Derek D. Houston
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derekdhouston.bsky.social
Derek D. Houston
@derekdhouston.bsky.social
Evolutionary Biology, Phylogeography, Ichthyology, Conservation Genetics, Community Ecology, Friend of Rough Fish
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
It went well. Backup cameras really help a lot :)
September 5, 2025 at 9:07 PM
Know anyone looking for a funded MS thesis project focused on native fish conservation? Send them this ad. NDOW and U. of Nevada-Reno are going to be learning more about this newly described species. (Note that the application deadline is quickly approaching.)
August 20, 2025 at 5:19 PM
Look at my dog, chasing something in his sleep (maybe the bear that's been hanging around the neighborhood)
August 6, 2025 at 2:53 AM
Spent a few days in the field volunteering with a Rio Grande cutthroat trout reclamation effort. This is my rotenone drip station outfit. Feels like being an evil supervillain poisoning a stream, but hey, the ends justify the means.
August 1, 2025 at 1:48 AM
I voted. I hope you did too!
November 5, 2024 at 5:44 PM
So excited to learn that Western alumn Autumn Moya has been selected for the next cohort of NOAA's Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship in 2025. She did undergraduate research with me and will be finishing up her MS at U. of Southern Mississippi soon. Congrats!

seagrant.noaa.gov/sea-grant-we...
October 3, 2024 at 9:00 PM
There's a postdoc position working in desert fish conservation at Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge if you know anyone looking for a postdoc (see attached screen shot for details)
August 22, 2024 at 3:53 PM
Spent a few days assisting on a Rio Grande cutthroat trout. reclamation project - Rotenone treatments have come a long way since the last time I participated in one (as a MS student)
August 2, 2024 at 1:58 AM
Publish a few papers on native minnows and suckers and the predatory journals key in on it, but this takes the cake
July 17, 2024 at 2:04 AM
I think my dog enjoyed our trip to the Utah desert last weekend
March 10, 2024 at 10:16 PM
Ever seen a fish that was killed by an avalanche? Now you have. An avalanche near Taylor Park, CO, scoured the Taylor River bottom and carried some fish out into the parking area.
March 5, 2024 at 6:26 PM
Annual reminder that these valentines exist. Today, I'm giving them to my Biology of Fishes students with a piece of chocolate attached.
February 14, 2024 at 4:38 PM
Happy Darwin Day!!
February 12, 2024 at 4:23 PM
This looks like a pretty good grad opportunity for prospective students interested in using eDNA in conservation work. Applications due Jan 15 if you know any students who'd be interested.
December 18, 2023 at 12:43 AM
My students and I drew a new AFS logo. We are available for graphic design if you need us :)
December 8, 2023 at 4:31 AM
And if you need a testimonial for how well the app works, she has that covered as well
October 16, 2023 at 7:22 PM
One of my students gave a presentation on "three-species" (bluehead sucker, flannelmouth sucker, and roundtail chub), and created a fictional "dating" app called ChubLuv
October 16, 2023 at 7:22 PM
Used the Google Scholar word cloud shiny app and got this output:

[Link: shiny.rcg.sfu.ca/u/rdmorin/sc... ]
September 29, 2023 at 2:15 PM
Taught my students about the bonytail chub's narrow caudal peduncle and what that means (it's a strong swimmer) and now they won't stop using that term every chance they get.

(But look at how narrow that is just before the caudal fin; photo from roughfish.com)
September 21, 2023 at 9:33 PM
Yesterday's fisheries management lab exercise got students out to do 2-pass population estimates. I love our "lab" space. Many thanks to Dan B. with Colorado Parks and Wildlife for making this happen!
September 20, 2023 at 4:07 PM