Derek den Ouden, Paleosoricidologist
@denoudenderek.bsky.social
Evo Bio PhD student @ASU. Paleo MS @ETSU, Bio+Geo BS @IowaStateU. Trying to tame shrews, enjoyer of all Cenozoic oddballs. He/him, views mine.
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New profile, so here’s an intro post! I’m a paleontology student trying to figure out what fossil shrews were eating. It turns out the fossil record of shrews is full of oddballs, so I’m looking at their modern diversity to inform what fossil forms might have been doing. Shrew related antics ensue!
Reposted by Derek den Ouden, Paleosoricidologist
Last of the walgvogels...
December 15, 2025 at 4:40 PM
Last of the walgvogels...
Reposted by Derek den Ouden, Paleosoricidologist
If you created any artwork based on our recent study on Diplodocus color patterns, we would love to see it!!! Please feel free to reply to this with your colorful dippy art 🦕🖌️🎨
December 12, 2025 at 2:43 AM
If you created any artwork based on our recent study on Diplodocus color patterns, we would love to see it!!! Please feel free to reply to this with your colorful dippy art 🦕🖌️🎨
Reposted by Derek den Ouden, Paleosoricidologist
extremely realistic basilosaurus reconstruction
December 12, 2025 at 2:47 AM
extremely realistic basilosaurus reconstruction
Reposted by Derek den Ouden, Paleosoricidologist
NEW paper out today in Royal Society Open Science: “Fossilized melanosomes reveal colour patterning of a sauropod dinosaur” (2025). 🦕
Research conducted in part & facilitated by Elevation Science.
Art by Tess Gallagher.
royalsocietypublishing.org/rsos/article...
Research conducted in part & facilitated by Elevation Science.
Art by Tess Gallagher.
royalsocietypublishing.org/rsos/article...
December 11, 2025 at 12:30 AM
NEW paper out today in Royal Society Open Science: “Fossilized melanosomes reveal colour patterning of a sauropod dinosaur” (2025). 🦕
Research conducted in part & facilitated by Elevation Science.
Art by Tess Gallagher.
royalsocietypublishing.org/rsos/article...
Research conducted in part & facilitated by Elevation Science.
Art by Tess Gallagher.
royalsocietypublishing.org/rsos/article...
Super cool stuff!! Tess has put a massive amount of work into this project, and the end result is really incredible. Certainly worth a read, and major congrats to @tessasaurus.bsky.social and the rest of the team!
Excited to announce that my second manuscript, “Fossilised Melanosomes Reveal Colour Patterning in A Sauropod Dinosaur” has been published in
@royalsociety.org !! Diplodocus scales are complex and diverse, and it turns out their color patterning was even more so. A 🧵🦕 1/26
@royalsociety.org !! Diplodocus scales are complex and diverse, and it turns out their color patterning was even more so. A 🧵🦕 1/26
December 10, 2025 at 5:52 PM
Super cool stuff!! Tess has put a massive amount of work into this project, and the end result is really incredible. Certainly worth a read, and major congrats to @tessasaurus.bsky.social and the rest of the team!
Reposted by Derek den Ouden, Paleosoricidologist
While the paper hasn't come out just yet, the news certainly has. Proud to announce our discovery of color patterning in a sauropod dinosaur. Will go in depth tomorrow.
December 10, 2025 at 1:08 AM
While the paper hasn't come out just yet, the news certainly has. Proud to announce our discovery of color patterning in a sauropod dinosaur. Will go in depth tomorrow.
Reposted by Derek den Ouden, Paleosoricidologist
I just bet you have questions about #PrehistoricPlanetIceAge, right? Reddit is doing an AMA on the series tomorrow, in which I'm joined by my excellent colleagues Dorothy Ballarini and Russell Dodgson from @Framestore See you there! www.reddit.com/r/movies/com...
From the movies community on Reddit: Hi r/movies! We're the team responsible for bringing Apple TV’s Prehistoric Planet: Ice Age to life. We are Russell Dodgson (Production VFX Supervisor), Dorothy Ba...
Explore this post and more from the movies community
www.reddit.com
December 8, 2025 at 5:46 PM
I just bet you have questions about #PrehistoricPlanetIceAge, right? Reddit is doing an AMA on the series tomorrow, in which I'm joined by my excellent colleagues Dorothy Ballarini and Russell Dodgson from @Framestore See you there! www.reddit.com/r/movies/com...
Reposted by Derek den Ouden, Paleosoricidologist
Hey Ben,
The museum is its own separately funded unit, so while this hurts, and directly affects our curators and interns from EAS, UNSM including Ashfall and Trailside remains open and active.
That said, we are gutted. EAS have been allies and partners with the museum for a hundred years. No more.
The museum is its own separately funded unit, so while this hurts, and directly affects our curators and interns from EAS, UNSM including Ashfall and Trailside remains open and active.
That said, we are gutted. EAS have been allies and partners with the museum for a hundred years. No more.
December 7, 2025 at 5:47 AM
Hey Ben,
The museum is its own separately funded unit, so while this hurts, and directly affects our curators and interns from EAS, UNSM including Ashfall and Trailside remains open and active.
That said, we are gutted. EAS have been allies and partners with the museum for a hundred years. No more.
The museum is its own separately funded unit, so while this hurts, and directly affects our curators and interns from EAS, UNSM including Ashfall and Trailside remains open and active.
That said, we are gutted. EAS have been allies and partners with the museum for a hundred years. No more.
Reposted by Derek den Ouden, Paleosoricidologist
It's over.
Despite the fact that the academic council recommended against it, despite the fact that the program brought in more tuition than it cost, and despite the fact that Nebraskans need & deserve this expertise, Earth & Atmospheric Sciences will be cut.
www.dailynebraskan.com/news/adminis...
Despite the fact that the academic council recommended against it, despite the fact that the program brought in more tuition than it cost, and despite the fact that Nebraskans need & deserve this expertise, Earth & Atmospheric Sciences will be cut.
www.dailynebraskan.com/news/adminis...
BREAKING: ‘This hurts’: UNL eliminates 4 programs despite faculty, student pleas
The University of Nebraska-Lincoln eliminates the Earth and atmospheric sciences 8-0, educational administration 7-1, statistics 7-1, textiles, merchandising and fashion design 7-1 programs.
www.dailynebraskan.com
December 6, 2025 at 5:35 PM
It's over.
Despite the fact that the academic council recommended against it, despite the fact that the program brought in more tuition than it cost, and despite the fact that Nebraskans need & deserve this expertise, Earth & Atmospheric Sciences will be cut.
www.dailynebraskan.com/news/adminis...
Despite the fact that the academic council recommended against it, despite the fact that the program brought in more tuition than it cost, and despite the fact that Nebraskans need & deserve this expertise, Earth & Atmospheric Sciences will be cut.
www.dailynebraskan.com/news/adminis...
Reposted by Derek den Ouden, Paleosoricidologist
Microsyops fur brush demo. Quick one. Brushes now available here villes.gumroad.com/l/rkrac
October 7, 2024 at 3:36 PM
Microsyops fur brush demo. Quick one. Brushes now available here villes.gumroad.com/l/rkrac
Reposted by Derek den Ouden, Paleosoricidologist
At a forest clearing, you're greeted by the guardian, the wise old man of the forest, Gigantopithecus blacki. Recent commission of the big guy, inspired by #prehistoricplaneticeage. Although this guy is a Pongine-->
December 6, 2025 at 10:22 PM
At a forest clearing, you're greeted by the guardian, the wise old man of the forest, Gigantopithecus blacki. Recent commission of the big guy, inspired by #prehistoricplaneticeage. Although this guy is a Pongine-->
Reposted by Derek den Ouden, Paleosoricidologist
Plotopterid (extinct flightless relative of boobies and cormorants) tarsometatarsus (foot bone) from the Yamaga Formation (Oligocene of Japan): www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/prps... 🪶🧪 (📷Mori)
December 5, 2025 at 2:28 PM
Plotopterid (extinct flightless relative of boobies and cormorants) tarsometatarsus (foot bone) from the Yamaga Formation (Oligocene of Japan): www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/prps... 🪶🧪 (📷Mori)
Reposted by Derek den Ouden, Paleosoricidologist
From all the paleoart and media depictions, one would think Nanotyrannus’s only interaction with the rest of the ecosystem was to harass juvenile Tyrannosaurus rex. Ecologically specialized to be a schoolyard bully
December 4, 2025 at 9:46 PM
From all the paleoart and media depictions, one would think Nanotyrannus’s only interaction with the rest of the ecosystem was to harass juvenile Tyrannosaurus rex. Ecologically specialized to be a schoolyard bully
Reposted by Derek den Ouden, Paleosoricidologist
New research on a hot topic -
histology of the holotype supports Nanotyrannus as distinct from T. rex.
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
histology of the holotype supports Nanotyrannus as distinct from T. rex.
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
December 4, 2025 at 7:43 PM
New research on a hot topic -
histology of the holotype supports Nanotyrannus as distinct from T. rex.
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
histology of the holotype supports Nanotyrannus as distinct from T. rex.
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Reposted by Derek den Ouden, Paleosoricidologist
While birds and bats both developed adaptations for flight, the way they went about it is so fundamentally different it affects their possible ecological adaptation. Specifically, birds can easily shift to a walking lifestyle, bats can't. 🧪
Link: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Link: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
November 29, 2025 at 8:03 AM
While birds and bats both developed adaptations for flight, the way they went about it is so fundamentally different it affects their possible ecological adaptation. Specifically, birds can easily shift to a walking lifestyle, bats can't. 🧪
Link: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Link: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Derek den Ouden, Paleosoricidologist
This Thanksgiving, I’m thankful for people who put their data on Morphosource.
November 29, 2025 at 2:49 PM
This Thanksgiving, I’m thankful for people who put their data on Morphosource.
Reposted by Derek den Ouden, Paleosoricidologist
OK, soooo at some point in the future we'll start talking about the animals and sequences that were considered for #PrehistoricPlanetIceAge but didn't make it over all the hurdles. We're talking giant lemurs, deinotheres, paranthropines, additional cats, zygomaturines and more.
November 28, 2025 at 11:27 AM
OK, soooo at some point in the future we'll start talking about the animals and sequences that were considered for #PrehistoricPlanetIceAge but didn't make it over all the hurdles. We're talking giant lemurs, deinotheres, paranthropines, additional cats, zygomaturines and more.
Reposted by Derek den Ouden, Paleosoricidologist
Yes, there was a deliberate push to get rid of all scientific names; of course, I think this is a massive mistake. And, indeed, no roaring for sabretooths, their hyoid anatomy indicates that they couldn't do it :) #PrehistoricPlanetIceAge
November 28, 2025 at 12:12 PM
Yes, there was a deliberate push to get rid of all scientific names; of course, I think this is a massive mistake. And, indeed, no roaring for sabretooths, their hyoid anatomy indicates that they couldn't do it :) #PrehistoricPlanetIceAge
Reposted by Derek den Ouden, Paleosoricidologist
Last year I made a Xiphactinus pecan pie for Thanksgiving. What prehistoric fish should I do this year?
November 25, 2025 at 5:57 PM
Last year I made a Xiphactinus pecan pie for Thanksgiving. What prehistoric fish should I do this year?
Reposted by Derek den Ouden, Paleosoricidologist
Go my Bothriolepis... This year's fish pecan pie! Bothriolepis was a peculiar-looking placoderm from the Devonian period or the Paleozoic. It had two long pointed pectoral fins and silly little eyes on top of its head.
#fossil #fish #paleontology #bothriolepis
#fossil #fish #paleontology #bothriolepis
November 27, 2025 at 10:16 PM
Go my Bothriolepis... This year's fish pecan pie! Bothriolepis was a peculiar-looking placoderm from the Devonian period or the Paleozoic. It had two long pointed pectoral fins and silly little eyes on top of its head.
#fossil #fish #paleontology #bothriolepis
#fossil #fish #paleontology #bothriolepis
Reposted by Derek den Ouden, Paleosoricidologist
Dinosaurs were nearly wiped out 66 million years ago, long before the start of the Quaternary ice age. However, #PrehistoricPlanetIceAge shows that the few surviving dinosaurs (birds) would go on to become highly successful. Let's meet the ice age dinosaurs featured in the series! 🪶🧪
November 27, 2025 at 4:09 PM
Dinosaurs were nearly wiped out 66 million years ago, long before the start of the Quaternary ice age. However, #PrehistoricPlanetIceAge shows that the few surviving dinosaurs (birds) would go on to become highly successful. Let's meet the ice age dinosaurs featured in the series! 🪶🧪
Reposted by Derek den Ouden, Paleosoricidologist
Bucket list sloth butt selfie!! This beautiful specimen is from Anza Borrego and it has THOUSANDS of in situ osteoderms. There are only two specimens with in situ osteoderms (that I know of) in North America and I’m spending the day with this one.
November 24, 2025 at 6:57 PM
Bucket list sloth butt selfie!! This beautiful specimen is from Anza Borrego and it has THOUSANDS of in situ osteoderms. There are only two specimens with in situ osteoderms (that I know of) in North America and I’m spending the day with this one.
Reposted by Derek den Ouden, Paleosoricidologist
Reposted by Derek den Ouden, Paleosoricidologist
“Non-functional,” oil on wood panel.
This is the last of the paintings I worked on this summer. It felt nice to let social media take a back seat for a while so I could focus on art without any added pressure.
#painting #pigeonsky #art
This is the last of the paintings I worked on this summer. It felt nice to let social media take a back seat for a while so I could focus on art without any added pressure.
#painting #pigeonsky #art
November 21, 2025 at 8:43 PM
“Non-functional,” oil on wood panel.
This is the last of the paintings I worked on this summer. It felt nice to let social media take a back seat for a while so I could focus on art without any added pressure.
#painting #pigeonsky #art
This is the last of the paintings I worked on this summer. It felt nice to let social media take a back seat for a while so I could focus on art without any added pressure.
#painting #pigeonsky #art