Did you know some insects have tiny “hearts” in their heads? Researchers studied how true bugs (Heteroptera) circulate fluid through their antennae, revealing surprisingly different systems, some even without a pump! #LIBresearch
© Adobe Stock, Rolf Müller
© Adobe Stock, Rolf Müller
November 4, 2026 at 12:12 PM
Did you know some insects have tiny “hearts” in their heads? Researchers studied how true bugs (Heteroptera) circulate fluid through their antennae, revealing surprisingly different systems, some even without a pump! #LIBresearch
© Adobe Stock, Rolf Müller
© Adobe Stock, Rolf Müller
Can a tiny parasite weaken an invasive crab? Researchers found that Chinese mitten crabs infected with Hepatospora eriocheir have reduced energy reserves & metabolic capacity - potentially affecting their ability to migrate and reproduce. #LIBresearch
© Adobe Stock, Alex Stemmer
© Adobe Stock, Alex Stemmer
November 3, 2026 at 8:05 AM
Can a tiny parasite weaken an invasive crab? Researchers found that Chinese mitten crabs infected with Hepatospora eriocheir have reduced energy reserves & metabolic capacity - potentially affecting their ability to migrate and reproduce. #LIBresearch
© Adobe Stock, Alex Stemmer
© Adobe Stock, Alex Stemmer
Do spiders sleep like we do? Researchers found that jumping spiders experience two distinct sleep stages, including a REM-like phase with eye movements & muscle twitches - providing strong evidence of regulated sleep in spiders. #LIBresearch
© Daniela C. Rößler
© Daniela C. Rößler
October 29, 2026 at 10:20 AM
Do spiders sleep like we do? Researchers found that jumping spiders experience two distinct sleep stages, including a REM-like phase with eye movements & muscle twitches - providing strong evidence of regulated sleep in spiders. #LIBresearch
© Daniela C. Rößler
© Daniela C. Rößler
An unexpected ally against an invasive fruit fly? Researchers have documented the parasitoid wasp Leptopilina japonica in the Netherlands for the first time, where it attacks the invasive spotted-wing drosophila, a major fruit pest. #LIBresearch
October 27, 2026 at 3:38 PM
An unexpected ally against an invasive fruit fly? Researchers have documented the parasitoid wasp Leptopilina japonica in the Netherlands for the first time, where it attacks the invasive spotted-wing drosophila, a major fruit pest. #LIBresearch
Effective species conservation requires joined-up thinking. The One Plan Approach brings together expertise from research, conservation practice & zoos to develop coordinated strategies for threatened species. Great to see this collaborative approach being further developed! #LIBresearch
Rethinking and refining IUCN’s One Plan Approach to conservation at the 2026 annual meeting of the conservation planning specialist group! @leibnizlib.bsky.social
October 26, 2026 at 7:41 AM
Effective species conservation requires joined-up thinking. The One Plan Approach brings together expertise from research, conservation practice & zoos to develop coordinated strategies for threatened species. Great to see this collaborative approach being further developed! #LIBresearch
Can DNA alone reveal Earth's hidden biodiversity? Not quite! A new perspective on parasitoid wasps argues that DNA, morphology & deep taxonomic expertise must work together to reliably discover and describe species. #LIBresearch
© Salden et al., 2026
© Salden et al., 2026
October 26, 2026 at 9:00 AM
Can DNA alone reveal Earth's hidden biodiversity? Not quite! A new perspective on parasitoid wasps argues that DNA, morphology & deep taxonomic expertise must work together to reliably discover and describe species. #LIBresearch
© Salden et al., 2026
© Salden et al., 2026
After refining conservation strategies yesterday, today we are discussing the global status and future potential of worldwide ex situ capacities to support IUCN’s One Plan Approach in the 2026 annual meeting of the conservation planning group! #LIBresearch
October 24, 2026 at 1:36 PM
After refining conservation strategies yesterday, today we are discussing the global status and future potential of worldwide ex situ capacities to support IUCN’s One Plan Approach in the 2026 annual meeting of the conservation planning group! #LIBresearch
How fast did the legendary “terror birds” grow? By examining fossil bones from two species of these giant flightless predators, researchers found evidence of rapid, uninterrupted growth—a surprising insight into their biology. #LIBresearch
© Dreyer et al., CC BY
© Dreyer et al., CC BY
October 23, 2026 at 9:39 AM
How fast did the legendary “terror birds” grow? By examining fossil bones from two species of these giant flightless predators, researchers found evidence of rapid, uninterrupted growth—a surprising insight into their biology. #LIBresearch
© Dreyer et al., CC BY
© Dreyer et al., CC BY
How do tsetse flies bite through such different types of skin? Researchers found that tiny teeth on their mouthparts, combined with a powerful pulling motion, allow them to penetrate the skin of a wide range of hosts.
#LIBresearch
© Löwe et al., CC BY
#LIBresearch
© Löwe et al., CC BY
October 21, 2026 at 12:23 PM
How do tsetse flies bite through such different types of skin? Researchers found that tiny teeth on their mouthparts, combined with a powerful pulling motion, allow them to penetrate the skin of a wide range of hosts.
#LIBresearch
© Löwe et al., CC BY
#LIBresearch
© Löwe et al., CC BY
Are sex chromosomes set in stone? Not in African cichlids: Researchers found that sex determination in these fishes is remarkably flexible, with different chromosomes contributing to whether individuals develop as male or female. #LIBresearch
© Smith et al., CC BY
© Smith et al., CC BY
October 19, 2026 at 10:57 AM
Are sex chromosomes set in stone? Not in African cichlids: Researchers found that sex determination in these fishes is remarkably flexible, with different chromosomes contributing to whether individuals develop as male or female. #LIBresearch
© Smith et al., CC BY
© Smith et al., CC BY
Can beetles trapped in amber reveal ancient climates? Researchers analysed 15 fossil rove beetle species from Baltic amber, describing nine new to science. Their evolutionary relationships offer clues to the climate of Eocene Europe. #LIBresearch
© Bogri et al., CC BY
© Bogri et al., CC BY
October 14, 2026 at 1:19 PM
Can beetles trapped in amber reveal ancient climates? Researchers analysed 15 fossil rove beetle species from Baltic amber, describing nine new to science. Their evolutionary relationships offer clues to the climate of Eocene Europe. #LIBresearch
© Bogri et al., CC BY
© Bogri et al., CC BY
Same forest, different evolutionary responses. Researchers compared 27 taxa in Brazil’s Atlantic Forest and found that genetic associations with past & present climate vary widely across species: from frogs and birds to butterflies and plants. #LIBresearch
© Adobe Stock, Edilaine Barros
© Adobe Stock, Edilaine Barros
October 12, 2026 at 9:46 AM
Same forest, different evolutionary responses. Researchers compared 27 taxa in Brazil’s Atlantic Forest and found that genetic associations with past & present climate vary widely across species: from frogs and birds to butterflies and plants. #LIBresearch
© Adobe Stock, Edilaine Barros
© Adobe Stock, Edilaine Barros
A new hoverfly from Japan! Researchers revised the genus Ferdinandea across the Palaearctic and discovered a species new to science: Ferdinandea harusawai, adding another piece to our knowledge of hoverfly diversity. #LIBresearch
© Mengual & Ichige, CC BY
© Mengual & Ichige, CC BY
October 6, 2026 at 12:13 PM
A new hoverfly from Japan! Researchers revised the genus Ferdinandea across the Palaearctic and discovered a species new to science: Ferdinandea harusawai, adding another piece to our knowledge of hoverfly diversity. #LIBresearch
© Mengual & Ichige, CC BY
© Mengual & Ichige, CC BY
What can museum beetles reveal about millions of years of evolution? Using DNA from historical specimens, researchers reconstructed the evolutionary history of Lathrobium, a diverse rove beetle genus with nearly 800 described species. #LIBresearch
© Tokareva et al., CC BY
© Tokareva et al., CC BY
October 5, 2026 at 9:52 AM
What can museum beetles reveal about millions of years of evolution? Using DNA from historical specimens, researchers reconstructed the evolutionary history of Lathrobium, a diverse rove beetle genus with nearly 800 described species. #LIBresearch
© Tokareva et al., CC BY
© Tokareva et al., CC BY
Three new species and a new look at an entire beetle genus. Researchers revised the Neotropical rove beetle genus Lypeticus, describing three species new to science & considerably expanding its known distribution. #LIBresearch
© Guzman Sarmiento & Żyła, CC BY
© Guzman Sarmiento & Żyła, CC BY
October 1, 2026 at 8:55 AM
Three new species and a new look at an entire beetle genus. Researchers revised the Neotropical rove beetle genus Lypeticus, describing three species new to science & considerably expanding its known distribution. #LIBresearch
© Guzman Sarmiento & Żyła, CC BY
© Guzman Sarmiento & Żyła, CC BY
What lives more than 5 km beneath the ocean surface?Nephasoma constricticervix is a peanut worm adapted to life in the deep sea. New records like these help fill the many gaps in our knowledge of biodiversity at some of Earth’s least explored habitats. #LIBresearch
🔬 Six specimens of the deep-sea organism Nephasoma constricticervix have been collected from the Guinea Basin at depths exceeding 5,000 metres, confirming this species' presence in the region. Learn more here: doi.org/10.3897/evolsyst.10.210468
@leibnizlib.bsky.social
@leibnizlib.bsky.social
September 30, 2026 at 8:16 AM
What lives more than 5 km beneath the ocean surface?Nephasoma constricticervix is a peanut worm adapted to life in the deep sea. New records like these help fill the many gaps in our knowledge of biodiversity at some of Earth’s least explored habitats. #LIBresearch
What do biodiversity, environmental & human biobanks have in common? More than you might think. A new perspective from the joint GGBN–ISBER conference explores how these communities can learn from each other to tackle global challenges. #LIBresearch
©Astrin et al., CC BY
@ggbnoutreach.bsky.social
©Astrin et al., CC BY
@ggbnoutreach.bsky.social
September 30, 2026 at 10:04 AM
What do biodiversity, environmental & human biobanks have in common? More than you might think. A new perspective from the joint GGBN–ISBER conference explores how these communities can learn from each other to tackle global challenges. #LIBresearch
©Astrin et al., CC BY
@ggbnoutreach.bsky.social
©Astrin et al., CC BY
@ggbnoutreach.bsky.social
Oyster genomes are anything but static. Researchers found that transposable elements (pieces of DNA able to move within the genome) help generate remarkable genetic variation both within individual oysters & between populations. #LIBresearch
© Martelossi et al., CC BY 4.0
© Martelossi et al., CC BY 4.0
September 29, 2026 at 12:13 PM
Oyster genomes are anything but static. Researchers found that transposable elements (pieces of DNA able to move within the genome) help generate remarkable genetic variation both within individual oysters & between populations. #LIBresearch
© Martelossi et al., CC BY 4.0
© Martelossi et al., CC BY 4.0
Every museum specimen can hold more information than we first imagined.: New methods are making even challenging, decades-old material accessible to genetic research, adding another layer of value to natural history collections. #LIBresearch
🧬 It has been revealed that high-quality DNA can be recovered from arthropod specimens preserved in formalin for decades, opening new possibilities for evolutionary research using natural history collections.
➡️ Read the full study: doi.org/10.3897/nhcm.3.200681
@uni-kiel.de @leibnizlib.bsky.social
➡️ Read the full study: doi.org/10.3897/nhcm.3.200681
@uni-kiel.de @leibnizlib.bsky.social
September 29, 2026 at 8:48 AM
Every museum specimen can hold more information than we first imagined.: New methods are making even challenging, decades-old material accessible to genetic research, adding another layer of value to natural history collections. #LIBresearch
Tiny organisms, big ecological clues: Larger benthic foraminifera are single-celled organisms that help build carbonate sediments in tropical seas. Understanding what controls their distribution can reveal how these important reef inhabitants may respond to changing ocean conditions. #LIBresearch
Just published @leibnizlib.bsky.social ! Our global study of 74 LBF species & 4,760+ records shows how temperature, nutrients, light, salinity & currents shape distributions. Temperature was a key driver (8.5–34.4°C), while symbionts influenced responses to light & nutrients.
doi.org/10.1127/njgp...
doi.org/10.1127/njgp...
September 28, 2026 at 7:02 AM
Tiny organisms, big ecological clues: Larger benthic foraminifera are single-celled organisms that help build carbonate sediments in tropical seas. Understanding what controls their distribution can reveal how these important reef inhabitants may respond to changing ocean conditions. #LIBresearch
What makes a species worth protecting? For Harwood’s Francolin, an endemic Ethiopian bird, the answer goes far beyond biology. A study reveals how local knowledge, cultural significance & everyday interactions shape attitudes toward its conservation. #LIBresearch
© Mathieu Bally, CC BY 4.0
© Mathieu Bally, CC BY 4.0
September 28, 2026 at 9:58 AM
What makes a species worth protecting? For Harwood’s Francolin, an endemic Ethiopian bird, the answer goes far beyond biology. A study reveals how local knowledge, cultural significance & everyday interactions shape attitudes toward its conservation. #LIBresearch
© Mathieu Bally, CC BY 4.0
© Mathieu Bally, CC BY 4.0
What can thousands of unidentifiable bone fragments tell us about the past? Researchers developed a new palaeoproteomic approach that identifies species from collagen - even in complex mixtures or when genetic reference data are incomplete. #LIBresearch
© Engels et al., CC BY
© Engels et al., CC BY
September 24, 2026 at 7:56 AM
What can thousands of unidentifiable bone fragments tell us about the past? Researchers developed a new palaeoproteomic approach that identifies species from collagen - even in complex mixtures or when genetic reference data are incomplete. #LIBresearch
© Engels et al., CC BY
© Engels et al., CC BY
Connecting biodiversity collections worldwide. 🌍🧬 With more than 7 million biological material records shared through its portal, GGBN is building bridges between biobanks and the global research community. LIB is proud to host the network’s Secretariat Office in Bonn. #LIBresearch
Our fantastic paper is finally out! If you want to learn more about GGBN and our work, don't miss your chance to read it.
doi.org/10.1093/bios...
doi.org/10.1093/bios...
Connecting biodiversity biobanks in the global infrastructure landscape
Abstract. The Global Genome Biodiversity Network (GGBN) is an international consortium of biodiversity biobanks and collections that strives to standardize
doi.org
September 23, 2026 at 11:23 AM
Connecting biodiversity collections worldwide. 🌍🧬 With more than 7 million biological material records shared through its portal, GGBN is building bridges between biobanks and the global research community. LIB is proud to host the network’s Secretariat Office in Bonn. #LIBresearch
Ice ages separated them, warmer periods brought them back together Genetic data reveal that common toad lineages repeatedly diverged in glacial refuges, then met & hybridized again as they expanded across Europe & Western Asia. #LIBresearch
© Dufresnes et al., CC BY
© Dufresnes et al., CC BY
September 22, 2026 at 1:18 PM
Ice ages separated them, warmer periods brought them back together Genetic data reveal that common toad lineages repeatedly diverged in glacial refuges, then met & hybridized again as they expanded across Europe & Western Asia. #LIBresearch
© Dufresnes et al., CC BY
© Dufresnes et al., CC BY
A new skink species hiding in plain sight. Populations from the Hindu Kush foothills in Afghanistan & Pakistan had puzzled taxonomists for decades. Now, DNA & morphology reveal they represent a distinct species: Heremites afghanicus. #LIBresearch
© Jablonski et al., CC BY 4.0
© Jablonski et al., CC BY 4.0
September 21, 2026 at 7:38 AM
A new skink species hiding in plain sight. Populations from the Hindu Kush foothills in Afghanistan & Pakistan had puzzled taxonomists for decades. Now, DNA & morphology reveal they represent a distinct species: Heremites afghanicus. #LIBresearch
© Jablonski et al., CC BY 4.0
© Jablonski et al., CC BY 4.0