A predaceous diving beetle

A water scorpion

A fishing spider living up to its name (photo credit: Ingo Arndt)

Robby Deans (Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior Graduate Program)

"Scuba Diving Arthropods: How insects (and spiders) make their living underwater."

Modern insects and spiders both evolved from terrestrial ancestors, but some have evolved to live on or in the water.  At Science Under the Stars this May, EEB PhD Candidate Robby Deans will discuss some of the challenges of this environment and how aquatic species overcome them. Additionally, he will talk about the diversity of aquatic arthropods and their interactions with humans. You can read more about Robby’s research interests on his lab’s website. 

Science Under the Stars is a free, monthly public outreach lecture series founded and organized by graduate students in the Department of Integrative Biology at The University of Texas at Austin. Events are held outdoors at Brackenridge Field Laboratory, 2907 Lake Austin Blvd, Austin, Texas 78703. In the case of inclement weather, lectures are held indoors.

Here’s the schedule for this month’s event:

• 7:00 pm: Snacks, kids activities, and displays of local animals and plants found at Brackenridge Field Laboratory will be available.
• 7:15 pm-7:45 pm: Guided tour of the field lab (wear sturdy shoes and bring water)!
• 8:00 pm: Settle in, because the talk begins now!
• 8:45 pm: Q&A with the speaker.