Ben Creisler
Some recent items:
Free pdf:
P. E. Ahlberg and T. R. Smithson (2021)
Jennifer A. Clack. 3 November 1947--26 March 2020
Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society (ahead of print)
doi: https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbm.2021.0008
https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsbm.2021.0008
Free pdf:
https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/pdf/10.1098/rsbm.2021.0008
Jennifer Clack (nÃe Agnew) dedicated her entire research career of more than 40 years to the fish-tetrapod transition, the evolutionary process during the Devonian and Carboniferous periods that transformed a lineage of lobe-finned fishes into the earliest land vertebrates. She was widely regarded as the world leader in this field. During an expedition in the summer of 1987 to the Late Devonian vertebrate localities of East Greenland, Clack collected numerous fossils of two of the earliest tetrapods, Acanthostega and Ichthyostega, which revolutionized the understanding of these animals and created a surge of renewed interest in what had previously been a small and somnolent research area. However, much of her work focused on the Carboniferous, the time when the group underwent its first major diversification and the amphibian and amniote lineages first appeared. Here too she produced a stream of ground-breaking discoveries. She published close to 100 primary research papers, many in flagship journals, as well as numerous popular articles and the influential textbook Gaining Ground. Modest and unassuming in person, and unfailingly supportive towards young scientists, Jennifer Clack was enormously respected and helped to make the entire research field into a more open, collaborative, and welcoming environment.
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Abstracts only for now:
Abstracts only for now:
Lorenzo Marchetti, Sebastian Voigt, Michael Buchwitz, Mark J. MacDougall, Spencer G. Lucas, David L. Fillmore, Matthew R. Stimson, Olivia A. King, John H. Calder and JÃrg FrÃbisch (2021)
Tracking the origin and early evolution of reptiles
Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution (abstract only)
doi: 10.3389/fevo.2021.696511
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2021.696511/abstract
The origin of Reptilia and the biostratigraphic and palaeobiogeographic distribution of its early representatives are still poorly understood. An independent source of information may come from the extensive Carboniferous footprint record of reptiles, which is arguably richer and more complete than the skeletal record. Nevertheless, previous studies often failed to provide useful information because they were based on poorly preserved material and/or characters non-exclusive of reptile tracks. In fact, a large part of the supposed early reptile tracks can be assigned to the anamniote ichnotaxon Hylopus hardingi. Here, we revise the ichnotaxon Hylopus hardingi based on anatomy-consistent material, attribute it to anamniote reptiliomorphs, and distinguish it from Notalacerta missouriensis, the earliest ichnotaxon that can be attributed to reptiles, and the somewhat younger Varanopus microdactylus (attributed to parareptiles, such as bolosaurians) and Dromopus lacertoides (attributed to araeoscelid reptiles and non-varanodontine varanopids). These attributions are based on correlating morphofunctional features of tracks and skeletons. Multivariate analysis of trackway parameters indicates that the late Bashkirian Notalacerta missouriensis and Hylopus hardingi differ markedly in their trackway patterns from Late Mississippian Hylopus hardingi and Late Pennsylvanian reptile tracks, which appear to share a derived amniote-like type of gait. While the first occurrence/appearance of reptile tracks in the tetrapod footprint record during the late Bashkirian corresponds to the first occurrence/appearance of reptiles in the skeletal record, footprints significantly enlarge the paleobiogeographic distribution of the group, suggesting an earlier radiation of reptiles during the Bashkirian throughout North America and possibly North Africa. Dromopus appeared in the Kasimovian together with the diapsid group Araeoscelidia, but footprints from Western-European occurrences enlarge the paleobiogeographic distribution of diapsids and varanopids. Varanopus and bolosaurian parareptiles appear in the Gzhelian of North America. Older parareptiles are, however, known from the late Moscovian. In all, the footprint record of early reptiles supplements the skeletal record, suggesting possible future lines of research.
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Marco Romano, Fabio Manucci, Bruce Rubidge and Marc Van Den Brandt (2021)
Volumetric body mass estimate and in-vivo reconstruction of the Russian pareiasaur Scutosaurus karpinskii.
Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution (abstract only)
doi: 10.3389/fevo.2021.692035
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2021.692035/abstract
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Pareiasaurs (Amniota, Parareptilia) were characterized by a global distribution during the Permian period, forming an important component of middle (Capitanian) and late Permian (Lopingian) terrestrial tetrapod biodiversity. This clade includes some of the first large-sized terrestrial herbivores, playing a fundamental role in the structure of middle and late Permian biodiversity and ecosystems. Despite their important ecological role and relative abundance around the world, our general knowledge of the biology of these extinct tetrapods is still quite limited. In this contribution we provide a possible in-vivo reconstruction of the largest individual of the species Scutosaurus karpinskii and a volumetric body mass estimate for the taxon, considering that body size is one of the most important biological aspects of organisms. The body mass of Scutosaurus was calculated using a 3D photogrammetric model of the complete mounted skeleton PIN 2005/1537 from the Sokolki locality, Arkhangelsk Region, Russia, on exhibit at the Borissiak Paleontological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences (Moscow). By applying three different densities for living tissues of 0.99, 1 and 1.15 Kg/1000 cm3 to the a reconstructed 'slim', 'average' and 'fat' 3D models we obtain an average body mass respectively of 1060, 1160 and 1330 Kg, with a total range varying from a minimum of one ton to a maximum of 1.46 tons. Choosing the average model as the most plausible reconstruction and close to the natural condition, we consider a body mass estimate of 1160 Kg as the most robust value for Scutosaurus, a value compatible with that of a large terrestrial adult black rhino and domestic cow. This contribution demonstrates that barrel-shaped herbivores, subsisting on a high-fibre diet and with a body mass exceeding a ton, had already evolved in the upper Palaeozoic within parareptiles, shedding new light on the structure of the first modern terrestrial ecosystems.
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Blue Origin sends dinosaur bones into space for 'Dream Big' initiative
"The Dromaeosaurus fossils were found on private land in the Hell Creek formation of South Dakota. Now back from space, they are being individually mounted and presented to members of the Club for the Future and to museums around the country. The displays will also go toward the Huntsville Science Festival, which is scheduled for Oct. 24 to 30" (Mentions other dinosaurÂfossils that reached space)
"The Dromaeosaurus fossils were found on private land in the Hell Creek formation of South Dakota. Now back from space, they are being individually mounted and presented to members of the Club for the Future and to museums around the country. The displays will also go toward the Huntsville Science Festival, which is scheduled for Oct. 24 to 30" (Mentions other dinosaurÂfossils that reached space)
[Note that the space-faring fossils are NOT being sold, so it's OK for the DML...]
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EUROPASAURUS - The Graphic Novel / Episode 4: The Storm
Joschua KnÃppe (video animation)
Joschua KnÃppe (video animation)
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Allosaurus head & neck feeding animation â early draft
WitmerLab (video)
WitmerLab (video)
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Dinosaur video lectures
Eurasian Dino Sites
Gondwanan Dino Sites
North American Dino Sites
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Mary Anning's 222nd BirthdayÂ
Happy Birthday Mary Anning! (May 21st) Âwith Rebecca Wragg Sykes
Evolution Soup (video)
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Preview of Mary Anning statue on Facebook, clay model
Her dog Tray
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New plans associated with the statue to add apps and other digital enhancements
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This site has a free trial option to watch the video:
Mary Anning: The Forgotten Fossil Hunter
29m
Born in Lyme Regis in 1799, Mary Anning was a pioneering palaeontologist and fossil collector who's story continues to inspire so many scientists to this day. In this documentary, Dr Anjana Khatwa, Dr Liz Hide, David Tucker and Anya Pearson explore Anning's life and legacy.
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Not yet mentioned:
The First Dinosaursâ Dinner
Recent blog post about the famous Crystal Palace "Dinner in the Iguanodon" (notes that Mary Anning was likely not honored with a name banner)
https://blog.geolsoc.org.uk/2021/04/15/the-first-dinosaurs-dinner/
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Updated Britannica article for Mary Anning
Other online items:
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Some recent paleobotany items:
Zoom talk primarily about plant fossils and ancient forests....
Role of Late Cretaceous Southern Patagonia in the conformation of the modern biotas with Marcelo LeppeÂ
The University of Texas Jackson School of Geosciences (video)
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Palaeobotany for Paleoartists VIII: Paleofloras of the Jurassic
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Finding the first flower from Early Cretaceous of Northwest China
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Scientists Find a Fossilized Ancestor of 'Dinosaur Food'--Cycads from the Permian of Brazil
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/18/science/fossil-plant-cycadales.html
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Iratinia australis paper link (paywalled):
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More non-dino stuff:
SABERTOOTH EMPIRE - Smilodon & Ancient Big Cats Âwith LARISA DESANTIS
Evolution Soup (video)
Evolution Soup (video)
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