Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted

Phil Mannion @pdmannion.bsky.social · 18h

New paper @journalsystpal.bsky.social with Drew Moore @stonybrooku.bsky.social re-evaluating diplodocoid sauropod dinosaur phylogeny + biogeography, including illustrating synapomorphies, with implications for the early evolution of the major lineages: doi.org/10.1080/1477... @es-ucl.bsky.social

10 22

Reposted

Dr Stephan Lautenschlager @palaeostephan.bsky.social · 1d

This study demonstrates that sabre-tooth canine shape is exceptionally diverse. A functional analysis of theoretical and actual tooth shapes shows that these canines represent a compromise between sharpness, curvature, and length vs. robustness and material investment.

1 2

Reposted

Royal Society Publishing @royalsocietypublishing.org · 2d

Great expectations: altricial developmental strategies are associated with more flexible evolution of limb skeleton proportions in birds #ProcB #OpenAccess #Developmental Biology #Evolution royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/...

5 7

houssayecnrs.bsky.social @houssayecnrs.bsky.social · 7d

Super film et très sympa d'y voir plein de collègues et leur travail de terrain !

mecadev.bsky.social @mecadev.bsky.social · 7d

Hier avant première du film documentaire "TAPULAO, une montagne à protéger" de C. Breton avec E. Guilbert #MECADEV comme conseiller scientifique. Très belle réalisation mettant en valeur le travail scientifique entre les équipes philippine et française. #UshuaïaTV @francetv.bsky.social @mnhn.fr #CNC

1 2

Reposted

Professor John R. Hutchinson @johnrhutchinson.bsky.social · 8d

#CanHazPdf link.springer.com/chapter/10.1... jrhutch94705 [at ] gmail.com
please

Dynamic Modeling and Simulation of a Crocodile-Like Robot

The ability of crocodiles to adapt to complex aquatic and terrestrial environments, such as land and nearshore tidal flats, provides an excellent biological prototype for the design of amphibious robots. In this paper, a 16-degree-of-freedom biomechanical crocodile...

link.springer.com

1

Reposted

Thomas R. Holtz, Jr. @arctomet.bsky.social · 9d

Benson, R.B.J., Walsh, S.A., Griffiths, E.F. et al. Mosaic anatomy in an early fossil squamate. Nature (2025). doi.org/10.1038/s415...

Mosaic anatomy in an early fossil squamate - Nature

Breugnathair elgolensis gen. et sp. nov., an early squamate identified from a newly discovered Middle Jurassic skeleton on the Isle of Skye, provides new evidence on the origins of snakes.

doi.org

11 53

Reposted

jordangonet.bsky.social @jordangonet.bsky.social · 15d

📣 Pour mon premier post, un peu de pub.
Très heureux d’avoir pu accompagner la conception de cette exposition qui célèbre les 50 ans de l’ACAP en mettant à l’honneur les fossiles découverts à Cruzy et ses environs. Venez nombreux découvrir l’extraordinaire patrimoine paléontologique biterrois ! 🦕

3 2

Reposted

Stephan Spiekman @stephanspiekman.bsky.social · 10d

PhD position available at the Museum für Naturkunde in Berlin on avialan ontogeny (birds and their closest non-avian dinosaur relatives)!

jobs.museumfuernaturkunde.berlin/jobposting/e...

42/2025 Research Associate with the goal of a doctorate (f/m/d)

jobs.museumfuernaturkunde.berlin

1 24 21

Reposted

Professor John R. Hutchinson @johnrhutchinson.bsky.social · 11d

To a certain amount, you can estimate the angle of the ankle joint (mean angle during stance phase) of some land mammals by measuring the angle of their tibial long axis vs. calcaneal tuber long axis, and that could be handy:
peerj.com/articles/200...

Estimating ankle joint angle from skeletal geometry: a mechanical model of the calcaneal lever in terrestrial mammals

Background The ankle joint angle, typically measured between the tibia and metatarsus, shows only a small range of movement during the stance phase and remains relatively constant within species, but ...

peerj.com

6 8

Reposted

Morgan PROUST @morganproust.bsky.social · 14d

Hello, microanatomy &/or salamander enthusiasts!

If you’re a first-year master’s student, I might have an exciting internship for you on the microanatomy of two salamanders sp., with already great results on the humerus.

What: Zeugopod microanatomy
Where: SMNS

Contact: [email protected]

5 3

Reposted

Tim Higham @highamlab.bsky.social · 14d

As part of the upcoming 2nd edition of Fish Biomechanics (co-edited with @georgelauder.bsky.social ), our chapter on the ecology and biomechanics of locomotion and feeding in fishes is now available www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti... #fish #biomechanics #ecology

3 4

Reposted

Phil Mannion @pdmannion.bsky.social · 14d

New paper led by @es-ucl.bsky.social PhD student Samantha Beeston (with @profpaulbarrett.bsky.social + others) on the evolution of postcranial pneumaticity in early sauropodomorph dinosaurs + its likely independent acquisition from that of theropods & pterosauromorphs: doi.org/10.1111/joa....

8 12

Reposted

Professor John R. Hutchinson @johnrhutchinson.bsky.social · 14d

Scaling and potential functions of avian wing muscles that are not the pectoralis or supracoracoideus--- great dataset:
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....

Holding a wing horizontal: Roles for muscles of the pectoral girdle other than the main two flight muscles

This report explores which muscles of the pectoral girdle are employed to allow birds to hold their wings horizontally with a level aerofoil surface during a glide.

onlinelibrary.wiley.com

7 10

Reposted

Alessio Capobianco @acapomorphic.bsky.social · 15d

I am extremely happy to see that our review on fossil tip-dating is out in early view in Systematic Biology! A huge thanks to all the authors of this massive project (@heckeberg.bsky.social, @basantakhakurel.bsky.social, Gustavo Darlim, and @hoehna.bsky.social)! academic.oup.com/sysbio/advan...

3 37 49

Reposted

feikosaur.bsky.social @feikosaur.bsky.social · 15d

A new ichthyosaur species is discovered! Welcome Eurhinosaurus mistelgauensis! fr.pensoft.net/article/1542...
Huge congratulations to @spichergael.bsky.social for leading this project.

A new Eurhinosaurus (Ichthyosauria) species from the Lower Jurassic (Toarcian) of Mistelgau (Bavaria, Southern Germany)

Eurhinosaurus is a European Lower Jurassic longirostrine ichthyosaur, characterized by its remarkable overbite. Despite the long history of the genus, the taxonomy of Eurhinosaurus is still under deba...

fr.pensoft.net

1 7 13

Reposted

Richard Butler @richardjbutler.bsky.social · 23d

This is one of those fossil specimens that when I saw it for the first time at SVP it literally made me gasp. A beautiful and very important specimen.

Jack Tamisiea @jack-tamisiea.bsky.social · 23d

Due to their bizarre dome-like skulls, pachycephalosaurs are among the most famous groups of #dinosaurs. Yet their fossil record is puzzling.

A remarkable new fossil from Mongolia is shedding light on the group's beginnings.

Latest for @sciam.bsky.social: www.scientificamerican.com/article/olde...

Meet the Oldest Dome-Headed Dinosaur Ever Found

A newly discovered dinosaur species has been identified from a fossil unearthed in Mongolia that represents the most complete pachycephalosaur specimen yet found

www.scientificamerican.com

3 19

houssayecnrs.bsky.social @houssayecnrs.bsky.social · 23d

Quelle est la démarche des sections face aux questions relatives à la parité ?
Un document de synthèse rédigé par les référents parité des sections CoNRS @cnrs.fr de la mandature 2021-2025.
www.cnrs.fr/comitenation...

2 2

Reposted

Prof. Valentin Fischer @val-fisch.bsky.social · 23d

Are you tired of people constantly overestimating body size of marine reptiles? No longer!

We provide equations to estimate body size in ichthyosaurians, mosasaurids, and thalattosuchians.

1/4

2 25 49

Reposted

Jennifer Ouellette @jenlucpiquant.bsky.social · 25d

The death of dinosaurs dramatically re-engineered Earth's landscapes www.newscientist.com/article/2496...

The death of dinosaurs dramatically re-engineered Earth's landscapes

Changes in rock formations from before and after the mass extinction event 66 million years ago may reflect how dinosaurs acted as ecosystem engineers, shaping vegetation and even the meandering of ri...

www.newscientist.com

2 7 22

Reposted

Lene Liebe Delsett @leneliebedelsett.bsky.social · Sep 9

Next year in Cape Town! At @ipc7.bsky.social my colleague Judith Pardo-Pérez and I organize a dedicated ichthyosaur symposium. Based on responses so far, it will feature many interesting topics and speakers. Get in touch if you want to contribute!

IPC7 @ipc7.bsky.social · Sep 9

IPC7 will held 29 themed symposia + 1 open symposium.

Today we feature:

✨Ichthyosaur evolution and biology✨

📩 To participate in this symposium, contact the conveners:

Lene Liebe Delsett — [email protected] @leneliebedelsett.bsky.social
Judith Pardo-Pérez — [email protected]

2 8

Reposted

Narimane Chatar @narimanechatar.bsky.social · Sep 8

Fully funded PhD position available at
@univmalaga.bsky.social 👩‍🎓👨‍🎓 focusing on the evolution of the vertebral column in crocodylomorphs 🐊under the supervision of @bortxaf.bsky.social & @albertomartinserra.bsky.social
Application deadline: Sep 30 🚨

5 4

Reposted

Professor John R. Hutchinson @johnrhutchinson.bsky.social · Sep 8

Kinematic and *multi-force-plate* analysis of walking in giant pandas!
Quite a technical achievement in biomechanics, and certainly cute as all hell.
Scientifically, no shocking findings but it's a useful study with lots of data. 18 pandas (6 = juvenile), 120 trials
link.springer.com/article/10.1...

figure with cartoonish picture of walking panda in forceplate array, and devices used to measure:
Panda Motion Mechanics Test System. The walking passage is composed of an array of 2 × 10 glass panels, with the panda entering from the left entrance of the bracket. The caretaker guides it through the passage to complete the motion. A camera is positioned at the central side near the bracket, enabling recording of the entire motion process. Both the force sensor array and high-speed camera are connected to computer process equipment, triggered simultaneously using synchronized switches.

1 6 30

Reposted

CNRS @cnrs.fr · Sep 8

Pour réhabiliter les contributions des femmes à l’histoire des sciences, le CNRS participe à une commission visant l’inscription de 72 femmes scientifiques sur la Tour Eiffel 🗼. Explications par la coprésidente du comité parité-égalité du CNRS. 👇 #FemmesEnScience

Bientôt des femmes de sciences sur la Tour Eiffel

Pour réhabiliter les contributions des femmes à l’histoire des sciences, le CNRS participe à une commission visant l’inscription de 72 femmes scientifiques su

www.cnrs.fr

5 49 150

Reposted

Lene Liebe Delsett @leneliebedelsett.bsky.social · Sep 5

We studied the microanatomy and histology of vertebral centra from Grippia and Cymbospondylus from the Early Triassic of Spitsbergen. First look during covid times, then we realized we had series with all ontogenetic stages, the smallest one a 5 mm fetal vertebral centrum.

1 1 3

houssayecnrs.bsky.social @houssayecnrs.bsky.social · Sep 5

"Growth series", with foetus, of two very distinct ichthyosaurs from the Triassic! Very glad to have participated to this cool study! Thanks again Lene!

Lene Liebe Delsett @leneliebedelsett.bsky.social · Sep 5

Ichthyosaurs were fully pelagic five million years after the End Permian Mass Extinction - and we have fetal vertebrae from two Early Triassic taxa. That is the main findings in our @natureportfolio.nature.com Scientific Reports paper published just now🥳 www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Vertebral microstructure marks the emergence of pelagic ichthyosaurs soon after the End Permian Mass Extinction - Scientific Reports

Scientific Reports - Vertebral microstructure marks the emergence of pelagic ichthyosaurs soon after the End Permian Mass Extinction

www.nature.com

1 6 10