John Majoris

Education

Ph.D., Biology, Boston University

Dual B.S., Marine Biology and Aquaculture, Florida Institute of Technology

Postdoctoral Training

University of Texas at Austin Marine Science Institute, USA, 2021-2022

King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Saudi Arabia, 2019-2021

Boston University, USA, 2017-2018

About Me

Dr. John Majoris is an Assistant Professor of Biology at the Pennsylvania State University (PSU). He obtained his Dual B.Sc. in Marine Biology and Aquaculture at Florida Institute of Technology and a Ph.D. in Biology at Boston University. Following his graduate studies, Dr. Majoris completed Postdoctoral training at Boston University, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in Saudi Arabia, and the University of Texas at Austin Marine Science Institute. Before joining the faculty at PSU, he was an Assistant Professor of Marine Biology at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. His research leverages long-term field studies, behavioral experiments, and aquaculture techniques to study the early life history and dispersal traits of marine fish larvae. 

Research Interests

Marine Ecology and Aquaculture 

The dispersal of offspring away from their parent's habitat is a widespread phenomenon in nature. In coral reef ecosystems, most animals produce tiny, dispersive larvae that develop for several days to months in the upper water column before returning to settle in benthic habitats. This process of larval dispersal determines the level of connectivity among patchily distributed reefs, which has important consequences for the ecology, evolution, and conservation of reef associated species. Yet, the processes that shape patterns of larval dispersal and population connectivity in the ocean remain poorly understood. To address this gap in our knowledge, the Majoris Lab leverages expertise in marine ecology, animal behavior, and aquaculture to study the early life history and dispersal traits of marine fishes. To date, our research has primarily focused on (1) measuring larval dispersal traits throughout development, (2) determining how larval behaviors influence population dynamics on coral reefs, and (3) developing aquaculture protocols for coral reef fishes. The Majoris Lab's goal is to advance our understanding of how physical and biological processes influence patterns of population connectivity in marine ecosystems.

Publications

Narvaez, S.P. § , D.J. Coker, M. Justo § , J.E. Majoris, M.L. Berumen. (2025) Adaptive hues: color change in a small coral reef mesopredator (Pseudochromis flavivertex). Coral Reefs 1-18.

Arnold, K.M., M.P. Neves, H.W. Chan, J.E. Majoris, K.M. Evans. (2025) Early Ontogenetic Allometry and Shifting Modularity in Skull Development of the Red Sea Anemonefish, Amphiprion bicinctus. Evolution & Development 27(4): e70024.

Francis, R.K. § , K.G. Castro, S. Thompson*, I. Trumble, J.E. Majoris , P.M. Buston. (2025) Plasticity of Dispersal-Related Larval Traits in the Clown Anemonefish Amphiprion percula. Ecology and Evolution 15(8): e71967.

Pacaro, M. * § , T. Barbasch, M Rogers, J. Chavez, P.M. Buston, J.E. Majoris . (2023) Nocturnal parental care and the role of parents in hatching in the clownfish Amphiprion percula. Ethology 00:1-10. 22.

Hu, Y., J.E. Majoris , P.M. Buston, J.F. Webb. (2022) Ear development in selected coral reef fishes: clues for the role of hearing in larval orientation behavior? Ichthyology and Herpetology 110(4):759-775. 21.

Francis, R.K. § , K. Catalano § , J.E. Majoris , S.M. Bogdanowicz, C.C. D’Aloia, T. Rueger, P.M. Buston. (2022) Characteristics of breeding habitat, genetic mating system, and determinants of mating success in the sponge-dwelling goby Elacatinus lori. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 76:57.20.

Fitzgerald, L.M. § , H.B. Harrison, D.J. Coker, P. Saenz-Agudelo, M. Srinivasan, J.E. Majoris , L. Boström Einarsson; B. Pujol; M. Bennett-Smith § ; S.R. Thorrold; S. Planes; G.P. Jones; M.L. Berumen. (2022) Rank change and growth within social hierarchies of the orange clownfish, Amphiprion percula. Marine Biology 169:128.

Majoris, J.E., F.A. Francisco*, C. Burns*, S.J. Brandl, K.M. Warkentin, P.M. Buston. (2022) Paternal care regulates the timing, synchrony, and success of hatching in a coral reef fish. Proceedings of the Royal Society B 289: 20221466. 18.

Chahid, A. § , I. N’Doye, J.E. Majoris , M.L. Berumen, T. Laleg-Kirati. (2021) Fish growth trajectory tracking using Q-learning in precision aquaculture. Aquaculture 550: 737838.17.

Bennett-Smith, M.F. § , J.E. Majoris, B. Titus, M.L. Berumen. (2021) Clownfish-hosting sea anemones (Anthozoa, Actiniaria) of the Red Sea: new associations and distributions, historical misidentifications, and morphological variability. Marine Biodiversity Records 14(22): 1-15.16.

Chahid, A. § , I. N’Doye, J.E. Majoris , M.L. Berumen, L. Taous-Meriem. (2021) Model predictive control paradigms for fish growth reference tracking in precision aquaculture. Journal of Process Control 105:160-168.15.

Majoris, J.E., M.A. Foretich, Y. Hu, K.R. Nickles, C.L. Di Persia, R. Chaput, E Schlatter, J.F. Webb, C.B. Paris, P.M. Buston. (2021) An integrative investigation of sensory organ development and orientation behavior in the larvae of a coral reef fish. Scientific Reports 11: 12377.

Gajdzik, L., T.M. DeCarlo, E.A. Aylagas, D.J. Coker, A. Green, J.E. Majoris , V.F. Saderne, S. Carvalho, M.L. Berumen. (2021) Tailoring marine conservation to enhance climate change mitigation and adaptation. Global Change Biology 00: 1-13. 13.

Nickles, K.R., Y. Hu, J.E. Majoris, P.M. Buston, J.F. Webb. (2020) Organization and ontogeny of a complex lateral line system in a goby (Elacatinus lori), with a consideration of function and ecology. Copeia108 (4): 863-885. - Awarded 2020 Best Paper in Ichthyology in Copeia.

Majoris, J.E. , K.A. Catalano*, D. Scolaro*, J. Atema, P.M. Buston. (2019) Ontogeny of swimming abilities of larval coral reef fishes and a hypothesis for their impact on the spatial scale of dispersal. Marine Biology 166(12): 159 . 11.

Chaput, R., J.E. Majoris , P.M. Buston, C.B. Paris. (2019) Hydrodynamic and biological constraints on group cohesion of larvae through ontogeny. Journal of Theoretical Biology 482: 109987.10.

Chaput, R., J.E. Majoris , C.M. Guigand, M. Huse, E.K. D’Alessandro. (2019) Environmental conditions and parental care determine hatching synchronicity of coral reef fish larvae. Marine Biology 166(9): 118.9.

Reed, C.*, R. Branconi, J.E. Majoris , C. Johnson, P.M. Buston. (2019) Competitive growth in a social fish. Biology Letters 15(2): 201807378.

Hu, Y., J.E. Majoris, P.M. Buston, J.F. Webb. (2018) Potential roles of smell and taste in the orientation behavior of coral reef fish larvae: insights from morphology. Journal of Fish Biology 95: 311-323 - Special Issue on the Sensory Ecology of Fishes.

Majoris, J.E ., C.C. D’Aloia, R.K. Francis* and P.M. Buston. (2018) Differential persistence favors habitat preferences that determine the distribution of a reef fish. Behavioral Ecology arx189.

Majoris, J.E. , F.A. Francisco * , J. Atema, P.M. Buston. (2018) Reproduction, early development, and larval rearing strategies for two sponge-dwelling neon gobies, Elacatinus lori and E. colini. Aquaculture 483: 286-295.

D’Aloia, C.C., S.M. Bogdanowicz, R.K. Francis*, J.E. Majoris , R.G. Harrison, P.M. Buston. (2015) Patterns, causes, and consequences of marine larval dispersal. PNAS 112(45): 13940-13945. 4.

D’Aloia, C.C., S.M. Bogdanowicz, J.E. Majoris , R.G. Harrison and P.M. Buston. (2013) Self-recruitment in a Caribbean reef fish: a method for approximating dispersal kernels accounting for seascape. Molecular Ecology 22(9): 2563-2572.3.

D’Aloia, C.C., J.E. Majoris and P.M. Buston. (2011) Predictors of the distribution and abundance of a tube sponge and its resident goby. Coral Reefs 30: 777-786.2.

Long, W.C., J.N. Grow, J.E. Majoris , A.N. Hines. (2011) Effects of anthropogenic shoreline hardening and invasion by Phragmites australis on habitat quality for juvenile blue crabs (Callinectes sapidus). Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 409(1-2): 215-222.

Anto, J., J.E. Majoris , R.G. Turingan. (2009) Prey selection and functional morphology through ontogeny of Amphiprion clarkii with a congeneric comparison. Journal of Fish Biology 75: 575-590.