Sophie M.
@sophiesaurus98.bsky.social
Writer for Love in the Time of Chasmosaurs - Creator of the speculative evolution project "A New Age of Reptiles" - Natural History and Palaeontology Pop Culture - 27 - (she/her) -
Reposted by Sophie M.
Because the world needed ANOTHER species in Mamenchisaurus...
Dai, H., Hu, XF., Tan, C. et al. A new mamenchisaurid sauropod dinosaur from the upper jurassic of Southwest China reveals new evolutionary evidence from East Asian eusauropods. Sci Rep (2025). doi.org/10.1038/s415...
Dai, H., Hu, XF., Tan, C. et al. A new mamenchisaurid sauropod dinosaur from the upper jurassic of Southwest China reveals new evolutionary evidence from East Asian eusauropods. Sci Rep (2025). doi.org/10.1038/s415...
A new mamenchisaurid sauropod dinosaur from the upper jurassic of Southwest China reveals new evolutionary evidence from East Asian eusauropods - Scientific Reports
Scientific Reports - A new mamenchisaurid sauropod dinosaur from the upper jurassic of Southwest China reveals new evolutionary evidence from East Asian eusauropods
doi.org
November 25, 2025 at 5:22 PM
Because the world needed ANOTHER species in Mamenchisaurus...
Dai, H., Hu, XF., Tan, C. et al. A new mamenchisaurid sauropod dinosaur from the upper jurassic of Southwest China reveals new evolutionary evidence from East Asian eusauropods. Sci Rep (2025). doi.org/10.1038/s415...
Dai, H., Hu, XF., Tan, C. et al. A new mamenchisaurid sauropod dinosaur from the upper jurassic of Southwest China reveals new evolutionary evidence from East Asian eusauropods. Sci Rep (2025). doi.org/10.1038/s415...
Reposted by Sophie M.
It’s hard to believe Prehistoric Planet: Ice Age is tomorrow! It feels like the announcement was just yesterday.
November 25, 2025 at 4:55 PM
It’s hard to believe Prehistoric Planet: Ice Age is tomorrow! It feels like the announcement was just yesterday.
Reposted by Sophie M.
So we're slightly late to the party given that the big news dropped a month ago, but here's a full hour of the #TerribleLizards #Podcast where @iszi.com and I talk about #Nanotyrannus and what it all means for T. rex and tyrannosaur research going forwards. terriblelizards.libsyn.com/nanotyrannus
Terrible Lizards: Nanotyrannus or not?
The biggest news in palaeontology this year dropped just in time for us to miss it with last month’s episode but we’re giving it the full hour this time. The idea that there’s a miniature tyrannosaur ...
terriblelizards.libsyn.com
November 25, 2025 at 4:21 PM
So we're slightly late to the party given that the big news dropped a month ago, but here's a full hour of the #TerribleLizards #Podcast where @iszi.com and I talk about #Nanotyrannus and what it all means for T. rex and tyrannosaur research going forwards. terriblelizards.libsyn.com/nanotyrannus
Reposted by Sophie M.
biiiiig stretch!
November 25, 2025 at 4:37 PM
biiiiig stretch!
Reposted by Sophie M.
The occiput of Amargasaurus (Sauropoda, Dicraeosauridae): Reconstruction of the craniocervical muscular insertions with comments on feeding strategy - Militello - Journal of Anatomy - Wiley Online Library onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
The occiput of Amargasaurus (Sauropoda, Dicraeosauridae): Reconstruction of the craniocervical muscular insertions with comments on feeding strategy
Sauropods achieved gigantism partly through neck elongation, but the role of soft tissues remains unclear. We reconstruct the craniocervical muscles of Amargasaurus cazaui (Lower Cretaceous, Argentin....
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
November 25, 2025 at 1:32 PM
The occiput of Amargasaurus (Sauropoda, Dicraeosauridae): Reconstruction of the craniocervical muscular insertions with comments on feeding strategy - Militello - Journal of Anatomy - Wiley Online Library onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Reposted by Sophie M.
I would sell my entire soul for all my fellow science communicators to stop ending the "story of the dinosaurs" at the end-cretaceous extinction and dive into, even briefly, the story of cenozoic birds. I'm also willing to offer cash, I just don't have much of it.
November 23, 2025 at 9:00 PM
I would sell my entire soul for all my fellow science communicators to stop ending the "story of the dinosaurs" at the end-cretaceous extinction and dive into, even briefly, the story of cenozoic birds. I'm also willing to offer cash, I just don't have much of it.
Reposted by Sophie M.
One of my favourite #Pleistocene mammals - and, yes, it has a role in #PrehistoricPlanetIceAge - is the big predatory marsupial #Thylacoleo. Here's an introduction to this fantastic animal.... tetzoo.com/blog/2025/11... #marsupials
Thylacoleo, the Incredible Marsupial Lion — Tetrapod Zoology
Among the most striking and interesting of extinct mammals is the so-called marsupial lion of Australia, or Thylacoleo carnifex …
tetzoo.com
November 24, 2025 at 10:51 PM
One of my favourite #Pleistocene mammals - and, yes, it has a role in #PrehistoricPlanetIceAge - is the big predatory marsupial #Thylacoleo. Here's an introduction to this fantastic animal.... tetzoo.com/blog/2025/11... #marsupials
Reposted by Sophie M.
Psilopterus, a relatively diminutive terror bird and among the last of its kind.
November 25, 2025 at 12:00 AM
Psilopterus, a relatively diminutive terror bird and among the last of its kind.
Reposted by Sophie M.
The evolution of kissing
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
A comparative approach to the evolution of kissing
Kissing can be observed across the animal kingdom. This presents an evolutionary puzzle, since the fitness benefits of kissing are unclear. We use a n…
www.sciencedirect.com
November 24, 2025 at 6:16 PM
The evolution of kissing
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Reposted by Sophie M.
Thanks to Marc for a great review of our new book! "...a tremendous amount of work went into this book... there’s no other work that unites everything we know about them, their palaeoenvironments, and their modern day afterlife like Spinosaur Tales..". #dinosaurs #books
@chiffchat.bsky.social
@chiffchat.bsky.social
What does Marc think of @davehone.bsky.social and @markwitton.bsky.social's foray into the world of spinosaurid palaeontology? Find out here!
Spinosaur Tales – review
Back in 2016, Dave Hone (for it was he) wrote The Tyrannosaur Chronicles, a book all about the best little clade of theropod dinosaurs that there ever was. Earlier this year saw the publication of …
chasmosaurs.com
November 24, 2025 at 10:18 AM
Thanks to Marc for a great review of our new book! "...a tremendous amount of work went into this book... there’s no other work that unites everything we know about them, their palaeoenvironments, and their modern day afterlife like Spinosaur Tales..". #dinosaurs #books
@chiffchat.bsky.social
@chiffchat.bsky.social
Reposted by Sophie M.
#SurvivingEarth
OUR FIRST LOOK AT (FINISHED?) VFX FOOTAGE OF ISCHIGUALASTIA!
The SE team used practical FX to simulate the sloppy mouth of the creature!
OUR FIRST LOOK AT (FINISHED?) VFX FOOTAGE OF ISCHIGUALASTIA!
The SE team used practical FX to simulate the sloppy mouth of the creature!
November 24, 2025 at 5:13 PM
#SurvivingEarth
OUR FIRST LOOK AT (FINISHED?) VFX FOOTAGE OF ISCHIGUALASTIA!
The SE team used practical FX to simulate the sloppy mouth of the creature!
OUR FIRST LOOK AT (FINISHED?) VFX FOOTAGE OF ISCHIGUALASTIA!
The SE team used practical FX to simulate the sloppy mouth of the creature!
Reposted by Sophie M.
Pleco plushies are in stock again over at www.palaeoplushies.com !!
Support a small business (me and my sister) this holiday season, so we can keep doing this!
Support a small business (me and my sister) this holiday season, so we can keep doing this!
November 24, 2025 at 5:45 PM
Pleco plushies are in stock again over at www.palaeoplushies.com !!
Support a small business (me and my sister) this holiday season, so we can keep doing this!
Support a small business (me and my sister) this holiday season, so we can keep doing this!
Lots of my Twitter friends made the move here, but I can’t deny that Bluesky feels like a ghost town by comparison. Nothing could ever make me go back, though.
I really wish more scientists & artists were on here. When I go to in-person gatherings it’s really clear what a small sliver of us are here.
And I get it, how many social media collapses do you have to weather before you just give up?
But organizing would be so much easier if we were all here 😭
And I get it, how many social media collapses do you have to weather before you just give up?
But organizing would be so much easier if we were all here 😭
November 24, 2025 at 6:39 PM
Lots of my Twitter friends made the move here, but I can’t deny that Bluesky feels like a ghost town by comparison. Nothing could ever make me go back, though.
Reposted by Sophie M.
Happy #MosasaurMonday from Eustace, the holotype skull of Jormungandr walhallensis discovered in North Dakota by the NDGS.
We were tasked with taking this not-quite-complete skull (right) and digitally restoring it for display at the NDGS as well as a library just a few miles from the dig site 🧪
We were tasked with taking this not-quite-complete skull (right) and digitally restoring it for display at the NDGS as well as a library just a few miles from the dig site 🧪
November 24, 2025 at 5:15 PM
Happy #MosasaurMonday from Eustace, the holotype skull of Jormungandr walhallensis discovered in North Dakota by the NDGS.
We were tasked with taking this not-quite-complete skull (right) and digitally restoring it for display at the NDGS as well as a library just a few miles from the dig site 🧪
We were tasked with taking this not-quite-complete skull (right) and digitally restoring it for display at the NDGS as well as a library just a few miles from the dig site 🧪
Reposted by Sophie M.
Working on invertebrate #paleoart at the moment, knowing I'm probably making mistakes despite best efforts, consulting primary literature etc. Inverts are much like fossil plants: there are few accessible resources on their appearance so we must wing it, or go down deep rabbit holes to restore them.
November 24, 2025 at 1:56 PM
Working on invertebrate #paleoart at the moment, knowing I'm probably making mistakes despite best efforts, consulting primary literature etc. Inverts are much like fossil plants: there are few accessible resources on their appearance so we must wing it, or go down deep rabbit holes to restore them.
Reposted by Sophie M.
Yes, this!!!
While Mark's talking about restoring #invertebrates in this thread, everything he says is EXACTLY the same with plants.
#Palaeoartists aren't disinterested in inverts or #plants or #fish, there just aren't any (or many) accessible resources on them. #paleobotany #paleoart #sciart
While Mark's talking about restoring #invertebrates in this thread, everything he says is EXACTLY the same with plants.
#Palaeoartists aren't disinterested in inverts or #plants or #fish, there just aren't any (or many) accessible resources on them. #paleobotany #paleoart #sciart
I feel this is a major factor in why certain groups - select Mesozoic reptiles and mammals - are so popular in paleoart. It's not just that these clades are charismatic and popular, there's a wealth of resources produced by professionals and amateurs attempting to explain their basic anatomy.
November 24, 2025 at 4:21 PM
Yes, this!!!
While Mark's talking about restoring #invertebrates in this thread, everything he says is EXACTLY the same with plants.
#Palaeoartists aren't disinterested in inverts or #plants or #fish, there just aren't any (or many) accessible resources on them. #paleobotany #paleoart #sciart
While Mark's talking about restoring #invertebrates in this thread, everything he says is EXACTLY the same with plants.
#Palaeoartists aren't disinterested in inverts or #plants or #fish, there just aren't any (or many) accessible resources on them. #paleobotany #paleoart #sciart
Reposted by Sophie M.
In several days you'll likely be sitting next to an ignorant relative who is 100% convinced he knows the difference between a sweet potato and a yam. Here's my primer on the topic. #thanksgiving #sweetpotato #yam #botany 🍠 colinpurrington.com/yams-versus-...
The difference between sweet potatoes and yams » Colin Purrington's blog
Every year at Thanksgiving, families in the United States sit down to argue about politics and the difference between sweet potatoes and yams. This page details how to tell them apart and explains how...
colinpurrington.com
November 24, 2025 at 3:05 PM
In several days you'll likely be sitting next to an ignorant relative who is 100% convinced he knows the difference between a sweet potato and a yam. Here's my primer on the topic. #thanksgiving #sweetpotato #yam #botany 🍠 colinpurrington.com/yams-versus-...
Reposted by Sophie M.
Carnotaur Totem 🦖✨
This friend will be available in my next shop update coming this Friday at 9am PT! 👀👀
Link for bookmarking: shop.lioninthetrees.com
#art #pottery #sciart
This friend will be available in my next shop update coming this Friday at 9am PT! 👀👀
Link for bookmarking: shop.lioninthetrees.com
#art #pottery #sciart
November 24, 2025 at 4:12 PM
Carnotaur Totem 🦖✨
This friend will be available in my next shop update coming this Friday at 9am PT! 👀👀
Link for bookmarking: shop.lioninthetrees.com
#art #pottery #sciart
This friend will be available in my next shop update coming this Friday at 9am PT! 👀👀
Link for bookmarking: shop.lioninthetrees.com
#art #pottery #sciart
Reposted by Sophie M.
And here the results from the Solnhofen #paleostream! This image depicts large parts of the terrestrial fauna of the Altmühltal Formation, the best understood part of the litographic limestone formations of Germany. There were several reasons for gong onto land despite...
November 24, 2025 at 5:33 AM
And here the results from the Solnhofen #paleostream! This image depicts large parts of the terrestrial fauna of the Altmühltal Formation, the best understood part of the litographic limestone formations of Germany. There were several reasons for gong onto land despite...
Reposted by Sophie M.
New paper on the notosuchian Eremosuchus by @piginatutu.bsky.social, co-authored by myself and @pdmannion.bsky.social among others out now!! We even find some cool evidence of replacement teeth in the dentary! www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
A re-evaluation of the notosuchian crocodyliform Eremosuchus elkoholicus from the lower Eocene of Algeria and the evolutionary and biogeographic history of sebecids
Notosuchian systematics have been highly debated in recent decades, particularly the placement of sebecids and closely related species. As the only notosuchian lineage to have survived the Cretaceo...
www.tandfonline.com
November 24, 2025 at 9:13 AM
New paper on the notosuchian Eremosuchus by @piginatutu.bsky.social, co-authored by myself and @pdmannion.bsky.social among others out now!! We even find some cool evidence of replacement teeth in the dentary! www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Reposted by Sophie M.
Happy Origin Day! Published OTD in 1859
November 24, 2025 at 1:34 PM
Happy Origin Day! Published OTD in 1859
Reposted by Sophie M.
Up close with a pygmy mole cricket, Neotridactylus apicalis. Stengl Lost Pines Biological Station, Texas.
November 24, 2025 at 1:35 PM
Up close with a pygmy mole cricket, Neotridactylus apicalis. Stengl Lost Pines Biological Station, Texas.