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Why can people talk when our closest relatives can't? One explanation has hinged on the position of the voicebox (larynx), which is lower in humans than in other apes. The "laryngeal descent theory" posited that this anatomy is a unique adaptation (or at least precondition) for true speech. So, what happened when dropped voiceboxes were found in other mammals?  Reanalyzing half a century of debates and data, Boe et al (2019) concluded that "the dawn of speech  is not recent, but early" - by which they mean 20 million years ago!

Check out the article at: Boe et al (2019). Which way to the dawn of speech? Science Advances 11 Dec 2019 • Vol 5, Issue 12 • DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aaw3916

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https://www.biointeractive.org/classroom-resources/natures-cutest-symbiosis-bobtail-squid

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Nature's Cutest Symbiosis: The Bobtail Squid

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This short video explores the symbiotic relationship between the Hawaiian bobtail squid and light-producing bacteria.

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I will be focusing my case study on the parallel or convergent evolution patterns surrounding osteodermal armour development in different, unrelated taxa. This article covers a few examples.

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The authors conclude that "Evidence for extensive inter-specific gene flow. . . necessitates shifting the attention from speciation processes achieving genome-wide reproductive isolation to the selective processes that maintain species divergence in the face of gene flow" (my emphasis)

Kumar, V., Lammers, F., Bidon, T. et al. The evolutionary history of bears is characterized by gene flow across species. Sci Rep 7, 46487 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1038/srep46487

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( A) In the coalescent species tree all branches receive 100% bootstrap support. The position of root and depicted branch lengths were calculated from coding sequence and 10 Mb of GF data respectively. ( B) A split network with a 7% threshold level depicts the complex phylogenetic signal in bear genomes. As expected, the ABC-island brown bear (asterisk) shares alleles with polar bears; among other bears allele sharing is complex. Paintings by Jon Baldur Hlidberg ( www.fauna.is).

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Figure 2: A coalescent species tree and a split network analysis from 18,621 GF ML trees.

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( A) In the coalescent species tree all branches receive 100% bootstrap support. The position of root and depicted branch lengths were calculated from coding sequence and 10 Mb of GF data respectively. ( B) A split network with a 7% threshold level depicts the complex phylogenetic signal in bear genomes.

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The giant panda (a bear) and red panda (a mustelid) are obligate bamboo-feeders that independently evolved from meat-eating ancestors. Both also possess adaptive pseudothumbs. These authors examined the genetic basis of convergent evolution in these two species.
https://www.pnas.org/doi/full/10.1073/pnas.1613870114

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Weird fungi that only live with termites.

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Sponge vs Jelly: the root of the animal tree

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Sponge vs Jelly: the root of the animal tree

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In 2020, Giribet & Edgecombe wrote:

"Resolution at the base of the animal phylogenetic tree remains contentious despite huge recent efforts using phylogenomic and genomic data. . . . Two hypotheses remain with respect to the candidate sister group to all other animals, the “Porifera-sister” hypothesis. . . and the “Ctenophora-sister” one. . . "

Why has there been so much dissent? What evidence supports each of these alternate hypotheses? How will we know which one is 'right'?

Giribet G, Edgecombe GD (2020) Phylogenetics and the base of the animal tree of life in G. Giribet & GD Edgecombe (eds)  The Invertebrate Tree of Life, Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2020, pp. 15-22.

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Beautiful boys: Evolution of Peacock Spiders

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Beautiful boys: Evolution of Peacock Spiders

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Peacock spiders are brightly coloured, tiny jumping spiders (Fam. Salticidae) found in Australia (we have lots in WA).  The males are brightly coloured and perform a 'dance' during courtship display - waggling their legs and abdomen. The females, however, are drab - but also very picky in their mate choice. Why not explore the evolution of these fancy, highly sexually dimorphic dancers? Start with

Girard et al. (2021) Phylogenomics of peacock spiders and their kin (Salticidae: Maratus), with implications for the evolution of male courtship displays. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2021

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Photo: Dirk van der Made. CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1156547

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Fungus farming ants are a classic example of mutualism and co-evolution. Start by reading this recent paper on one group of these amazing insects.

Hanisch PE et al (2022) The last piece of the puzzle? Phylogenetic position and natural history of the monotypic fungis-farming ant genus Paramycetophylax (Formicidae: Attini). Insect Systematics and Diversity vol 6 http://doi.org/10.1093/isd/ixab029