Science is better together. This research is driven by a team of curious minds, and we are always looking for more. If evolution, animal behaviour, sexual selection, sexual conflict, or arachnids excite you, get in touch.
Principle Investigator
Why do some animals mate in ways that seem bizarre, dangerous, or even deadly? Dr. Anastasia Shavrova is an evolutionary biologist who uses arachnids to investigate the arms race between males and females over reproduction, and what drives the evolution of some of the animal kingdom’s most extreme behaviours.
Honours Students
Emily Lynch (current) – How does male polyphenism influence mate choice over female mating history?
Sneha Kumar (2025) – Does male weaponry influence male mate choice in the polyphenic Bulb Mite (Rhizoglyphus echinopus)
Research Internship students
Leaf Selvey (2026) – The cost of weapons: does male weaponry come at a reproductive cost?
Yonathan Budi (2025) – Size matters: the evolution of sexual size dimorphism in pseudoscorpions
Research Assistant
Sneha Kumar (2026)
Dr. Anastasia Shavrova 