This is the homepage of quantitative symbiologist James Skelton. Here you can find information about my academic interests and teaching. 
My work focuses on the interface of intimate species interactions (symbioses) and the broader ecology of the organisms involved. I develop detailed knowledge of the natural history and organismal biology of my study systems, to formulate broad conceptual frameworks that other researchers can use to better understand their favorite systems. I’ve worked with lots of amazing folks on lots of cool critters including fungus-farming beetles, crayfish microbiomes and cleaning symbionts, freshwater sponges, and more.
I also enjoy a diversity of side projects including animal magnetic sensing and orientation behaviors, avian ecology and conservation, and invasive species that pose emerging threats to forest health.
In case you are wondering about the name Poetsworm, its a shortened version of poetswormen, which is Dutch for “cleaning worms”. A Dutch fellow contacted us several years ago to write an article in his home town about our research on Branchiobdellidan anellids – leech-like worms that live on crayfish. We had recently discovered that they provide a cleaning service to their hosts by eating gunk from their gills (see here). When I saw the Dutch article, I immediately decided I liked Poetswormen better than Branchiobdellidan annellids as a common name, thus Poetsworm was born.