Joel Corush
@jcorush.bsky.social
Assistant Professor @ Illinois Institute of Technology
Ichthyology, macroevolution, hybridization, and conservation
University of Tennessee - EEB & Drake University Alum
https://jcorush.github.io/
https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=Xh3zefgAAAAJ
Ichthyology, macroevolution, hybridization, and conservation
University of Tennessee - EEB & Drake University Alum
https://jcorush.github.io/
https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=Xh3zefgAAAAJ
Reposted by Joel Corush
#FishADay Ameiurus nebulosus Brown Bullhead. FW Atlantic and Gulf Slope drainages of NA. First fish species documented to host a transmissible cancer--in this case, a melanoma that doesn't seem to be particularly deadly. www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Rare contagious cancer discovered in wild catfish
Transmissible tumours have been found in only a few types of animal, but there might be many more out there.
www.nature.com
September 10, 2026 at 2:28 PM
#FishADay Ameiurus nebulosus Brown Bullhead. FW Atlantic and Gulf Slope drainages of NA. First fish species documented to host a transmissible cancer--in this case, a melanoma that doesn't seem to be particularly deadly. www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Reposted by Joel Corush
With colleagues across museums in the US and Canada, we recently asked: what is North America's largest crayfish species? Which led to a more interesting follow-up question: why do the contenders all cluster at a similar upper size limit? New in Ecology at: doi.org/10.1002/ecy....
September 4, 2026 at 3:05 PM
With colleagues across museums in the US and Canada, we recently asked: what is North America's largest crayfish species? Which led to a more interesting follow-up question: why do the contenders all cluster at a similar upper size limit? New in Ecology at: doi.org/10.1002/ecy....
Reposted by Joel Corush
#FishADay Demogorgonichthys arcanus Demon Cave Fish. One cave system in northern Alabama. Eyeless; appears to have lost its vision following an evolutionary pathway separate from a close blind relative that is found in the same system! www.scientificamerican.com/article/newl...
Newly discovered ‘demon cave fish’ hid out in Alabama military installation for 40 years
Scientists named this oddball creature after the Demogorgon from Stranger Things
www.scientificamerican.com
September 4, 2026 at 8:32 AM
#FishADay Demogorgonichthys arcanus Demon Cave Fish. One cave system in northern Alabama. Eyeless; appears to have lost its vision following an evolutionary pathway separate from a close blind relative that is found in the same system! www.scientificamerican.com/article/newl...
Cool new paper finding lower diversification
rates in diadromous salmonid lineages relative to non-migratory lineages. By Burridge, Simpson, Wilson, & @jonwatersnz.bsky.social
doi.org/10.1093/evol...
rates in diadromous salmonid lineages relative to non-migratory lineages. By Burridge, Simpson, Wilson, & @jonwatersnz.bsky.social
doi.org/10.1093/evol...
August 29, 2026 at 5:08 PM
Cool new paper finding lower diversification
rates in diadromous salmonid lineages relative to non-migratory lineages. By Burridge, Simpson, Wilson, & @jonwatersnz.bsky.social
doi.org/10.1093/evol...
rates in diadromous salmonid lineages relative to non-migratory lineages. By Burridge, Simpson, Wilson, & @jonwatersnz.bsky.social
doi.org/10.1093/evol...
Reposted by Joel Corush
Surgeonfishes are cool! Our Evolution paper now out in final form, the amazing patterns of change in fish shape and covariance (new method!) elegantly revealed by @linnealungstrom.bsky.social
🐟🐠🦑🌿
academic.oup.com/evolut/artic...
🐟🐠🦑🌿
academic.oup.com/evolut/artic...
Phylogenetics, trait covariance analysis, and the evolution of fin and body shape in the surgeonfishes
Abstract. Insights into ecomorphology are enriched when investigating evolutionary correlations between ecologically and functionally important traits. How
academic.oup.com
August 16, 2026 at 12:40 AM
Surgeonfishes are cool! Our Evolution paper now out in final form, the amazing patterns of change in fish shape and covariance (new method!) elegantly revealed by @linnealungstrom.bsky.social
🐟🐠🦑🌿
academic.oup.com/evolut/artic...
🐟🐠🦑🌿
academic.oup.com/evolut/artic...
Reposted by Joel Corush
This is such a cool and clever paper addressing a fundamental question in population genetics www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
The Genome-Wide Effect of Drift and Selection over a Single Generation
The relative importance of genetic drift versus selection to evolutionary change has long been debated. This debate has mainly focused over long-time-scales (e.g. hundreds of thousands of generations)...
www.biorxiv.org
August 15, 2026 at 5:10 PM
This is such a cool and clever paper addressing a fundamental question in population genetics www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
Reposted by Joel Corush
pop gen folks: i'm putting together the reading list for my 400/600-level pop gen class. what are your must-reads?
🧪
🧪
August 11, 2026 at 6:28 PM
pop gen folks: i'm putting together the reading list for my 400/600-level pop gen class. what are your must-reads?
🧪
🧪
Great funded PhD opportunity with Dr. Andres looking at the invasion of the round goby (Neogobius melanostomus) throughout the Upper Mississippi River Basin.
If you are interested in invasive species, fish, field work, and molecular methods take a look!
jobs.rwfm.tamu.edu/view-job/?id...
If you are interested in invasive species, fish, field work, and molecular methods take a look!
jobs.rwfm.tamu.edu/view-job/?id...
Ph.D. Assistantship: Freshwater Invasion Ecology | Natural Resources Job Board
jobs.rwfm.tamu.edu
August 12, 2026 at 4:22 PM
Great funded PhD opportunity with Dr. Andres looking at the invasion of the round goby (Neogobius melanostomus) throughout the Upper Mississippi River Basin.
If you are interested in invasive species, fish, field work, and molecular methods take a look!
jobs.rwfm.tamu.edu/view-job/?id...
If you are interested in invasive species, fish, field work, and molecular methods take a look!
jobs.rwfm.tamu.edu/view-job/?id...
Reposted by Joel Corush
Just learned this masterpiece got published today and couldn’t be more excited about it!! During my first PhD semester at UMich back in 2019 Willy gave an amazing talk about this project, setting the bauplan of the kind of research I have tried to do since!
scholarlypress.si.edu/store/all/co...
scholarlypress.si.edu/store/all/co...
Comparative Anatomy of Ocean Sunfishes (Tetraodontiformes: Molidae) | Smithsonian Institution Scholarly Press
scholarlypress.si.edu
August 10, 2026 at 11:40 PM
Just learned this masterpiece got published today and couldn’t be more excited about it!! During my first PhD semester at UMich back in 2019 Willy gave an amazing talk about this project, setting the bauplan of the kind of research I have tried to do since!
scholarlypress.si.edu/store/all/co...
scholarlypress.si.edu/store/all/co...
Reposted by Joel Corush
Estimation of Contemporary and Recent Effective Population Size from Genomic Data
www.annualreviews.org/content/jour...
www.annualreviews.org/content/jour...
Estimation of Contemporary and Recent Effective Population Size from Genomic Data
Effective population size (Ne) is a crucial parameter in the fields of evolutionary biology, conservation biology of endangered species, and selective breeding of domestic animals and crops, as it qua...
www.annualreviews.org
August 6, 2026 at 7:57 AM
Estimation of Contemporary and Recent Effective Population Size from Genomic Data
www.annualreviews.org/content/jour...
www.annualreviews.org/content/jour...
Reposted by Joel Corush
Happy to see the new publication of our study on the Ironcolor Shiner and understanding its genetic diversity using population genomics. link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Unique genetic diversity and differential demographics revealed in peripheral populations of a North American minnow, the Ironcolor Shiner (Alburnops chalybaeus) - Conservation Genetics
Peripheral and disjunct populations are often the result of historic geological changes in the landscape and because of the long temporal span of colonization or vicariance, they are often genetically...
link.springer.com
June 18, 2026 at 7:45 PM
Happy to see the new publication of our study on the Ironcolor Shiner and understanding its genetic diversity using population genomics. link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Reposted by Joel Corush
New paper out today! @sternarchella.bsky.social and I review how modularity and integration influence adaptive radiations and diversification. Read it here: rdcu.be/fpcSX
June 19, 2026 at 9:08 AM
New paper out today! @sternarchella.bsky.social and I review how modularity and integration influence adaptive radiations and diversification. Read it here: rdcu.be/fpcSX
Glad to get this Ironcolor Shiner biogeography paper out in #ConservationGenetics!
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Always a pleasure working with @rvcucalont.bsky.social Haruma Kurita, Brian Metzke, @mtanichthys.bsky.social @markdavis79.bsky.social
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Always a pleasure working with @rvcucalont.bsky.social Haruma Kurita, Brian Metzke, @mtanichthys.bsky.social @markdavis79.bsky.social
June 19, 2026 at 11:33 PM
Glad to get this Ironcolor Shiner biogeography paper out in #ConservationGenetics!
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Always a pleasure working with @rvcucalont.bsky.social Haruma Kurita, Brian Metzke, @mtanichthys.bsky.social @markdavis79.bsky.social
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Always a pleasure working with @rvcucalont.bsky.social Haruma Kurita, Brian Metzke, @mtanichthys.bsky.social @markdavis79.bsky.social
Here is every native freshwater fish species of the Azores islands.
1) The European eel.
That is it!
Found this individual on São Miguel Island, Azores 🇵🇹
On many remote islands only diadromous species can access the freshwater habitats resulting in low species diversity.
1) The European eel.
That is it!
Found this individual on São Miguel Island, Azores 🇵🇹
On many remote islands only diadromous species can access the freshwater habitats resulting in low species diversity.
June 3, 2026 at 4:49 PM
Here is every native freshwater fish species of the Azores islands.
1) The European eel.
That is it!
Found this individual on São Miguel Island, Azores 🇵🇹
On many remote islands only diadromous species can access the freshwater habitats resulting in low species diversity.
1) The European eel.
That is it!
Found this individual on São Miguel Island, Azores 🇵🇹
On many remote islands only diadromous species can access the freshwater habitats resulting in low species diversity.
Reposted by Joel Corush
Stepwise loss of complexity in hagfish eyes prior to deep sea colonization royalsocietypublishing.org/rsbl/article...
Stepwise loss of complexity in hagfish eyes prior to deep sea colonization
Abstract. The hagfish eye is highly reduced, lacking pigment and a lens, and covered by soft tissue. The timing and mode of this loss of complexity remain
royalsocietypublishing.org
May 31, 2026 at 12:38 PM
Stepwise loss of complexity in hagfish eyes prior to deep sea colonization royalsocietypublishing.org/rsbl/article...
Reposted by Joel Corush
#ERGAReads | Whole Genome Sequencing Reveals How Plasticity and Genetic Differentiation Underlie Sympatric Morphs of Arctic Charr 🧬 🐟️
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
#genomes #ArcticCharr #plasticity #fisheries #bioeconomy #morphs #charr @evobiouppsala.bsky.social
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
#genomes #ArcticCharr #plasticity #fisheries #bioeconomy #morphs #charr @evobiouppsala.bsky.social
Whole Genome Sequencing Reveals How Plasticity and Genetic Differentiation Underlie Sympatric Morphs of Arctic Charr
Salmonids have a remarkable ability to form sympatric morphs after postglacial colonisation of freshwater lakes. These morphs often differ in morphology, feeding and spawning behaviour. Here, we…
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
May 20, 2026 at 7:30 AM
#ERGAReads | Whole Genome Sequencing Reveals How Plasticity and Genetic Differentiation Underlie Sympatric Morphs of Arctic Charr 🧬 🐟️
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
#genomes #ArcticCharr #plasticity #fisheries #bioeconomy #morphs #charr @evobiouppsala.bsky.social
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
#genomes #ArcticCharr #plasticity #fisheries #bioeconomy #morphs #charr @evobiouppsala.bsky.social
Reposted by Joel Corush
There are more individuals of the deep-sea fish Cyclothone than any other vertebrate genus, maybe as many as one million billion. Distinctively ornamented ichthyoliths place the origin of Cyclothone in the greenhouse world of the early Eocene, ~55.6 Ma. royalsocietypublishing.org/rspb/article...
May 1, 2026 at 8:49 PM
There are more individuals of the deep-sea fish Cyclothone than any other vertebrate genus, maybe as many as one million billion. Distinctively ornamented ichthyoliths place the origin of Cyclothone in the greenhouse world of the early Eocene, ~55.6 Ma. royalsocietypublishing.org/rspb/article...
Reposted by Joel Corush
Crispim JL, P Argüello, GSC Silva, C Oliveira, KR Luckenbill & MH Sabaj, 2026. After eight decades: a new species of Pterobunocephalus (Siluriformes: Aspredinidae) from the upper Putumayo, Napo and Pastaza rivers, Ecuador. Neotropical Ichthyology 24:e250162.🐟🧪
doi.org/10.1590/1982...
doi.org/10.1590/1982...
April 20, 2026 at 1:43 PM
Crispim JL, P Argüello, GSC Silva, C Oliveira, KR Luckenbill & MH Sabaj, 2026. After eight decades: a new species of Pterobunocephalus (Siluriformes: Aspredinidae) from the upper Putumayo, Napo and Pastaza rivers, Ecuador. Neotropical Ichthyology 24:e250162.🐟🧪
doi.org/10.1590/1982...
doi.org/10.1590/1982...
Reposted by Joel Corush
Happy to share with you the completely updated assessment of the conservation status of Europe’s 559 known freshwater fish species. Not happy to report that nearly 50% of them are threatened.
▶️ Here is the #IUCN report 👇
sohub.io/nvoz
▶️ Here is the #IUCN report 👇
sohub.io/nvoz
European red list of freshwater fishes - Publications Office of the EU
The European Red List provides a scientifically rigorous and evidence-based assessment of the regional extinction risk of selected European taxa. This includes all vertebrate species - fishes, amphibi...
sohub.io
April 15, 2026 at 11:32 AM
Happy to share with you the completely updated assessment of the conservation status of Europe’s 559 known freshwater fish species. Not happy to report that nearly 50% of them are threatened.
▶️ Here is the #IUCN report 👇
sohub.io/nvoz
▶️ Here is the #IUCN report 👇
sohub.io/nvoz
Reposted by Joel Corush
New paper led by @taylorblack.bsky.social shows AVT modulates aggression in darter lineages with nest site territoriality and paternal care but elicits no behavioral response in a species that secondarily lost territoriality and care www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Lineage-specific decoupling of arginine vasotocin-evoked aggression in male darters (Percidae: Etheostomatinae)
The repeated evolution of parental care is often accompanied by shifts in the neural circuits and hormonal pathways that regulate motivation and aggre…
www.sciencedirect.com
April 15, 2026 at 11:58 AM
New paper led by @taylorblack.bsky.social shows AVT modulates aggression in darter lineages with nest site territoriality and paternal care but elicits no behavioral response in a species that secondarily lost territoriality and care www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Reposted by Joel Corush
Once-Adventurous Salmon Can’t Believe She Ended Up Moving Back To Birthplace, Having A Bunch Of Kids https://theonion.com/once-adventurous-salmon-can-t-believe-she-ended-up-movi-1825827223/
April 8, 2026 at 9:00 PM
Once-Adventurous Salmon Can’t Believe She Ended Up Moving Back To Birthplace, Having A Bunch Of Kids https://theonion.com/once-adventurous-salmon-can-t-believe-she-ended-up-movi-1825827223/
Reposted by Joel Corush
Pleased to share a new phylogeny for the airbreathing or walking catfishes from the family Clariidae - part of my postdoctoral work at the AMNH in collaboration with Tobit Liyandja and Melanie Stiassny: www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
April 5, 2026 at 9:23 PM
Pleased to share a new phylogeny for the airbreathing or walking catfishes from the family Clariidae - part of my postdoctoral work at the AMNH in collaboration with Tobit Liyandja and Melanie Stiassny: www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Reposted by Joel Corush
Tiny shellear fish in central Africa scale a 50-foot vertical waterfall using suction cups and tiny hooks. This convergent evolution places them with some island gobies and Brazilian bumblebee catfish, who all do world class bouldering. 🐟🌍
phys.org/news/2026-04...
phys.org/news/2026-04...
Tiny African fish caught climbing to the top of a 50-foot waterfall
For over half a century, people in Central Africa have told tales of the fish seen climbing waterfalls, but these claims have never been officially confirmed. Now, these fish have finally been caught ...
phys.org
April 4, 2026 at 4:15 AM
Tiny shellear fish in central Africa scale a 50-foot vertical waterfall using suction cups and tiny hooks. This convergent evolution places them with some island gobies and Brazilian bumblebee catfish, who all do world class bouldering. 🐟🌍
phys.org/news/2026-04...
phys.org/news/2026-04...
Reposted by Joel Corush
Finally is the paper where we present the unique genomic architectures of the Arctic codfishes out!! Nice work by @gadus-sivus.bsky.social and co-authors …
@biovitenskap.bsky.social
@unioslo-cees.bsky.social
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
@biovitenskap.bsky.social
@unioslo-cees.bsky.social
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Rapid genome modifications including chromosomal fusions and large-scale inversions are key features in Arctic codfish species - Genome Biology
Background Genome evolvability involves activation of transposable elements (TEs) that result in novel genomic rearrangements, including translocations, deletions, duplications, as well as larger stru...
link.springer.com
March 25, 2026 at 2:33 PM
Finally is the paper where we present the unique genomic architectures of the Arctic codfishes out!! Nice work by @gadus-sivus.bsky.social and co-authors …
@biovitenskap.bsky.social
@unioslo-cees.bsky.social
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
@biovitenskap.bsky.social
@unioslo-cees.bsky.social
link.springer.com/article/10.1...