Tanmay Dixit has commenced his PhD research on egg mimicry in the Cuckoo Finch and egg rejection behaviour by their hosts (family Cisticolidae). He plans to use approaches from applied mathematics, visual ecology and psychology to understand how hosts recognise eggs, and the implications for this on host egg phenotypes and parasite mimicry. This Cuckoo Finch chick, held by Tanmay above, was clearly a successful mimic!
What role does learning play in the origin of new species? As part of the "Network for the Integration of Speciation" research series, Dr Gabriel Jamie gave a seminar together with Professor Maria Servedio on learning, imprinting and speciation:...
The Scientific Awards Committee of the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) have awarded a Certificate of Commendation to Tanmay Dixit for his PhD thesis.
Our paper “Chase-away evolution maintains imperfect mimicry in a brood parasite–host system despite rapid evolution of mimics” has been published in the journal Nature Ecology & Evolution.
Our paper “Repeatable randomness, invariant properties, and the design of biological signatures of identity” has been published in the journal Evolution.