Allen Collins

Allen Collins

@agcollins.bsky.social

Appreciator of comb jellies, medusan jellies, medusan polyps, medusan other stages, sponges (particularly the glass ones). I speak for myself.

1.1K followers325 following113 posts

Allen Collins
@agcollins.bsky.social

Vallicula multiformis appears to have a broad distribution that is ancient, likely achieved through long-distance natural dispersal. However, we also detect a signal consistent with anthropogenic introductions. Led by @beziostudio.bsky.social, with I Browning, D Rabeling, JM Pujolar & AE Bely

Allen Collins reposted

Steve Haddock
@stevehaddock.bsky.social

One year ago, The Radiant Sea appeared in print! Still super happy with how it turned out. Our mission to share a different view of ocean life seems to have succeeded.💙 Named a top ten photography book of 2025 by @smithsonianmag.bsky.social, and many anecdotes from people who appreciated it. 🙏 🌊🧪🦑

Steve Haddock@stevehaddock.bsky.social

Our science photo book The Radiant Sea is out Sept 2nd!! 30 years of research, 10 years of "we should", and a year of collating pix and writing. Sönke and I show (mostly for the first time) images of how organisms produce, use, and interact with light in the sea. #bioluminescence #fluorescence 🦑🧪🌊

Allen Collins reposted

franz
@franzanth.bsky.social

I don't think I've ever posted these posters together as a set, so here's a first. Wonders of the Deep series, commissioned by the International Seabed Authority between 2020-2022 to celebrate the fragile biodiversity of deep sea. Not for sale. #Art #SciArt

Allen Collins
@agcollins.bsky.social

Available positions in NOAA for Recent Grads, 5 Grants Management Specialist (ZA-1109-2) Number of Positions: 10 Locations: AK; San Diego, CA; Miami, FL; Saint Petersburg, FL; Honolulu, HI; Boise, ID; Silver Spring, MD; MS; NC; Portland, OR; Galveston, TX; WA www.usajobs.gov/job/882673500

usajobs.govGrants Management Specialist (Recent Graduate)This position is located in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), with 10 vacancies in San Diego, CA; Miami, FL; Saint Petersburg, FL; H...
Allen Collins
@agcollins.bsky.social

Available positions in NOAA for Recent Grads, 4 Acquisition Management Specialist (ZA-1101-2) Number of Positions: 10 Locations: Miami, FL; Silver Spring, MD; Gloucester, MA; Pascagoula, MS; Beaufort, NC; Galveston, TX; or Seattle, WA. www.usajobs.gov/job/882670600

usajobs.govAcquisition Management Specialist (Recent Graduate)This position is located in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), with 10 vacancies in Miami, FL; Silver Spring, MD; Gloucester, MA; Pas...
Allen Collins
@agcollins.bsky.social

Available positions in NOAA for Recent Grads, 1 Administrative Management Specialist - HR Liaison (ZA-0301-2) Number of Positions: 5 Locations: Juneau, AK; San Diego, CA; Santa Cruz, CA; Silver Spring, MD; Gloucester, MA; or Seattle, WA. www.usajobs.gov/job/882676100

usajobs.govAdministrative Management Specialist - HR Liaison (Recent Graduate)This position is located in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), with 5 vacancies in Juneau, AK; San Diego, CA; Santa Cruz, CA; Silver ...

Allen Collins reposted

NOAA
@noaa.gov

The science -- and excitement -- of discovery: Scientists reveal identity of mysterious ‘golden orb’ collected during NOAA expedition --> Check out our special #EarthDayNOAA feature story: noaa.gov/news/scienti... via NOAA Research & NOAA Ocean Exploration #GoldenOrb

noaa.govScientists reveal identity of mysterious ‘golden orb’ collected during NOAA expeditionA two-and-a-half-year-old mystery of the "golden orb," an unidentified object that captured significant public interest when it was collected during a 2023 NOAA expedition, has finally been solved. Sc...
Allen Collins
@agcollins.bsky.social

Remember that Golden Orb? #MarineLife is cool, and Exploration is key to learning the stories of species, every one of which is fascinating. with @echinoblog.bsky.social @megdaly.bsky.social @abcollens.bsky.social and others. www.noaa.gov/news/scienti...

noaa.govScientists reveal identity of mysterious ‘golden orb’ collected during NOAA expeditionA two-and-a-half-year-old mystery of the "golden orb," an unidentified object that captured significant public interest when it was collected during a 2023 NOAA expedition, has finally been solved. Sc...

Allen Collins reposted

Reweth 🏳️‍⚧️🇨🇦🐦‍⬛
@birb.mom

This is a perfect case of an animal evolving to deal with fluid dynamics. There's a boundary layer on the bottom where the water is still. Raising up above it allows the animal to take advantage of currents for feeding and gamete dispersion. Infant help wondering though...

Chris Mah@echinoblog.bsky.social

Years ago I was obsessed with these Antarctic "tulips"-eventually learned they were TUNICATES, Molgula pedunculata #tunicateTuesday Such crazy lookin' things! www.researchgate.net/publication/...

Allen Collins
@agcollins.bsky.social

New #MarineLife! Or rather, a new recognition of an existing species by hard working taxonomists. ;-) Meet Stemonosudis dianea! www.fisheries.noaa.gov/feature-stor...

fisheries.noaa.govFerocious Predator and Important Prey: New Barracudina Species Named for Smithsonian BiologistFisheries biologists recently described a new species of barracudina found in U.S. waters in the North Atlantic. Although understudied, these small fish may play a big role in their ecosystems.
Allen Collins
@agcollins.bsky.social

Go Chris! Happy #TaxonomistAppreciationDay Truly amazing. We need more of this.

Chris Mah@echinoblog.bsky.social

I AM IN THE TOP 20! As of March 2026 I have described 186 species-based on data from Carter&Sands 2025 who summarize the top 20 echinoderm taxonomists (by total species) that puts me in the TOP 20! All these others are dead, white guys. I am the first who is not. #taxonomistappreciationday

Allen Collins
@agcollins.bsky.social

"The product..takes advantage of the porous nature of starfish skeletons... the microstructure of starfish skeletons helps regulate the release of chloride from salt, reducing damage to concrete by up to 90%, while improving the ability to melt snow and ice..." www.bostonglobe.com/2026/03/15/s...

bostonglobe.comMassachusetts loves winter road salt. But why not sprinkle in some starfish skeletons? - The Boston GlobeA new technology that adds crushed starfish skeletons to winter road salt can minimize damage to streets and the environment.
Allen Collins
@agcollins.bsky.social

To be clear, I find that interesting, not something to be endorsed without thought. And it is nonsensical to deem an entire phylum a pest. as in "Starfish may hold a quaint place in the hearts of New England beachgoers, but along the Korean Peninsula, they are, quite simply, a pest."

Allen Collins
@agcollins.bsky.social

Go Chris Mah! Keep bringing dark taxa to light.

Schmidt Ocean Institute@schmidtocean.bsky.social

New paper alert! During the 2021 Australian Mesophotic Coral Examination expedition to the Ashmore Reef Marine Park, researchers collected 10 new species of sea stars, 9 of which are described in the paper by @echinoblog.bsky.social et al., published in Megataxa in early January.

mapress.comNew taxa of Mesophotic Asteroidea from Ashmore Reef, Western Australia | MegataxaWe report on 27 asteroid specimens collected by the RV