American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists

giant sea bass (Stereolepis gigas), photo by David Wang

News

D. Ross Robertson Fellowships for Field Research on Neotropical (1) Deep-Reef Fishes and (2) Shore Fishes

Posted 15 May 2023

The first Fellowship is available to a predoctoral student or recent PhD for up to $40,000 to cover expenses for fieldwork on the biology of neotropical deep-reef fishes found between 40–300 m. For details on DRR Fellowship for neotropical deep-reef fishes and guidelines for application click here.

The second Fellowship is available to a predoctoral student and includes a stipend of $46,000 and a research allowance of up to $25,000 for field-oriented research of marine and brackish-water fishes found in nearshore, tropical, and subtropical waters. For details on DRR Fellowship for neotropical shore fishes and guidelines for application click here.

All applications must be submitted through SOLAA (Smithsonian Online Academic Appointment system).

Deadline for submission: 31 July 2023.

For more information email the STRI Fellowships Office: STRIFellows@si.edu.

Call for participants in virtual sessions on care and use of animals in research
(organized by Institute for Laboratory Animal Research)

Posted on 18 Jan 2022

Dear Colleagues,

The Institute for Laboratory Animal Research (ILAR) Standing Committee on Care and Use of Animals in Research, in conjunction with NSF, is organizing virtual listening sessions to gather input from animal research stakeholders to identify the unique animal welfare challenges of conducting wildlife, non-model species, and biodiversity research and educational activities in natural and/or captive settings. I have been asked to be the session leader on the use of fishes (freshwater and marine) in research. Other sessions are being organized for amphibians and reptiles. The session is tentatively scheduled for some time in May or June. Sessions generally run for about 3 hours and all participants can provide feedback to the Standing Committee.

NSF is seeking session participants that are current or past NSF awardees that conduct research on fish in either the field or lab. Selected participants will be given a set of questions to answer before meeting with the Standing Committee members. Topics or issues outside of these questions are also open to discussion. The fish group will meet prior to the virtual session to go over the questions, organize responses, create a presentation, etc. If you are interested in participating in this session, please email me before Noon, CST on Wednesday, 12 April 2023. I’ll compile a list of interested participants and organize a zoom meeting for us to discuss the question list.

Our participation in this virtual session is extremely important as our input will be used to inform future updates or additions to The Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, 8th edition. Any researcher that has dealt with their local IACUC knows that much of the information in the Guide is not particularly useful or relevant with regards to working with wild fishes. This session is our opportunity to voice our concerns and recommendations about animal use policies and regulations impacting our research.

Best wishes,
Phil

Phillip M. Harris, Ph.D.
Professor / Curator of Fishes
The University of Alabama

Dr. Victor Gruschka Springer (2 Jun 1928 – 18 Sep 2022)

Posted on 18 Jan 2022

Victor Springer, Curator Emeritus of Fishes at the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History, passed away peacefully Sunday September 18, 2022, at the age of 94. He was a globally recognized expert on the systematics of blenniiform fishes and also was well known for his work on sharks, Indo-Pacific plate biogeography, and gill-arch musculature of fishes. In 2005, Copeia published an excellent Historical Perspectives article about Vic written by David Smith, which can be found in Copeia 2005(2): 431-439.

Submitted by Carole Baldwin, 19 Sep 2022

2022 ASIH Board of Governors Meeting & Business and Awards Meeting

Posted 17 Aug 2022

Care to watch or relive the ASIH BOFG Meeting and BAAM? Recordings of both meetings are available on the ASIH Youtube Channel:

2022 Board of Governors (BOFG) Meeting (skip ahead to 4:52)

2022 Business and Awards Meeting (BAAM) (skip ahead to 40:57)

D. Ross Robertson Research Awards for Field Studies of Neotropical Deep-Reef fishes

Posted 24 June 2022

The Research Awards are available for (enrolled) predoctoral students and for recent PhDs (up to 3y past degree) who are formally affiliated with a research or teaching institution. Proposals for collaborative research involving both the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) and the Division of Fishes of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) are encouraged.

For details on the award and guidelines for application click here.

Deadline for submission: 15 September 2022

Call for submissions to Special Issue of Molecular Ecology Resources:
Indigenous Contributions to Molecular Ecology

Posted 6 April 2022

Deadline for initial submission of full papers: 9 September 2022

Too’moh, tokseepew, chpega’royoh, chpoksoh [We are all together, we respect each other, we inquire, we learn]

Indigenous Contributions to Molecular Ecology
Edited by: Drs. Seafha Ramos (Yurok/Karuk), Andrew Kinziger, and Alana Alexander (Māori/Pākehā)

Molecular Ecology Resources welcomes original articles, primary research, opinions and perspectives for an upcoming Special Issue, Indigenous Contributions to Molecular Ecology. To submit a manuscript for consideration in this Special Issue, please follow the author guidelines.

Scope statement 

Barriers and marginalization based on the identities of Indigenous peoples exist at every stage of the academic ladder. Indigenous peoples face many challenges within Molecular Ecology, including racism, fewer same-community role models, and a lower overall sense of belonging. It is well-established that increased diversity results in a greater problem-solving ability and more novel research. It is critical that we dismantle barriers faced by marginalized people because of their ethnicity or race to stem the loss of diverse talent, and to elevate and support Indigenous people within Molecular Ecology. This special issue has the following goals: 1) highlight and promote the work of Indigenous scientists in the field of molecular ecology in a major scientific journal, supporting career advancement by alleviating potential hurdles such as unconscious bias in the publication process; 2) spotlight Indigenous role models from around the world for people of all backgrounds, education levels, and career levels, especially Indigenous peoples pursuing science degrees and careers; 3) contribute to the scientific literature on molecular ecology; 4) place explicit value on Indigenous Research Methodologies and Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) as important to Indigenous communities and scientists in the research process. We seek contributions from around all around the world. 

Requirement for submission:

  • At least one of the authors of the manuscript is Indigenous from any region of the world. Indigenous means to be from a culturally distinct ethnic group that is not a settler or colonial population. Indigenous authors should be active participants who have contributed in any of the following ways: assisted with study design, collected data, analyzed data, or participated in writing the final manuscript. 

The following are encouraged but not required for inclusion in this special issue:

  • Brings an Indigenous perspective.

  • Research either co-developed with Indigenous communities or conducted in collaboration, including projects on Indigenous lands.

  • Use of Indigenous languages (with English translations) in the manuscript.

  • Led by an Indigenous researcher, particularly those early in their career.

Potential topics could include, but are not limited to:

  • Indigenous natural resource management.

  • Culturally-important species.

  • Explicit application or description of TEK, Indigenous Research Methodologies, culture, language or cultural sensitivity. 

  • Indigenous genetic/genomic data collaborative infrastructure.

We encourage interested authors to contact journal editors (manager.molecol@wiley.com) to see whether their research fits the scope of this issue, or submit articles directly through the ScholarOne portal for the journal (https://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/mer) and select this special issue during the process. Please provide a cover letter with the submission and indicate how the submission aligns with the special issue goals and, as appropriate, state authors’ Indigenous affiliations. Required benefits sharing section: We require a benefit sharing section (e.g., Marden, E., Abbott, R. J., Austerlitz, F., Ortiz‐Barrientos, D., Baucom, R. S., Bongaerts, P., ... & Rieseberg, L. H. (2021). Sharing and reporting benefits from biodiversity research. Mol Ecol) demonstrating how the authors have held themselves accountable/shared benefits originating from their research with any relevant Indigenous communities. This may also include the philosophical perspective through which the authors view the research process with Indigenous communities and potential influences on the research (social class, ethnicity or race), i.e. positionality statements. Optional translated abstracts: All submissions must be written in English. However, we encourage authors to provide a second abstract in the language relevant to the Indigenous context to their research.

*The Indigenous phrase and design on this call for papers are Yurok, shared by Dr. Seafha Ramos (Yurok/Karuk).

The Florida Museum Fish Collection at the University of Florida is moving!

Posted 16 March 2022

The Fish Collection, second only to the National Museum of Natural History in specimen records (cataloged lots), will relocate to a new purpose-built facility adjacent to the Florida Museum’s exhibit hall. Construction progress can be viewed here.

To accommodate the move, effective May 15, 2022, normal Fish Collection operations will be suspended. Normal operations include:

  • Visitation

  • Outgoing loans and incoming loan returns

  • Cataloging of new materials

  • Checking determinations/identifications of fish collection specimens

If you have overdue loan materials but can continue to provide proper care for the specimens we ask that you request an extension for your loan(s). If you cannot continue to provide proper care/are leaving your institution for another, etc. please reach out to us to make special arrangements to return the UF material you have. The move and improvements to the fish collection are expected to take 3 years. Resumption of the above activities should be possible in 12 – 18 months.

Contact information:

Larry Page, Curator of Fishes: lpage@flmnh.ufl.edu

Rob Robins, Collection Manager: rhrobins@flmnh.ufl.edu

Joint Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Tropical Animal Behavior

Posted on 10 Mar 2022

The Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI; www.stri.si.edu), headquartered in the Republic of Panama, and the Max Planck Institute (MPI) for Animal Behavior, Department for the Ecology of Animal Societies, headquartered in Konstanz, Germany (www.ab.mpg.de/), are seeking an outstanding behavioral biologist for a joint five-year fellowship in tropical animal behavior. The successful candidate will apply a deep understanding of natural history to resolve basic questions about behavioral mechanisms, evolutionary processes, and adaptive function. Areas of specialty may include, but are not limited to, behavioral ecology, evolution of social behavior, sensory and neuroethology, ecology of animal societies, behavior developmental physiology, functional morphology, and the genetic basis of behavior. Candidates working on any animal taxa, marine, freshwater or terrestrial, will be considered. 

Click here for full advertisement. Click here for application guidelines. Deadline for submission is: 15 June 2022.

ASIH Member discount on Herpetology books by Princeton University Press

Posted on 9 Mar 2022

Princeton University Press is offering a discount to members of the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists. Current ASIH members can enter promo code ASIH at checkout on their website for 30% off all Herpetology titles (valid through 12/31/2022): https://press.princeton.edu/books

Dr. William Leo Pflieger (26 Oct 1932 – 15 Dec 2021)

Posted on 18 Jan 2022

Dr. William Leo Pflieger, passed away at the age of 89, in Ashland, Missouri, December 15, 2021. Dr. Pflieger worked for many years as a fishery biologist for the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) and was recognized as an expert on Missouri fishes and crayfishes.  He authored three books: “The Fishes of Missouri”, “The Crayfishes of Missouri”, and a revision of the first edition of “The Fishes of Missouri.” “The Fishes of Missouri” instantly became a widely used text book due to the high quality of the figures, photographs, keys and biological information. Executive Director of the American Fisheries Society, Doug Austin, commented that, “Yes, Bill Pflieger was a noted ichthyologist.  I don't know any fisheries student from my era who didn't have one of his books.”

Dr. Pflieger was born October 26, 1932 in Columbus Ohio. He was a Korean War veteran and was married to Jo (Osborne) Pflieger who preceded him in death November 14, 2021.  Bill, as he preferred to be called, was an avid naturalist, hunter, and beekeeper. Bill obtained a BS from Ohio State University in 1958 followed by an MS in 1960.  He was recruited by MDC in 1961 to assemble information about the distribution and habitats of all fish species occurring in Missouri. Bill reviewed published literature and located collections of Missouri fishes held at several museums in both Missouri and in other states. He also visited most areas of Missouri, and made over 700 collections of fish from more than 500 localities. He took a leave of absence from MDC in the early 1960’s to pursue a PhD at the University of Kansas.  He documented his work there in a 245-page 1971 published report, “A Distributional Study of Missouri Fishes,” that was a partial fulfilment for a PhD from the University of Kansas in 1969.

During his 34-year tenure with the MDC, he published three aforementioned books, as well as numerous reports and publications. He was very instrumental in the establishment of Missouri's system for storage, retrieval, and analysis of stream resource data as well as the development of an aquatic community classification system for Missouri. Bill’s knowledge of fishes, streams, zoogeography and natural features, and how these affect systems and communities led to a contract with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to prepare a recovery plan for the endemic and endangered Niangua Darter.

Bill was a prodigious field worker and became known as “One-more-seine-haul, Bill” by his coworkers.  Even though the sun was setting, and it had been a long day, Bill would say, “Let’s make just one more seine haul to see what is in that pool!” Bill was a research associate at the University of Missouri, a member of the Society of Sigma Xi, American Fisheries Society, International Association of Astacology, Natural Areas Association, Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, Missouri Conservation Pioneers, and a founding member of the Missouri Chapter of the American Fisheries Society. Bill was honored for his many contributions, receiving: the 1977 Missouri Chapter of the American Fisheries Society’s John L. Funk Award of Excellence; 1992 MDC Fisheries Division Employee of the Year Award; 1997 American Motors Conservationist of the Year Award; and 1997 Missouri Natural Areas Committee Award.

His advice on the systematics, habitat requirements and other aspects of fish and crayfish life were highly sought after by other professionals as well as lay people and will be sorely missed.

Submitted by Joe G. Dillard, 18 Jan 2022

New Book on Yellow Perch, Walleye, and Sauger out Nov. 2021

Posted on Jun 12, 2021

A new book in Springer's Fish and Fisheries Series, Yellow Perch, Walleye, and Sauger: Aspects of Ecology, Management, and Culture, will be coming out on November 2021. 

Bruner, John Clay, DeBruyne, Robin L. (Eds.) 2021. Yellow Perch, Walleye, and Sauger: Aspects of Ecology, Management, and Culture. Springer Fish & Fisheries Series Cham, Switzerland Vol. 41: 1-402 pp. 

Walleye, one of the most sought-after species of freshwater sport fishes in North America, has demonstrated appreciable declines in their numbers from their original populations since the beginning of the 20th century. Similarly, Yellow Perch, once the most commonly caught sport fish and an important commercial species in North America, have also shown declines. Compiling up-to-date information on the biology and management of Walleye, Sauger, and Yellow Perch, including research on systematics, genetics, physiology, ecology, movement, population dynamics, culture, recent case histories, and management practices, will be of interest to managers, researchers, and students who deal with these important species, particularly in light of habitat alterations, population shifts, and other biotic and abiotic factors related to a changing climate.

You can buy it online at Springer.com.

ASIH Statement on Voter Suppression

Posted on Apr 26, 2021

7 April 2021

ASIH shall not consider requests for proposals (RFPs) for our annual meetings in Georgia or any state that passes restrictions on voter rights that disadvantage members of minority or minoritized groups (as defined and identified by the Brennan Center for Justice) until such time that those laws are overturned or no longer disadvantage said groups.

ASIH Executive Committee

Call for nominations for the 2021 Rohlf Medal

Posted on Mar 4, 2021

The Rohlf Medal was established in 2006 by the family and friends of F. James Rohlf to mark his 70th birthday. He has been a longtime Stony Brook University faculty member and is currently Emeritus Distinguished Professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolution, and Research Professor in the Department of Anthropology.

Recipients of the Rohlf Medal will be recognized for excellence in their sustained body of work on the development of new morphometric methods or for their applications in the biomedical sciences, including evolutionary biology, population biology, physical anthropology, and medicine. The term "morphometrics" is intended to include high-dimensional pattern analyses of biological shape, especially those that analyse shape in a comprehensive way, or of covariation of shape with other variables. The award can recognize a body of work that has significantly advanced the field, including: mathematical or statistical theory underlying morphometric methods, software that implements or visualizes new methods, or a body of biological findings that rely crucially on contemporary morphometric methods and represent major advances.

Candidates for the Rohlf Medal may be self-nominated or nominated by others. They must possess a Ph.D. degree or the equivalent.
The winning candidate must agree to attend the award ceremony in person in order to accept the Rohlf Medal and then deliver the award lecture.   Note: the event may have to be virtual this year due to COVID-19. A decision will be announced later.
Nomination packages should include:

  • Description of the body of work (not to exceed two pages) on which the candidacy is based;

  • Reprints of no more than three relevant papers and/or software products;

  • Curriculum vitae;

  • Names and addresses of three referees.

Nominating packages should be uploaded to the   Rohlf Medal application  website and received by 5 pm, EST, 15 July 2021  to be assured of full consideration. Note that upon request nominations from 2019 can be retained for the 2021 selection (though updates of some of the information will likely be needed).

The successful candidate will receive the Rohlf Medal and a cash prize at Stony Brook University, planned for on or about   October 24th, 2021. She or he will deliver a lecture that is appropriate for a broad audience, ranging from the exact sciences to the humanities, concerning the morphometric methodology, software, or findings for which the Rohlf Medal was awarded.
 
If you have questions about this nomination or need information, please contact:

Dean Adams (dcadams@iastate.edu).
Director of Graduate Education, EEB Program, Professor
Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology
Iowa State University

Summary of 2020 BAAM ZOOM

Posted on Feb 1, 2021

A summary of the 2020 BAAM ZOOM is available for download.

ASIH Apology to Underrepresented Ichthyologists and Herpetologists

Posted on Dec 28, 2020

The American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists acknowledges its past and present discriminatory behavior toward scientists of different genders and color, including Black, Latina, Latino, Latinx, Asian, and Indigenous persons. Although individual members of ASIH have worked to increase diversity and inclusion, as a Society, we have failed to explicitly address our issues of sexism and racism to the detriment of all our scientists and professionals. For our actions and inactions, we apologize to our colleagues, particularly our colleagues of color and those harmed or discouraged from the fields of ichthyology and herpetology by our behaviors.

We can address some of these issues in the near term. Our journal will be renamed Ichthyology & Herpetology in 2021. We have pledged support for the Cashner Student Awards to provide funding and professional development to a diverse cohort of early-career scientists to attend the annual meeting. The ASIH Prior Past President will oversee the review process of the annual awards and work with the committees to ensure the candidates and awardees fully reflect the range of diversity and talent in our Society. We will develop a Code of Ethics that all Society members must agree to upon joining or renewing. Life members will be asked to agree to this Code of Ethics as well. All members will agree to the JMIH Code of Conduct, and all members who serve on a Society committee or the Board of Governors will be required to read and abide by our Constitution and the Bylaws. The ASIH Executive Committee and Board of Governors will work with our Committee for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging to prioritize and implement further actions, We will revise our governing policies to promote greater inclusion and diversity in our Society. As we more forward as a Society, we commit to being more inclusive and equitable.

BAAM ZOOM! Agenda

Posted on Dec 8, 2020

BAAM ZOOM! will be held on Saturday, December 19 at 7 pm EST.

Minutes of the 2020 ASIH Board of Governors Meeting

Posted on Dec 1, 2020

The Board of Governors held their meeting on 12 August 2020. The minutes for this meeting, as well as the minutes for the 2020 Executive Committee Meeting are available for download.

Jeffrey T. Williams retiring from USNM

Posted on Oct 30, 2020

Jeffrey T. Williams, Collections Manager in the Division of Fishes, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, is retiring at the end of October 2020 after 37 years of service. Jeff is renowned for the vast collections of marine shorefishes that he has made on fieldtrips throughout the Indo-Pacific. Congratulations and many thanks to Jeff. It is the end of an era in the Division of Fishes.

Until we are able to re-fill Jeff’s position, inquiries concerning the collections should be directed to Lynne R. Parenti, Curator-in-Charge, Division of Fishes,  parentil@si.edu. Please be advised that because of the pandemic we are currently not accepting accessions, processing loans, or hosting new visitors. We will alert the community when those routine collections activities restart.

Ross Robertson sets up new STRI Fellowship

Posted on Sep 6, 2020

The Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) in Panama is establishing a new fellowship of any duration for graduate and post-graduate students to conduct field-oriented research on the evolution, ecology, natural history, or related taxonomy and systematics of marine and brackish-water fishes found in nearshore, tropical, and subtropical waters of North, Central, and South America and the Panama Canal. Fellowships will provide full research allowance, and stipends are in line with major US universities and the NSF. This fellowship is made possible by an endowment set up by D. Ross Robertson at STRI. 

A call for applications will be issued in late 2021.

Book: UALVP Type Specimens of Fossil Fishes

Posted on Jun 24, 2020

Type Specimens of Fossil Fishes: Catalogue of the University of Alberta Laboratory for Vertebrate Paleontology is available from CRC Press.

Bruner, John Clay. 2019. Type Specimens of Fossil Fishes: Catalogue of the University of Alberta Laboratory for Vertebrate Paleontology. CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida, 166 pp.  ISBN 9780429398582  CAT# KE69888 Published January 10, 2019. Hardback $69.95; ebook $62.96; ebook rental from $34.98.

ABSTRACT: This is the first list ever compiled of the fossil fish types deposited in the collections of the University of Alberta Laboratory for Vertebrate Paleontology (UALVP).  This collection contains 88 fish holotypes, 966 fish paratypes, 55 casts of fish holotypes and 20 casts of fish paratypes from other museums. The catalogue number, the latest classification, a short description of the material, the collector(s) of the holotype (if known), the type locality, the full citation including the pages on which it was described, tables, and listings of any figures are provided for each type specimen. A list of unpublished “types” languishing in Ph.D. theses and M.Sc. theses is also included, as these specimens are labeled in the collections as “types” on the museum labels and in the computer catalogue.  There are 13 fish holotypes and 156 fish paratypes languishing in this unpublished category. Additionally, there are two UALVP fish holotypes from a currently submitted publication.  Also, this type catalogue lists specimens incorrectly cited as holotypes and paratypes in the scientific literature. 

Presentation of the ASIH 2020 Survey on Diversity

Posted on Jun 24, 2020

This presentation includes:

  • Renaming Copeia

  • 2019 Survey goals, demographics, and results

  • ADA accessibility

  • DEIB recommendations

Download the presentation (updated June 24, 2020)

Black Lives Matter

Posted on Jun 18, 2020

The ASIH values diversity, and we have promised to take steps to support Black and Brown ichthyologists and herpetologists. A critical step is to recognize one of our own historic problems. Our journal’s namesake, E.D. Cope, held and published racist and misogynist views that our current membership finds abhorrent. The ASIH will begin addressing this matter. The Executive Committee of the ASIH is in favor of changing our journal’s name and is taking step to begin this process. We will bring this matter to our Board of Governors, to the appropriate ASIH committees, and to the ASIH membership for consideration.

A name change appears to be a simple matter of deciding to do it. But, carrying this out to completion takes work, money, and time. The money comes from the membership and limits spending on other systems (e.g., travel awards) that our membership is accustomed to. And the time means that if a renaming is an action the ASIH takes, a new name on our journal must take minimally six months and could take eighteen months to appear. This means that buy-in and patience from the membership is a requirement if the ASIH wants to see this done. The Executive Committee of the ASIH believes that the process is worth undertaking. Our goal is not in seeking the demonization of Cope. Rather we wish to honestly address one of our own blemishes. We have long ignored this particular blemish; much of our membership is not even aware of Cope’s racist perspectives.

History can be taken out of context. Indeed, Cope’s views were held by many (perhaps most) of his contemporary 19th Century scientists. However, his views on race, society, and eugenics were very prominent. Because he has been a titan of both ichthyology and herpetology (and perhaps because few modern members know his views), for a century we have looked past the bad to focus on his accomplishments. But his views on race and society were very public and, unfortunately, published as purportedly scientific articles. In a few instances, these views were part of policies agreed to by the ASIH.

Many ASIH members may not know that we have been having these conversations for years, even decades. From our perspective, it is time to think hard about the messages behind whom we honor and hurt with our statues and monuments, and with our building and journal namesakes. We have an opportunity. 

Chris Beachy
President

Leo Smith
Editor

Amphibian Ark George and Mary Rabb Research Fellowship

Posted on Jun 9, 2020

About the Fellowship

This fellowship supports early or mid-career scientists and conservationists in research-based professional development that furthers amphibian conservation. Proposals that address species research priorities indicated in the Amphibian Red List and/or the Amphibian Ark Conservation Needs Assessment (CNA), or thematic research priorities indicated in the Amphibian Conservation Action Plan (ACAP) will be given preference. Applicants must be formally associated with a mentor or lead scientist at a relevant university, NGO, zoo/aquarium, or other established institution. The fellowship carries a $5,000 stipend and is open to applicants from all countries.

Fellowships are for one year, with potential for an additional one-year renewal depending on need and progress towards research goals.

Applications must include:

  • Current CV,

  • Letter from the mentor with whom the applicant is intending to work,

  • Names and contact information (email addresses) for two additional references who may be contacted by the Amphibian Ark

  • Statement of Purpose. This Statement should be no longer than two pages and should provide specifics of the proposed research as well as the applicant’s academic and professional experiences relevant to the research.

  • Proposals to work directly with live animals must be accompanied by copies of appropriate governmental and institutional animal-care and collecting permits as relevant, and invitations or acceptance letters from hosting institutions or programs.

Application materials and the letter of support from the mentor should be e-mailed to Joseph Mendelson, Scientific Advisor, jmendelson@zooatlanta.org. The submission deadline is 1 September 2020.

A committee appointed by the Amphibian Ark will review all nominations and then submit their choice for award recipient to the Amphibian Ark Executive Director for endorsement.

About George and Mary Rabb

This fellowship honors Dr. George B. Rabb and his life-long partner Mary Rabb. From his boyhood days studying herps in Charleston, South Carolina through the remainder of his life, George was passionate about amphibians, conservation, and providing encouragement to developing scientists. A noted scientist, long- time Director of the Chicago Zoological Society, Chair of the Species Survival Commission of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN SSC), and recipient of numerous awards, George was a thoughtful, quiet, humble person. He never sought the limelight, and never cared about being right, only that the right thing was done. He played essentials roles in stimulating, provoking and initiating new directions in amphibian conservation, ranging from the Declining Amphibian Populations Task Force (DAPTF), the Amphibian Conservation Action Plan (ACAP), the Amphibian Ark (AArk) and the Amphibian Survival Alliance (ASA). George was a steadfast supporter and advisor to the Amphibian Ark from its inception, and this fellowship recognizes that which George held dear.

About the Amphibian Ark

The AArk is a joint effort of three principal partners: the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA), the IUCN SSC Conservation Planning Specialist Group (CPSG), and the IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group (ASG). AArk is a partner in the Amphibian Survival Alliance (ASA). We were formed to address the captive (ex situ) components of the Amphibian Conservation Action Plan. Our vision is the world’s amphibians safe in nature, and our mission is ensuring the survival and diversity of amphibian species focusing on those that cannot currently be safe-guarded in their natural environments.

Diversity & Inclusion Statement in Support of Black Live Matter

Posted on Jun 8, 2020

Black Lives Matter. The violent acts against Black people including George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, and countless others, are horrifying reminders of the work that is left to do in dismantling racism in our country. Another recent event is especially relevant for us as a group of active field researchers and nature enthusiasts. Christian Cooper, a Black man who sits on the board of the NYC Audubon Society, was birdwatching in Central Park and requested that a woman leash her dog in accordance with local ordinances. She responded by saying she was going to call the police and claim “there’s an African American man threatening [her] life”, and then proceeded to do so. This is a small glimpse into the everyday experiences of our Black colleagues. We must work to ensure that Black members of our scientific community are welcomed, included, and supported in professional activities, and that they are safe in outdoor spaces.

We recognize that our Black friends and colleagues may be experiencing acute trauma due to recent events, and systemically due to intergenerational racism against the Black community. Adhoc Black Lives Matter Resources and Funds have compiled resources that include free healing and therapy sessions (scroll to the bottom of the page).

Our non-Black members can work as allies at this time by signing petitions, donating money and supplies, and self-educating about how to do anti-racist work. You can donate to the Black Lives Matter movement, or make a split donation to 70+ bail bonds and other supportive funds at once. You can sign petitions listed by the Adhoc Black Lives Matter Resources and Funds. You can self-educate using these scaffolded anti-racist resources, and this large set of anti-racist resources that includes material for parents and their children. These are just some of the many ways you can support Black people in the United States right now.

We are working with the ASIH Executive Committee to form a plan of action for our ASIH leadership to take on important and intentional ally work to support all our members. We specifically call for support for our Black and Brown members as well as non-member herpetologists and ichthyologists from marginalized communities who have not felt welcomed or included by ASIH. We made several recommendations to society leadership in response to the results of the 2019 Diversity and Inclusion survey. We are using this document as a starting point and we welcome feedback from the community - please feel free to contact us at diversitycommitteeasih@gmail.com. We will share additional resources and updates in the coming weeks.

As biologists, we are trained to think critically and to synthesize information from diverse sources to advance our understanding of the natural world. We can apply this same approach to advance our understanding of how our Black colleagues experience the world. Showing support for one group does not take away from support for another. Just as we have shown solidarity with women by making a strong statement against sexism, and allyship for our LGBTQ+ members by introducing initiatives to increase visibility at the JMIH, we are sending this message to show support for our Black members and colleagues. We hope that our non-Black membership can take this time to self-educate, listen, and be open to learning from perspectives different from their own.

In solidarity,

ASIH Diversity and Inclusion Committee

Discount on Freshwater Fishes of North America Vol. 2

Posted on May 1, 2020

Freshwater Fishes of North America Volume 2:Characidae to Poeciliidae, edited by Melvin R. Warren and Brooks M. Burr, is slated for publication in early July 2020.

The Johns Hopkins University Press is offering a 30% discount on the volume if you use code HTWN on their purchasing portal.

The JMIH 2020 has been canceled

Posted on Mar 29, 2020

All registrations will be refunded at 100%. Please visit the JMIH 2020 webpage for refund details.

In cooperation with our hotel partners in Norfolk, BAI, and the four JMIH Presidents, the JMIH will meet in Norfolk in July of 2023. This part has been the critical piece in being able to minimize the costs of a cancellation.

Simple cancellations are expensive. The cancellation of the 2020 JMIH would have cost $240,000–$300,000. All four JMIH Presidents (including Marty Crump, SSAR, Susan Walls, HL, and Dave Ebert, AES) agreed cancellation was the right thing to do. However, we believed that if we could ameliorate the extraordinary expense, then delaying the cancellation a short time was worthwhile. Time will tell if this strategy was appropriate, but the four of us believe that this approach has been successful.

Our hybrid “cancellation with postponement” costs are now approximately $50,000. To make that work, we agreed to pay a deposit to our hotel partners for holding our 2023 JMIH in Norfolk.

BAI recommended we wait even longer to see if a “force majeure” would be in place. This could have resulted in a no-cost cancellation. However, the effectiveness of force majeure remains to be seen. Indeed, some of BAI’s attorneys have even suggested that we may still be able to be the benefactors later this summer even though we have already canceled. We will wait and see. In the meantime, we all believe that our members are very interested in making the right decision, even in the face of some financial penalty.

There are naturally going to be many questions going forward. Now that we have reached a decision, we can work to keep the membership updated and informed via email blasts, ASIH website posting, and social media posts. I have leaned heavily upon the ASIH Executive Committee in my decisions that are intended to represent our membership. As the least credentialed among them, I am honored and lucky to have this bunch of direct, thoughtful, and super-bright persons helping me along.

We especially are looking forward to our 100th ASIH meeting at the 2021 JMIH in Phoenix. At that point, it’ll be great to be able to share much of what has happened in our more normal BOG, BAAM, and face-to-face meetings.

Chris Beachy
ASIH President

Bleeker Awards for Distinguished Contributions to Indo-Pacific Ichthyology

Posted on Mar 3, 2020

The Indo-Pacific Fish Conference (IPFC) is accepting nominations for the Bleeker Awards for 2021. The prize is awarded to a living ichthyologist for “an outstanding body of published work in Indo-Pacific ichthyology, mainly in systematics OR ecology”. The award for Systematics includes, but is not limited to, contributions to taxonomy, phylogenetics, phylogeography, speciation and evolutionary processes The award for Ecology includes, but is not limited to, contributions to population, community, functional, behavioral and evolutionary ecology. The awards will be presented at the 11th IPFC, to be held from 5-9th July 2021 in Auckland, New Zealand.

Nominations may be made by any ichthyologist, including self-nominations, and should include the nominee’s curriculum vitae, and up to a maximum of four pages detailing the nominee’s specific contributions and their impacts on Indo-Pacific ichthyology. A maximum of four nominators are permissible per nomination. No further or additional endorsements from individuals are permissible. Members of the IPFC Bleeker Awards committee cannot make nominations. Nominations are for individuals only and cannot be joint nominations or made for organisations or institutions.    

Nominations should be submitted as an e-mail attachment by 30 October 2020 to the Chair of the Bleeker Awards Committee, Professor Philip Munday, James Cook University, Australia (email: philip.munday@jcu.edu.au).

The award, named after Pieter Bleeker, honors individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the field of ichthyology in the Indo-Pacific. Two awards in ichthyology will be conferred; one for distinguished contributions to Systematics and one for distinguished contributions to Ecology. The first Bleeker awards were presented in 2005 at the 7th IPFC to John Randall (systematics) and Howard Choat (ecology). The recipients in 2009, 2013 and 2017 were William Eschmeyer (systematics), Peter Sale (ecology), Gerald Allen (systematics), Jeffrey Leis (ecology), Keiichi Matsuura (systematics) and David Bellwood (ecology), respectively.

Marine Animal Bioacoustics Summer Course

Posted on Jan 30, 2020

Friday Harbor Laboratories, San Juan Islands, WA, is offering a summer course in Marine Animal Bioacoustics. This five-week (June 15-July 17, 2020) course is designed to provide graduate and advanced undergraduate students with a broad understanding of the acoustic tools and techniques necessary for investigating the bioacoustics (sound production and reception), communication and behavior of marine animals, especially with the marine mammals and fishes found locally in the waters of the San Juan islands. 

Enrollment limited to 15 students and applications will be reviewed after March 1, 2020.

Visit fhl.uw.edu/courses/course-descriptions/course/marine-animal-bioacoustics for more information on this course.

AFS Symposium on Walleye, Sauger and Yellow Perch

Posted on Dec 12, 2019

A symposium on the biology management and culture of walleye, sauger and yellow perch will be held during the American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting in Columbus, Ohio (August 30 - September 3, 2020).

Walleye, one of the most sought-after species of freshwater sport fishes in North America, and its “sister” species, the Sauger, have demonstrated appreciable declines in their numbers from their original populations since the beginning of the 20th century. Similarly, Yellow Perch, once the most commonly caught sport fish and an important commercial species in North America, have also shown declines. Yet, some western states and provinces are trying to extirpate Walleye and Yellow Perch where they have been introduced outside of their native range. The purpose of this one-day symposium is to present up-to-date information on the biology and management of Walleye, Sauger, and Yellow Perch, since the 2011 publication of the AFS book, Biology, Management, and Culture of Walleye and Sauger, the companion column in Fisheries that year (36[12]), Future Research Needs of Walleye and Sauger, and pertinent review papers in Biology of Perch (CRC Press, 2015). Presentations will include topics on systematics, genetics, physiology, ecology, population dynamics, culture, recent case histories, and management practices, which will be of interest to managers, researchers, and students who deal with these important species, particularly in light of habitat alterations, population shifts, and other biotic and abiotic factors related to a changing climate. 
 
If you are interested in presenting a talk on Walleye, Sauger, or Yellow Perch at the American Fisheries Society’s 150th annual meeting, please contact John Clay Bruner (jbruner@ualberta.ca) to be included in the symposium.
 
Proposals for Symposia must be submitted by January 21, 2020. Accepted Symposia proposals will be posted on the conference website on February 14, 2020. If accepted, organizers must submit a complete list of confirmed presentations and titles by March 13, 2020. Abstracts for Symposium oral presentations must be submitted by March 20, 2020. 

Poster incident at JMIH

Posted on Aug 15, 2019

Dear JMIH Meeting Attendees:

Over the last year the leadership of JMIH approved a code of conduct for the meeting. We also hired a safety officer to have a person outside of the JMIH to serve as an Ombud.

While most of the complaints filed at the meeting were satisfactorily resolved, one was brought forward at the end of the meeting and has had to be investigated and resolved after the meeting. There were rumors, resulting in a report, that David Hillis had bullied a postdoc (originally reported as a student) into changing his poster. After reviewing the discussion with the poster presenter and a witness, this was determined to not be the case. In fact, the presenter was upset to find out that these false rumors had begun and has sought to bring the facts to the Ombud. The postdoc’s poster was indeed later defaced by others, but David Hillis had nothing to do with this incident, and was not even present when it happened. The Ombud is currently working with the JMIH societies to address this incident with the individuals who were involved.

The remedy is that we are posting this official statement to correct the record and hopefully counteract the rumors that David Hillis acted inappropriately at the meeting - he did not. As noted by the postdoc and witness, he was supportive, friendly, and appropriate at the poster session. If you encounter anything to the contrary, please help to end the rumors by pointing people to this statement. These kinds of rumors are damaging and have resulted in harassment of someone innocent of the charges - we do not want that sort of culture at our meetings or in our field. We will continue to work with the JMIH societies to address the inappropriate behavior by other individuals involved in this incident.