Kara Yopak

Do shark brains differ between different species? Does one species' brain change over its lifespan? How does changing environment change brain development? These are questions @ProfSharkBrain and @YopakZoMBiELab are trying to answer! spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/DpG7zTxC1Mb

#DidYouKnow that @ProfSharkBrain and @YopakZoMBiELab have seen 180 species of skates, rays, sharks, and chimera brains? Learn about what she and her Zombie Lab are learning about these brain specimens on the Gills Talk podcast!

@AckermansNicole Excellent point. Urban Academia Myth…

@ProfSharkBrain You know professors who retire? 😆

I'm behind on everything but it's fine it's just busy because it's the beginning of the semester, I can catch up later... Well actually maybe after conference season, Well actually after that it'll be the holidays, Well actually after that it'll be spring semester Oh.

Had such a great time on the @GillsClub podcast talking all things 🦈 🧠

Wow so many publications this month! Congrats to Dr.Steve Kinsey, Dr.Michael Mallin, and Dr.Kara Yopak for their new publications 20-year water quality analysis sciencedirect.com/science/articl… Hypoxia Tolerance doi.org/10.1093/icb/ic… Bioimaging of sense organs doi.org/10.1002/ar.255…

🎉New paper🚨 Interested in 3D imaging of the nervous system of fishes or reptiles? Check out @UNCW_BaMB's Kara Yopak's @ProfSharkBrain latest collaborative publication on imaging! doi.org/10.1002/ar.255… @AnatRecord

Check out our latest collaborative paper on imaging of the nervous system! 🦈

A tribute to the great Harvey Karten, an absolute giant in comparative neurobiology thetransmitter.org/neuroanatomy/r…

Great to be visiting @ProfSharkBrain of @YopakZoMBiELab at the Centre for Marine Science in Wilmington, North Carolina, talking shark brains & endocasts 🦈 🧠

@DrAliceClement @YopakZoMBiELab So wonderful to have you here! 🦈 🧠

Understanding repro mode evolution in sharks and rays we can test different theories about how these traits relate to diversification dynamics (i.e. rates of speciation and extinction): the Viviparity Driven Conflict Hypothesis and the Novel Ecological Opportunity hypothesis.

Live-bearing and matrotrophy co-evolved with increasing body size, shallower depth, and more tropical distributions. Larger maternal body size accommodates retained embryos, and increased foraging efficiency with reduced predation risk may allow for more maternal investment

Egg-laying is ancestral and live-bearing and matrotrophy (additional maternal nourishment beyond the initial yolk) have evolved multiple times. While some groups are invariant (all skates lay eggs), groups like the requiem sharks exhibit diverse reproductive modes and habitats

The sequence and drivers of the evolution of live-bearing and matrotrophy are fundamental questions in vertebrate macroecology, and sharks and rays with their reproductive diversity (everything from egg-laying to placentas) are an ideal group for addressing these questions.

Hot off the press! Out now in @CurrentBiology "Maternal investment evolves with larger body size and higher diversification rate in sharks and rays" Read here: authors.elsevier.com/a/1jCxB3QW8S6E… Massive thanks to my co-authors @mwpen @ProfSharkBrain and @NickDulvy

@AckermansNicole @UNCWilmington @UNCW_BaMB It was great to catch up! Here’s hoping for a collaboration soon. 🦈 🧠

I had a wonderful time at @UNCWilmington, the faculty at @UNCW_BaMB and the BioGSA were all great hosts and provided so much nerding out about animals and brains and all kinds of science. They set a high bar for an invited seminar! Thanks!!

I am today's Roer seminar speaker @UNCW_BaMB, at 3 PM excited to see you all there!

@AckermansNicole So excited for your visit! See you tomorrow in the lab. 🧠

Views did not disappoint

Do sharks have ears? Unlike us, sharks have no need for external ears. Instead, they feel the sound with their whole bodies! In this episode, Dr Lucille Chapuis talks to us about the fascinating topic of shark hearing! saveourseas.com/worldofsharks/…