Our Lab
The goal of the Elias Lab is to understand the mechanisms that guide behavior and how these mechanisms relate to behavioral adaptation. We use a variety of systems and tools to investigate how animals produce and process complex stimuli, the interplay between physics, behavior, and sexual selection.
Recent Publications
New collaborative study with the Bensmaia lab published on surface waves and the physiology of touch receptors in primate skin in PLos One.
New paper published in the Biological Journal of the Linnean Society on courtship behavior in jumping spiders. See video clips of Coecatus group displays
New chapter on "Dynamic Population Structure and the Evolution of Spider Mating Systems" published in Advances in Insect Physiology
New paper published in PLoS One on multimodal courtship behavior in the peacock spider, Maratus volans. See video clip of peacock spider display.
New collaborative study published on novel song production mechanism (aeroelastic flutter) in hummingbirds in Science. Press (1, 2, 3, 4) and video clip about publication
New paper published on the role of resource ownership and contests in Behavioral Ecology.
The new book “Spider Behaviour: Flexibility & Versatility” (M. Herberstein, ed) is now available from Cambridge University Press
News
Congratulations to Erin Brandt for being awarded a CiBER IGERT Traineeship!
Habronattus footage filmed in the Elias Lab featured in Discovery Channel's North America Program. Clip.
How do animals show off? Discovery channel Canada segment featuring Peacock Spiders and the work of Maddie Girard
Congratulations to Erin and Chrissy for receiving Berkeley's Graduate Division Summer Award!
Research video from the Elias Lab featured on a Tonight Show skit!
Habronattus songs sound like motorcycles aka jumping spiders go viral! buzzfeed, cheez burger,
What is the science of a vibe? Discovery Channel news segment featuring the Elias lab.
BBC article on the Elias Lab's 2012 collecting trip with collegues Maddie Girard and Thomas Shahan. Maddie discovered a new Habronattus species (or at least a new hybrid!).
Congratulations to Maddie Girard for completing her qualifying exam!!!
Congratulations to Maddie Girard for receiving the Graduate Women in Science (GWIS) Eloise Gerry Fellowship!
News article and podcast featuring the Elias lab.
Congratulations to Chrissy Rivera for receiving a UC Berkeley Graduate Division Summer Grant and Maddie Girard for receiving an Animal Behavior Student Research Grant!
Maddie Girard has just been awarded "Best Paper of 2011" for her publication on "Recruitment-dance signals draw larger audiences when honey bee colonies have multiple patrilines" in Insectes Sociaux. Congratulations Maddie!
