Journal of Evolutionary Biology

doi.orgThe contribution of sexual selection and genetic constraints to phenotypic divergence among natural populations of Drosophila subquinariaAbstract. Evolutionary trajectories are determined by selection and the underlying genetic architecture of additive genetic variances and covariances for t

In #Drosophila subquinaria, divergence in male chemical signaling isn’t driven by sexual selection alone—genetic constraints can significantly limit future evolutionary responses @uottawascience.bsky.social Jarvis & Rundle 2026 doi.org/10.1093/jeb/...

doi.orgEnabling evolutionary therapy in metastatic cancer lacking serum biomarkersAbstract. Evolutionary therapy (ET) aims to anticipate and steer tumour evolution by adjusting treatment timing and dosing, often to control rather than er

Evolutionary therapy (ET) needs accurate tumour burden tracking. "RECIST misses disease progression by months and ET must be guided by 3D measurements" @katstankova.bsky.social @tpmtudelft.bsky.social @erasmusmc.bsky.social #erasmus #cancerevolution doi.org/10.1093/jeb/...

Journal of Evolutionary Biology reposted

Tom Ratz

@tomratz.bsky.social

Our new paper is out in @jevbio.bsky.social! Body size shapes aggression as well as how strongly individuals influence their opponents and how responsive they are to social interactions. @cdegroot.bsky.social @roriwijnhorst.bsky.social @dingemanselab.bsky.social doi.org/10.1093/jeb/...

18 Sept

Can we hold on to all that we value about peer review but increase efficiency? Managing Editor @evonicki.bsky.social and Editor-in-Chief @maxreuter.bsky.social discuss a "back to basics" approach in a new blog post for #peerreviewweek jevbio.net/peer-review-...

Journal of Evolutionary Biology reposted

Dr. Wen-Juan Ma | 马文娟

@wenjuanma84.bsky.social

Happy to be part of this #PeerReviewWeek feature! As an AE of @jevbio.bsky.social, I’m grateful to the reviewers who help us strengthen papers through thoughtful, fair, and constructive feedback. For me, the best reviews combine rigor with respect 💪👉

Journal of Evolutionary Biology@jevbio.bsky.social

@wenjuanma84.bsky.social @trinebilde.bsky.social

@lennartwinkler.bsky.social @andygardner.bsky.social @scottpegan.bsky.social

Read the latest issue of @jevbio.bsky.social now! 📸The giant manual claw of a megaraptorid being excavated from Late Cretaceous sediments of central Patagonia, Argentina (Pereyra and Ibiricu 2026) academic.oup.com/jeb/issue/39/9

15 Sept

Range edge populations often face novel conditions. Across the range of Mimulus cardinalis, we found trailing-edge populations have the most flowering-time plasticity. Plasticity evolved after extreme drought, though adaptive benefits varied by trait: doi.org/10.1093/jeb/... Cook et al. 2026

peerreviewweek.netPeer Review Week (PRW) is a global celebration of the vital role peer review plays in ensuring the quality and integrity of research.Peer Review Week (PRW) is a global celebration of the vital role peer review plays in ensuring the quality and integrity of research.

14 Sept

✍️ This week is Peer Review Week: an annual celebration of the role of peer review in ensuring quality and integrity of research This year’s theme is Capacity: 📚️ Volume 💨 Speed ✅️ Quality These components define a balance that the peer review system is being asked to maintain. buff.ly/87BLRdW

14 Sept

As submissions across all journals rise and expectations for faster decisions grow, peer review is under increasing pressure. This year’s theme explores how we can meet that demand while preserving the quality, trust and integrity at the heart of peer review. #PeerReviewWeek #PRW2026

14 Sept

This week @jevbiosocial will share insights on what Peer Review means to us and how we try to balance Volume, Speed and Quality at JEB.

Males and females of the dioecious annual herb Mercurialis annua are more likely to show ‘leaky’ or inconstant sex expression and higher reproductive effort towards the range margin: doi.org/10.1093/jeb/... Nguyen and Pannell 2026

Selfish genetic elements (SGEs) attempt to manipulate inheritance to enhance their own transmission. But when a host contains two or more SGEs, how might they interact? We expand on ideas about how various kinds of SGE may interact within a genome: doi.org/10.1093/jeb/... Wilson and Wedell 2026

Inversions on chromosomes 2 and 12 might assist with acute high-temperature and low-salinity adaptation, respectively, in cod eggs: doi.org/10.1093/jeb/... @discoverunb.bsky.social

doi.orgTemporal mapping of tumor development in mice reveals late onset and benefits of heterozygosityAbstract. Despite decades of cancer research, the stage of life at which cancerous processes lead to tumor formation in various organs remains poorly under

By tracking tumor development across organs in wild-derived mice throughout life, we show that tumors emerge late under controlled conditions and that heterozygosity appears protective, offering new insights into how genetics and aging shape cancer risk: Bernex et al. 2026 doi.org/10.1093/jeb/...

doi.orgInversions support both parallel and location-specific adaptations in snail ecotypesAbstract. Replicated hybrid zones between ecotypes established over environmental gradients provide an opportunity to study the genomic architecture of bar

Chromosomal inversions are both engines of repeatability and innovation. They drive parallel genetic divergence between snail ecotypes across Europe, while also harbouring local variants that contribute to site-specific trait variations and adaptation: doi.org/10.1093/jeb/... Pajot et al 2026

@ruifaria.bsky.social @alan-ecotype.bsky.social

When should parasites manipulate their hosts specifically toward the right predator? New model in @jevbio.bsky.social shows it’s the cost of specificity — not the intensity of dead-end predation — that determines whether precise manipulation evolves: doi.org/10.1093/jeb/... Seppälä 2026

New study on Bathygobius fuscus reveals that sneaker males maximize paternity by intruding early during hours-long spawning: doi.org/10.1093/jeb/... Kanatani et al. 2026

doi.orgThe ecological theatre of selfish elementsAbstract. Some selfish genetic elements enhance their transmission to the next generation by interfering with and eliminating competing variants within the

Can selfish genetic elements get away with their selfishness? This depends on ecology of their host organisms. Under certain conditions, selfish genetic elements may spread virtually unopposed by selection: doi.org/10.1093/jeb/... @martijnschenkel.bsky.social @arvidagren.bsky.social & M. Patten

10 Sept

@prof-tregoning.bsky.social argues that scientific paper format does not reflect how we do science: 🤥are we telling a false story? 💡are we dismissing the central role of creativity in science? What do you think? Let us know in the comments... journals.plos.org/plosbiology/...

doi.orgThe impact of heterogeneous contact structure on the evolution of pathogen virulenceAbstract. Classical theory on pathogen evolution traditionally assumed homogeneous host populations with random interactions for simplicity. However, in mo

How do superspreaders shape pathogen evolution? Superspreading favours slower-transmitting, less virulent pathogens; an overlooked driver of disease evolution: O'Neill et al. 2026 @heriotwattuni.bsky.social @edinburghuni.bsky.social @ucberkeleyofficial.bsky.social doi.org/10.1093/jeb/...

doi.orgThe last weaponized arm: macroevolutionary trends of megaraptorid manual claw I and forelimb integration in medium- to large-bodied non-avian theropodsAbstract. From the Jurassic to the Cretaceous, most medium- to large-bodied non-avian theropods evolved towards predominantly head-driven predatory strateg

Megaraptorid dinosaurs evolved enormous hand claws instead of relying mainly on their heads for hunting. These claws became larger and changed shape into a specialised predatory tool that remained stable and highly specialised for millions of years: Pereyra & Ibiricu 2026 doi.org/10.1093/jeb/...

doi.orgInclusive fitness for the conflicted individualAbstract. The theory of inclusive fitness explains the process and purpose of social adaptation. However, the canonical derivation of inclusive fitness ass

@andygardner.bsky.social shows that internal conflict per se does not erode an individual’s adaptive integrity. Instead, it is variation in the balance of power between genetic factions across different traits that drives the breakdown of the unity of purpose: doi.org/10.1093/jeb/...

doi.orgRepeated adaptation of the freshwater goby Rhinogobius kurodai from lotic to lentic environments in the Kanto Plain, Japan: morphological, behavioural, and genetic approachesAbstract. Habitat generalists, which occupy a variety of environments, provide valuable systems for investigating how microgeographic adaptation drives pop

Our study shows repeated adaptation of the freshwater goby Rhinogobius kurodai from lotic to lentic environments in Japan’s Kanto Plain, integrating morphological, behavioural and genomic data: doi.org/10.1093/jeb/... Takada et al. 2026

doi.orgInteractions between phylogenetic trees and fossils when estimating evolutionary timescalesAbstract. I explore the impact of extinct lineages and limited morphological character data on the expected delay between the origin time of a clade and th

NEW Perspective Article! Interactions between phylogenetic trees and fossils when estimating evolutionary timescales by @tomacarruthers.bsky.social doi.org/10.1093/jeb/...

doi.orgBack on the ground: genome analysis of convergent flight loss in railsAbstract. Similar phenotypic traits can evolve independently in response to comparable environmental challenges. A striking example of this process is the

Flightless rails evolved again and again. Not through one “flight gene,” but via many small genetic changes. Comparing 7 rail genomes revealed many genes linked to flight loss, affecting muscles, bones, metabolism, cognition, and gene regulation: doi.org/10.1093/jeb/... @masseyuni.bsky.social

doi.orgFrom head to tail: Does habitat use drive morphological variation in snakes?Abstract. Convergence, defined as lineages evolving to be more similar to one another than their ancestors due to selective pressures is a hallmark of adap

Does habitat use drive morphological variation in snakes? Our new study of over 400 species shows how distinct environments shape head and body traits, revealing a complex balance between adaptation and specialisation 🐍 Hudry & Herrel 2026 #Ecomorphology #SnakeEvolution doi.org/10.1093/jeb/...

doi.orgInfluence of the resource acquisition–allocation Y-model’s parameters on the detection of phenotypic trade-offsAbstract. Phenotypic trade-offs, predicted to occur due to resource limitation, are not commonly detected. For this, the Y-model provides a powerful heuris

⭐EDITOR's CHOICE AUGUST⭐ Phenotypic trade-offs are often expected due to resource limitation, but rarely observed. Why? We extend the Y-model to understand how parameters of resource acquisition and allocation influence phenotypic correlations: @krishsanghvi11.bsky.social doi.org/10.1093/jeb/...

doi.orgLiving on the edge: background borders enhance camouflage despite imperfect matchAbstract. Background matching, a camouflage strategy where animals match the colours and patterns of their background, is background-specific. However, man

Living on the edge: background borders enhance camouflage despite imperfect match: Sadiq et al. 2026 doi.org/10.1093/jeb/...

doi.orgShared pathways, physiological constraint, and the evolutionary origins of an honest signal. A commentary on Számadó et al. (2025)Abstract. A recent review of honest signalling theory criticised constraint-based (index) explanations for traits that serve as honest signals of individua

📣New Commentary: Shared pathways, physiological constraint, and the evolutionary origins of an honest signal. A commentary on Számadó et al. (2025): Hill, Powers & Weaver 2026 doi.org/10.1093/jeb/...

Journal of Evolutionary Biology reposted

Arvid Ågren

@arvidagren.bsky.social

17 Aug

Another nice paper for our @jevbio.bsky.social special issue on internal conflicts: "Fetal microchimeric cells: Today’s enemies, tomorrow’s friends" By Francisco Úbeda and @geoffwild.bsky.social. academic.oup.com/jeb/advance-...

Arvid Ågren@arvidagren.bsky.social

And here is @andygardner.bsky.social's nice contribution to the same @jevbio.bsky.social special issue on internal conflicts: academic.oup.com/jeb/advance-...

academic.oup.comInclusive fitness for the conflicted individualAbstract. The theory of inclusive fitness explains the process and purpose of social adaptation. However, the canonical derivation of inclusive fitness ass

doi.orgEvolutionary history and life-history traits influence cause-specific mortality in domestic dogsAbstract. A fruitful avenue to understand differences in lifespan is to study the factors driving differences in intrinsic mortality, such as disease. The

Why do dog breeds die from different causes? Some causes of death are more strongly influenced by evolutionary history than others; life-history traits help explain variation in cause-specific mortality among breeds: doi.org/10.1093/jeb/... Bargas-Gallaraga et al. 2026 @agonzalezvoyer.bsky.social

doi.orgBrain and antennal transcriptome changes are associated with a colonization-mediated behavioural switch in an environmentally transmitted symbiosisAbstract. Many organisms engage in symbiosis with microbial partners that are not passed on directly to offspring but are acquired from the environment eac

Do insects smell their bacterial symbionts? The squash bug may have evolved specific genetic mechanisms that cross the gut brain barrier to ensure association with a Caballeronia symbiont: doi.org/10.1093/jeb/... Paddock et al. 2026

doi.orgQuantitative genetics of shy–bold behaviour and plastic response to novel predator cues in the cherry shrimp, Neocaridina davidiAbstract. Understanding the genetic basis of behavioural variation among-individuals is vital for predicting if, when, and how quickly behaviour can evolve

Genetic differences shape shy–bold behaviour in red cherry shrimp: 🦐 Personality is heritable and plastic 🦐 BUT - plasticity is not heritable 🦐 Therefore, behaviour can evolve, while plasticity may be constrained: doi.org/10.1093/jeb/... @ali--wilson.bsky.social et al. 2026

Author of newly-released @jevbio.bsky.social manuscript, Yukio Yasui, highlights their research in this just-published blog post: Why doesn't thelotoky replace anisogamy? jevbio.net/why-doesnt-t...

12 Aug

📣OPEN FOR SUBMISSION UNTIL 30th NOVEMBER Special Issue: Cancer in an evolutionary framework: across species and within individuals 🔬 Empirical and theoretical approaches welcome ✅ Primary research articles applying evolutionary theory to cancer research 👍 Manuscripts from diverse fields considered

academic.oup.comCall for Papers: Special Issue on “Cancer in an evolutionary framework: across species and within individuals”We invite you to contribute a manuscript to our Special Issue 'Cancer in an evolutionary framework: across species and within individuals' in the Journal of Evo

12 Aug

Find out more here: shorturl.at/tceyx

Journal of Evolutionary Biology reposted

Arvid Ågren

@arvidagren.bsky.social

7 Aug

*NEW PAPER* On why selfish elements thrive when ecological conditions permit soft selection. With @martijnschenkel.bsky.social and Manus Patten. Now available for early view on @jevbio.bsky.social. academic.oup.com/jeb/advance-...

academic.oup.comThe Ecological Theatre of Selfish ElementsAbstract. Some selfish genetic elements enhance their transmission to the next generation by interfering with and eliminating competing variants within the

doi.orgDrosophila disengage systemic protein storage as an evolutionary response to chronic larval malnutritionAbstract. Nutritional geometry was used to explore the effects of dietary composition on larval developmental traits in Drosophila melanogaster populations

Integrating nutritional geometry and exp. evolution illustrates the potential of nutritional environment to induce selection on life-history traits: doi.org/10.1093/jeb/... Senior et al. 2026 @valzanial.bsky.social @leopoldlab.bsky.social

doi.orgPhylogenomic and demographic history of the Cape cliff lizard (Hemicordylus capensis)Abstract. Hemicordylus capensis, the Cape cliff lizard, is endemic to South Africa and occurs across the entire range of the Cape Fold Mountains. Despite p

Phylogenomic and demographic history of the Cape cliff lizard (Hemicordylus capensis): doi.org/10.1093/jeb/... Leitão et al. 2026 @uantwerpen.be

doi.orgWarts and all: evolutionary and ecological patterns in frog skin textureAbstract. The external appearance of frog skin varies among species and across body regions. Although this variation has long been recognized, it remains a

Frogs and toads have very diverse skin. 3D surface profilometry shows frog skin texture varies across body regions and microhabitats. Ventral “drink patches” tend to be rougher, but evolutionary rates similar across the body: doi.org/10.1093/jeb/... Urgiles et al. 2026 @mollycwomack.bsky.social

doi.orgIndividual condition mediates the costs of sexual conflict through both male harm and female resistanceAbstract. Sexual conflict arises when the reproductive interests of males and females diverge, leading to decreased female fitness due to male‐induced harm

New research in red flour beetles shows that sexual conflict is condition-dependent: high-condition males inflict more harm, while high-condition females resist it better. Findings reveal sex differences in adaptation may shape evolutionary outcomes: doi.org/10.1093/jeb/... Gómez-Llano 2026

doi.orgAbsence of dispersal-mediated selection on the expression of a female ornament—a long-term study in a wild bird populationAbstract. There is increasing evidence that female ornamentation is not merely a genetic by-product of male ornamentation and has evolved through sexual an

Female ornamentation may evolve through sexual/social selection, but does dispersal or breeding density affect it? Using 34 yrs of #piedflycatcher data, we find out: Redondo et al. 2026 doi.org/10.1093/jeb/...

doi.orgHistorical shifts and ecological patterns: rethinking genome size evolution in Coffea LAbstract. Although genome size (GS) is decoupled from organismal complexity, a phenomenon known as the C-value paradox, some authors have proposed that GS

In Coffea, larger genomes occur in equatorial lowland species, but phylogenetic analyses reveal no association between genome size and environment. We show how singular events and historical contingencies can shape evolutionary trajectories: Gonçalves Barbosa et al. 2026 doi.org/10.1093/jeb/...

doi.orgTelomere dynamics, not absolute telomere length, predicts lifespan in adult zebra finchesAbstract. Telomeres shorten with age, and telomere length (TL) can predict lifespan. In vitro studies have established that the shortest telomeres in the g

In #zebrafinches, telomere shortening - not absolute telomere length - best predicts lifespan, with the strongest effect seen among the longer telomeres in the distribution: @mtangili.bsky.social @gelifes.bsky.social doi.org/10.1093/jeb/...

doi.orgReplication fidelity difference between daughter chains persists during evolutionAbstract. While mutations are the engine of evolution, how mutation rates themselves evolve remains poorly understood. Previous simulation and experimental

Our study shows that mutation-rate differences between daughter DNA strands persist throughout evolution rather than converging to equal fidelity. Evolution maintains asymmetric replication fidelity through self-organisation of mutation rates: doi.org/10.1093/jeb/... Akashi and Furusawa 2026