11 PM
🔴New #trumpetfish content!🔴 This species is colour #polymorphic so we dove (pun intended) into how the relative abundance and saliency of each morph influences the #behaviour of their prey. Find out more via the link below! 🎺🐠
🔗 tinyurl.com/39vn5skp #behavioralecology
🔗 tinyurl.com/39vn5skp #behavioralecology
Reposted by Rob Heathcote
So very excited for the magnum opus of my #PhD to finally be out in @pnas.org. 🎉🎉 We demosntrate that mutualistic co-mimicking tropical butterflies not only converge in light microhabitat but, as a consequence, have also converged in visual system morphology! 1/n😀
www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1...
www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1...
July 16, 2025 at 9:29 AM
So very excited for the magnum opus of my #PhD to finally be out in @pnas.org. 🎉🎉 We demosntrate that mutualistic co-mimicking tropical butterflies not only converge in light microhabitat but, as a consequence, have also converged in visual system morphology! 1/n😀
www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1...
www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1...
Reposted by Rob Heathcote
Why do imperfect mimics (such as many hoverflies) exist? We created 3D printed replicas of flies, wasps and our own custom intermediates and then "asked" various predators what they thought of our 3D stimuli. Read all about it here: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Mapping the adaptive landscape of Batesian mimicry using 3D-printed stimuli - Nature
Birds have an excellent ability to learn to discriminate harmless insects from those that they mimic on the basis of subtle differences in appearance.
www.nature.com
July 2, 2025 at 6:32 PM
Why do imperfect mimics (such as many hoverflies) exist? We created 3D printed replicas of flies, wasps and our own custom intermediates and then "asked" various predators what they thought of our 3D stimuli. Read all about it here: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Rob Heathcote
NEW PAPER🎺
How does cognition determine an individual’s fitness? A systematic review of the links between cognition, behaviour and fitness in non-human animals
Lots of studies try to explain how cognition might evolve, by taking a behavioural ecology approach
Has this approach made any progress?🧵
How does cognition determine an individual’s fitness? A systematic review of the links between cognition, behaviour and fitness in non-human animals
Lots of studies try to explain how cognition might evolve, by taking a behavioural ecology approach
Has this approach made any progress?🧵
June 26, 2025 at 9:03 AM
NEW PAPER🎺
How does cognition determine an individual’s fitness? A systematic review of the links between cognition, behaviour and fitness in non-human animals
Lots of studies try to explain how cognition might evolve, by taking a behavioural ecology approach
Has this approach made any progress?🧵
How does cognition determine an individual’s fitness? A systematic review of the links between cognition, behaviour and fitness in non-human animals
Lots of studies try to explain how cognition might evolve, by taking a behavioural ecology approach
Has this approach made any progress?🧵
Reposted by Rob Heathcote
How does predation shape evolution? We tested this with guppies, exposing them to real predators over 3 generations. Survivors evolved fast: bigger females with earlier broods, males with shorter tails and gonopodia. But...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
June 25, 2025 at 9:15 AM
How does predation shape evolution? We tested this with guppies, exposing them to real predators over 3 generations. Survivors evolved fast: bigger females with earlier broods, males with shorter tails and gonopodia. But...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Reposted by Rob Heathcote
Deadline tomorrow!!!
1/3
www.swansea.ac.uk/postgraduate...
PhD studentship! Comparative Analysis and Modelling of Collective Behaviour in Natural and Artificial Systems.
**this scholarship for UK residents only, as defined by UKCISA regulations**
Details below! Please RT
(AI-generated image)
www.swansea.ac.uk/postgraduate...
PhD studentship! Comparative Analysis and Modelling of Collective Behaviour in Natural and Artificial Systems.
**this scholarship for UK residents only, as defined by UKCISA regulations**
Details below! Please RT
(AI-generated image)
June 22, 2025 at 6:06 AM
Deadline tomorrow!!!
Reposted by Rob Heathcote
Honoured to be joining the next cohort of @ukri.org BBSRC Fellows! Excited to kick off my project asking whether signalling promotes cooperative cleaner-client interactions (with the help of robotic fish 🐟🤖)!
Hugely grateful for all the support, advice, and encouragement that’s helped me get here!
Hugely grateful for all the support, advice, and encouragement that’s helped me get here!
Congratulations to @14katie41.bsky.social and Samuel Fabian, who've been awarded 2025 BBSRC Fellowships!
Katie will focus on mutualistic partnerships in fish and how they are maintained. Sam will focus on insects' aerial chases and what makes them successful 👇
bit.ly/3EqMBOG
Katie will focus on mutualistic partnerships in fish and how they are maintained. Sam will focus on insects' aerial chases and what makes them successful 👇
bit.ly/3EqMBOG
Two researchers awarded BBSRC Fellowships 2025
bit.ly
April 22, 2025 at 8:14 AM
Honoured to be joining the next cohort of @ukri.org BBSRC Fellows! Excited to kick off my project asking whether signalling promotes cooperative cleaner-client interactions (with the help of robotic fish 🐟🤖)!
Hugely grateful for all the support, advice, and encouragement that’s helped me get here!
Hugely grateful for all the support, advice, and encouragement that’s helped me get here!
🐠💥2 year postdoc in fish sensory ecology!! 💥🐟
If you’re into animal colour, collective behaviour, predator-prey interactions, enjoy behavioural experiments and fieldwork, please apply! Based in Oxford with fieldwork in northwest Thailand (and elsewhere). Please repost! www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DNM294/p...
If you’re into animal colour, collective behaviour, predator-prey interactions, enjoy behavioural experiments and fieldwork, please apply! Based in Oxford with fieldwork in northwest Thailand (and elsewhere). Please repost! www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DNM294/p...
June 13, 2025 at 6:50 AM
🐠💥2 year postdoc in fish sensory ecology!! 💥🐟
If you’re into animal colour, collective behaviour, predator-prey interactions, enjoy behavioural experiments and fieldwork, please apply! Based in Oxford with fieldwork in northwest Thailand (and elsewhere). Please repost! www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DNM294/p...
If you’re into animal colour, collective behaviour, predator-prey interactions, enjoy behavioural experiments and fieldwork, please apply! Based in Oxford with fieldwork in northwest Thailand (and elsewhere). Please repost! www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DNM294/p...