We’re excited to report that SEX LAB member Dr Mike Kasumovic, together with Dr Damian Elias (UC Berkeley) were awarded a grant from the Hermon Slade Foundation worth $50,000 over three years. The grant supports their project titled: “Understanding the role of the ecological and social environment in the evolution of
complex communication in peacock spiders”
The project will examine the variation and evolution of multimodal signals (visual and acoustic) across the 30+ species of peacock spiders
endemic to Australia. This genus has been largely unknown until recently and the goal will be to examine the selective pressures (ecological and
social) that have led to the diversity of multimodal signals seen in this genus.
One of the most exciting things about this news is that it will bring Maddie Girard back to Australia!
