Mgr. Matej Polačik Ph.D.

Position full-time researcher
Direction ecology of fish

+420 543 422 557

Finished projects

Embryo and environment – annual fish as a unique model to study embryo ecology (2018–2020)
Adaptive coexistence of distinct life history strategies in fish of the genus Nothobranchius (2011–2013)

Publications and Applied outputs

2025

Bartáková V, Bryjová A, Polačik M, Alila DO, Nagy B, Watters B, Bellstedt D, Blažek R, Žák J, Reichard M (2025). Phylogenomics and population genomics of Nothobranchius in lowland Tanzania: species delimitation and comparative genetic structure. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 108357.

2024

Dyková I, Žák J, Blažek R, Zimmermann H, Polačik M, Bartáková V, Reichard M (2024). Oogenesis, spermatogenesis and spermiation structures in Lake Tanganyika Synodontis species (Mochokidae, Telostei: Siluriformes). Journal of Vertebrate Biology, 24023.
Englmaier GK, Blažek R, Zimmermann H, Bartáková V, Polačik M, Žák J, Mulokozi DP, Katongo C, Büscher HH, Mabo L, Koblmüller S, Palandačić A, Reichard M (2024). Revised taxonomy of Synodontis catfishes (Siluriformes: Mochokidae) from the Lake Tanganyika basin reveals lower species diversity than expected. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, zlae130.

2023

Polačik M, García D, Arezo MJ, Papa N, Schlueb H, Blanco D, Podrabsky JE, Vrtílek M (2023). Embryonic development of natural annual killifish populations of the genus Austrolebias: Evolutionary parallelism and the role of environment. Freshwater Biology.
Polačik M, Vrtílek M (2023). Cryptic stasis during the development of Nothobranchius furzeri suggests new stages of dormancy outside of the typical three diapauses of annual killifishes. Environmental Biology of Fishes.

2022

Blažek R, Polačik M, Reichard M (2022). Group intrusions by a brood parasitic fish are not cooperative. Behavioral Ecology.
Reichard M, Giannetti K, Ferreira T, Maouche A, Vrtílek M, Polačik M, Blažek R, Ferreira MG (2022). Lifespan and telomere length variation across populations of wild-derived African killifish. Molecular Ecology.
Reichard M, Janáč M, Blažek R, Žák J, Alila OD, Polačik M (2022). Patterns and drivers of Nothobranchius killifish diversity in lowland Tanzania. Ecology and Evolution, e8990.
Reichard M, Blažek R, Žák J, Cellerino A, Polačik M (2022). The sources of sex differences in aging in annual fishes. Journal of Animal Ecology.
Zimmermann H, Blažek R, Polačik M, Reichard M (2022). Individual experience as a key to success for the cuckoo catfish brood parasitism. Nature Communications, 1723.

2021

Polačik M, Vrtílek M, Reichard M, Žák J, Blažek R, Podrabsky J (2021). Embryo ecology: developmental synchrony and asynchrony in the embryonic development of wild annual fish populations. Ecology and Evolution.
Žák J, Vrtílek M, Polačik M, Blažek R, Reichard M (2021). Short-lived fishes: Annual and multivoltine strategies. Fish and Fisheries.

2020

Bartáková V, Nagy B, Polačik M, Blažek R, Lamtane H, Reichard M (2020). Genetic diversity of a widespread annual killifish from coastal Tanzania. BMC Evolutionary Biology, 1.

2019

Polačik M, Reichard M, Smith C, Blažek R (2019). Parasitic cuckoo catfish exploit parental responses to stray offspring. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B-Biological Sciences, 20180412.
Reichard M, Polačik M (2019). Nothobranchius furzeri, an 'instant' fish from an ephemeral habitat. eLife, e41548.
Vrtílek M, Žák J, Polačik M, Blažek R, Reichard M (2019). Rapid growth and large body size in annual fish populations are compromised by density‐dependent regulation. Journal of Fish Biology.

2018

Blažek R, Polačik M, Smith C, Honza M, Meyer A, Reichard M (2018). Success of cuckoo catfish brood parasitism reflects coevolutionary history and individual experience of their cichlid hosts. Science Advances, eaar4380.
Janáč M, Roche KF, Šlapanský L, Polačik M, Jurajda P (2018). Long-term monitoring of native bullhead and invasive gobiids in the Danubian rip-rap zone. Hydrobiologia.
Polačik M, Reichard M, Vrtílek M (2018). Local variation in embryo development rate in annual fish. Journal of Fish Biology.
Reichard M, Lanés LEK, Polačik M, Blažek R, Vrtílek M, Godoy RS, Maltchik L (2018). Avian predation mediates size-specific survival in a Neotropical annual fish: a field experiment. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society.
Vrtílek M, Žák J, Polačik M, Blažek R, Reichard M (2018). Longitudinal demographic study of wild populations of African annual killifish. Scientific Reports, 4774.
Vrtílek M, Žák J, Blažek R, Polačik M, Cellerino A, Reichard M (2018). Limited scope for reproductive senescence in wild populations of a short-lived fish. Science of Nature, 68.

2017

Blažek R, Polačik M, Reichard M (2017). Rasches Wachstum, frühe Reifung und kurze Generationenzeit bei afrikanischen annuellen Fischen.. DKG Journal, 49: 131-141.
Blažek R, Polačik M, Kačer P, Cellerino A, Řežucha R, Methling C, Tomášek O, Syslová K, Terzibasi Tozzini E, Albrecht T, Vrtílek M, Reichard M (2017). Repeated intraspecific divergence in life span and aging of African annual fishes along an aridity gradient. Evolution.
Polačik M, Smith C, Reichard M (2017). Maternal source of variability in the embryo development of an annual killifish. Journal of Evolutionary Biology.
Polačik M, Janáč M (2017). Costly defense in a fluctuating environment-sensitivity of annual Nothobranchius fishes to predator kairomones. Ecology and Evolution.
Reichard M, Janáč M, Polačik M, Blažek R, Vrtílek M (2017). Community assembly in Nothobranchius annual fishes: nested patterns, environmental niche and biogeographic history. Ecology and Evolution.
Reichard M, Blažek R, Polačik M, Vrtílek M (2017). Hatching date variability in wild populations of four coexisting species of African annual fishes. Developmental Dynamics.
Vrtílek M, Polačik M, Reichard M (2017). The role of energetic reserves during embryonic development of an annual killifish. Developmental Dynamics.

2016

Lanés LEK, Godoy RS, Maltchik L, Polačik M, Blažek R, Vrtílek M, Reichard M (2016). Seasonal dynamics in community structure, abundance, body size and sex ratio in two species of Neotropical annual fishes. Journal of Fish Biology.
Polačik M, Blažek R, Reichard M (2016). Laboratory breeding of the short-lived annual killifish Nothobranchius furzeri. Nature Protocols.

2015

Bartáková V, Reichard M, Blažek R, Polačik M, Bryja J (2015). Terrestrial fishes: rivers are barriers to gene flow in annual fishes from the African savanna. Journal of Biogeography.
Polačik M, Jurajda P, Blažek R, Janáč M (2015). Carcass feeding as a cryptic foraging mode in round goby Neogobius melanostomus. Journal of Fish Biology.
Reichard M, Douda K, Przybylski M, Popa OP, Karbanová E, Matasová K, Rylková K, Polačik M, Blažek R, Smith C (2015). Population-specific responses to an invasive species. Proceedings of the Royal Society B-Biological Sciences, 20151063.

2014

Polačik M, Harrod C, Blažek R, Reichard M (2014). Trophic niche partitioning in communities of African annual fish: evidence from stable isotopes. Hydrobiologia.
Polačik M, Blažek R, Řežucha R, Vrtílek M, Terzibasi Tozzini E, Reichard M (2014). Alternative intrapopulation life-history strategies and their trade-offs in an African annual fish. Journal of Evolutionary Biology.
Reichard M, Polačik M, Blažek R, Vrtílek M (2014). Female bias in the adult sex ratio of African annual fishes: interspecific differences, seasonal trends and environmental predictors. Evolutionary Ecology.
Smith C, Phillips A, Polačik M, Reichard M (2014). Male coloration signals direct benefits in the European bitterling (Rhodeus amarus). Environmental Biology of Fishes.

2013

Bartáková V, Reichard M, Janko K, Polačik M, Blažek R, Reichwald K, Cellerino A, Bryja J (2013). Strong population genetic structuring in an annual fish, Nothobranchius furzeri, suggests multiple savannah refugia in southern Mozambique. BMC Evolutionary Biology.
Blažek R, Polačik M, Reichard M (2013). Rapid growth, early maturation and short generation time in African annual fishes. EvoDevo.
Jurajda P, Všetičková L, Polačik M, Vassilev M (2013). Can round goby (Neogobius melanostomus) caught by rod and line be used for diet analysis?. Journal of Great Lakes Research.
Terzibasi Tozzini E, Dorn A, Ng’oma E, Polačik M, Blažek R, Reichwald K, Petzold A, Watters BR, Reichard M, Cellerino A (2013). Parallel evolution of senescence in annual fishes in response to extrinsic mortality. BMC Evolutionary Biology.

2012

Ondračková M, Slováčková I, Trichkova T, Polačik M, Jurajda P (2012). Shoreline distribution and parasite infection of black-striped pipefish Syngnathus abaster Risso, 1827 in the lower River Danube. Journal of Applied Ichthyology.
Polačik M, Janáč M, Vassilev M, Trichkova T (2012). Morphometric comparison of native and non-native populations of round goby Neogobius melanostomus from the River Danube. Folia zoologica.

2011

Dorn A, Ng'oma E, Janko K, Reichwald K, Polačik M, Platzer M, Cellerino A, Reichard M (2011). Phylogeny, genetic variability and colour polymorphism of an emerging animal model: the short-lived annual Nothobranchius fishes from southern Mozambique. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution.
Francová K, Ondračková M, Polačik M, Jurajda P (2011). Parasite fauna of native and non-native populations of Neogobius melanostomus (Pallas, 1814) (Gobiidae) in the longitudinal profile of the Danube River. Journal of Applied Ichthyology.
Polačik M, Reichard M (2011). Asymmetric reproductive isolation between two sympatric annual killifish with extremely short lifespans. PLoS ONE.
Polačik M, Donner MT, Reichard M (2011). Age structure of annual Nothobranchius fishes in Mozambique: is there a hatching synchrony?. Journal of Fish Biology.
Reichard M, Bryja J, Polačik M, Smith C (2011). No evidence for host specialization or host-race formation in the European bitterling (Rhodeus amarus), a fish that parasitizes freshwater mussels. Molecular Ecology.

2010

Ondračková M, Francová K, Dávidová M, Polačik M, Jurajda P (2010). Condition status and parasite infection of Neogobius kessleri and N. melanostomus (Gobiidae) in their native and non-native area of distribution of the Danube River. Ecological Research.
Polačik M, Reichard M (2010). Diet overlap among three sympatric African annual killifish species (Nothobranchius spp.) from Mozambique. Journal of Fish Biology.
Reichard M, Watters BR, Wildekamp RH, Sonnenberg R, Nagy B, Polačik M, Valdesalici S, Cellerino A, Cooper BJ, Hengstler H, Rosenstock J, Sainthouse I (2010). Potential negative impacts and low effectiveness in the use of African annual killifish in the biocontrol of aquatic mosquito larvae in temporary water bodies. Parasites & Vectors.
Reichard M, Polačik M (2010). Reproductive isolating barriers between colour-differentiated populations of an African annual killifish, Nothobranchius korthausae (Cyprinodontiformes). Biological Journal of the Linnean Society.
Reichard M, Polačik M, Tarkan AS, Spence R, Gaygusuz Ö, Ercan E, Ondračková M, Smith C (2010). The bitterling–mussel coevolutionary relationship in areas of recent and ancient sympatry. Evolution.

2009

Polačik M, Reichard M (2009). Indirect fitness benefits are not related to male dominance in a killifish. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology.
Polačik M, Janáč M, Jurajda P, Adámek Z, Ondračková M, Trichkova T, Vassilev M (2009). Invasive gobies in the Danube: invasion success facilitated by availability and selection of superior food resources. Ecology of Freshwater Fish.
Reichard M, Polačik M, Sedláček O (2009). Distribution, colour polymorphism and habitat use of the African killifish, Nothobranchius furzeri, the vertebrate with the shortest life span. Journal of Fish Biology.

2008

Polačik M, Janáč M, Jurajda P, Vassilev M, Trichkova T (2008). The sampling efficiency of electrofishing for Neogobius species in a riprap habitat: a field experiment. Journal of Applied Ichthyology.
Polačik M, Trichkova T, Janáč M, Vassilev M, Jurajda P (2008). The ichthyofauna of the shoreline zone in the longitudinal profile of the Danube River, Bulgaria. Acta Zoologica Bulgarica, 60: 77-88.
Polačik M, Janáč M, Trichkova T, Vassilev M, Keckeis H, Jurajda P (2008). The distribution and abundance of the Neogobius fishes in their native range (Bulgaria) with notes on the non-native range in the Danube River. Large Rivers, 18: 193-208.

2006

Jurajda P, Vassilev M, Polačik M, Trichkova T (2006). A first record of Perccottus glenii (Perciformes: Odontobutidae) in the Danube River in Bulgaria. Acta Zoologica Bulgarica, 58: 279-282.
Polačik M, Kováč V (2006). Fecundity and annual course of maturation in spirlin, Alburnoides bipunctatus. Folia zoologica.

2005

Jurajda P, Černý J, Polačik M, Valová Z, Janáč M, Blažek R, Ondračková M (2005). The recent distribution and abundance of non-native Neogobius fishes in the Slovak section of the River Danube. Journal of Applied Ichthyology.
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