Dr Andrew Mahon
@andyantarctica.bsky.social
Biologist and molecular ecologist, studying animals in Antarctica, e.g., sea spiders. I also use eDNA to study biodiversity all over the globe.
Web: MahonLab.com
Google Scholar: https://rb.gy/6z3tre
LinkedIn: https://tinyurl.com/4kvx48s
Web: MahonLab.com
Google Scholar: https://rb.gy/6z3tre
LinkedIn: https://tinyurl.com/4kvx48s
Sincerest condolences John. Thoughts are with you and yours.
February 10, 2026 at 6:26 PM
Sincerest condolences John. Thoughts are with you and yours.
Luckily we have about 5 or so specimens from locations nearly circumpolar around Antarctica. Thanks for the advice/info Geoff!
January 27, 2026 at 10:55 PM
Luckily we have about 5 or so specimens from locations nearly circumpolar around Antarctica. Thanks for the advice/info Geoff!
We have the mitogenome assembled and circularized but no prior barcodes for it. It will be part of the re-description. I don't see any justification for a new name, as we are sure its the same species but the details and lack of access to holotype (if it exists still) make redescription warranted.
January 27, 2026 at 12:23 PM
We have the mitogenome assembled and circularized but no prior barcodes for it. It will be part of the re-description. I don't see any justification for a new name, as we are sure its the same species but the details and lack of access to holotype (if it exists still) make redescription warranted.
good question about the epitype but I again lack the holotype....but as for neotype....if I've exhausted every effort to contact folks and organization who have the holotype, is that good enough to replace the holotype...if i cannot verify one way or another if the original exists any longer.
January 26, 2026 at 2:42 PM
good question about the epitype but I again lack the holotype....but as for neotype....if I've exhausted every effort to contact folks and organization who have the holotype, is that good enough to replace the holotype...if i cannot verify one way or another if the original exists any longer.
I don't need to give it a different name, but what's published is a poor representative, single collection of one and I've collected what I believe to be their described species many places and times in Antarctica. Any direction I could get from all of you would be fantastic!
January 26, 2026 at 2:23 PM
I don't need to give it a different name, but what's published is a poor representative, single collection of one and I've collected what I believe to be their described species many places and times in Antarctica. Any direction I could get from all of you would be fantastic!
To do a re-description of this organism that is absolutely warranted, do I have to actually physically travel to this unreachable location and knock on doors (that honestly may NOT exist) to find it?
January 26, 2026 at 2:23 PM
To do a re-description of this organism that is absolutely warranted, do I have to actually physically travel to this unreachable location and knock on doors (that honestly may NOT exist) to find it?
Measurements are off by many factors of 10, poor drawings, the photo is unidentifiable. What would the process of re-describing this be? I have made EVERY attempt to contact the folks that have the holotype....but i've gotten no response (its in a reported collection in an unreachable location).
January 26, 2026 at 2:23 PM
Measurements are off by many factors of 10, poor drawings, the photo is unidentifiable. What would the process of re-describing this be? I have made EVERY attempt to contact the folks that have the holotype....but i've gotten no response (its in a reported collection in an unreachable location).