Joanne Connor
@jconnor.bsky.social
Naturalist, anthro nerd, animal lover. Clean living, pro-life, vegan, teetotal. Opinions may be sincere, satirical, or thought experiments. Retweets may or may not be agreeement. No harassment is intended.
Its amazing how the idea has stuck for decades, in spite of the dated-ness of the 1980s phytodinosaur hypothesis. Which had ornithischians and sauropods share a 'prosauropod' or 'anchisaur' common ancestral grade, and the therizinosaurs or segnosaurs maybe transitional to ornithischians.
December 14, 2023 at 2:45 PM
Its amazing how the idea has stuck for decades, in spite of the dated-ness of the 1980s phytodinosaur hypothesis. Which had ornithischians and sauropods share a 'prosauropod' or 'anchisaur' common ancestral grade, and the therizinosaurs or segnosaurs maybe transitional to ornithischians.
A number of turtle species ate attested to be present, in estuarine to coastal marine environments. Most probable cope like Chelydra does, ie. migrating between pooks of fresh and salibe water, for osmoregulatory reasons, or waiting between spells of rain.
December 11, 2023 at 4:08 PM
A number of turtle species ate attested to be present, in estuarine to coastal marine environments. Most probable cope like Chelydra does, ie. migrating between pooks of fresh and salibe water, for osmoregulatory reasons, or waiting between spells of rain.
Thylacine or numbat?
December 11, 2023 at 5:48 AM
Thylacine or numbat?
Malayemys are considered near-obligate pedators, on viviparid & ampullarid gastropods. I didn't want to introduce internal parasites to my turtles, two of which were in ill health, so I feed them frozen shellfish. I was worried they might not be able to crunch the hard shells. I was very wrong.
December 11, 2023 at 1:36 AM
Malayemys are considered near-obligate pedators, on viviparid & ampullarid gastropods. I didn't want to introduce internal parasites to my turtles, two of which were in ill health, so I feed them frozen shellfish. I was worried they might not be able to crunch the hard shells. I was very wrong.
Even on New Guinea, where civilization had stalled at an incipient stage, st least as it seems to us. There are a number of hunter gatherer groups, surrounded by ubiquitous Melanesian horticulture, and their material culture is hard to tell apart from that of their food producing neighbors.
December 10, 2023 at 3:15 PM
Even on New Guinea, where civilization had stalled at an incipient stage, st least as it seems to us. There are a number of hunter gatherer groups, surrounded by ubiquitous Melanesian horticulture, and their material culture is hard to tell apart from that of their food producing neighbors.
Fond as I am of race typology, and critical of those who treat it as pseudo-science - when it was firmly mainstream anthropology. A fair bit of it was a load of crap. Are Slavs (Osteuropids) really Alpines (a construct based on Central European uplanders)?
December 10, 2023 at 1:57 PM
Fond as I am of race typology, and critical of those who treat it as pseudo-science - when it was firmly mainstream anthropology. A fair bit of it was a load of crap. Are Slavs (Osteuropids) really Alpines (a construct based on Central European uplanders)?
The aspect ratio of the Archaeopteryx wing is that of a maneuverable bird, with a short and broad morphology. Neither the wing loading nor the aspect ratio of Archaeopteryx wings would be outstanding among the Holocene flying birds.
December 8, 2023 at 7:03 PM
The aspect ratio of the Archaeopteryx wing is that of a maneuverable bird, with a short and broad morphology. Neither the wing loading nor the aspect ratio of Archaeopteryx wings would be outstanding among the Holocene flying birds.
In reality the paper of Vooten et al (2018) failed to classify Archaeopteryx within any particular locomotor guild, thats recognised among the crown birds. The evidence provided by the authors may be intriguing, but is also speculative.
December 8, 2023 at 6:41 PM
In reality the paper of Vooten et al (2018) failed to classify Archaeopteryx within any particular locomotor guild, thats recognised among the crown birds. The evidence provided by the authors may be intriguing, but is also speculative.
The facial skeleton of at least Shuvuuia, is prokinetic, ie. the top jaw flexes upwards. This hinge is common in birds yet exceptuonal in other dinosaurs, and assists probing, foraging, and grasping behaviors in birds such as the hoopoe. Shuvuuia thus ate small items, but large enough to grasp.
December 8, 2023 at 1:19 PM
The facial skeleton of at least Shuvuuia, is prokinetic, ie. the top jaw flexes upwards. This hinge is common in birds yet exceptuonal in other dinosaurs, and assists probing, foraging, and grasping behaviors in birds such as the hoopoe. Shuvuuia thus ate small items, but large enough to grasp.
The facial skeleton of the large SANU Pyrotherium, does not look like it indicates a tapir-type trunk, as is a traditional interpretation. Rather, whatever was the soft tissue extent and function in life, I see a noteworthy resemblance to basal sirenians.
December 8, 2023 at 6:18 AM
The facial skeleton of the large SANU Pyrotherium, does not look like it indicates a tapir-type trunk, as is a traditional interpretation. Rather, whatever was the soft tissue extent and function in life, I see a noteworthy resemblance to basal sirenians.
No one questions the usefulness of UVB exposure to vertebrate health. But this chart is a bit problematic. Reptiles in zones 1-3 have been maintained in good health, without UVB access. Unlike heliotherms, such as tortoises and green iguanas.
December 8, 2023 at 3:31 AM
No one questions the usefulness of UVB exposure to vertebrate health. But this chart is a bit problematic. Reptiles in zones 1-3 have been maintained in good health, without UVB access. Unlike heliotherms, such as tortoises and green iguanas.
A complete skeleton of Bathornis is infuriatingly unknown. However parts of the skeketon, are very well known indeed. Currently but is impossible to give a weight estimate, for any species of Bathornis or broader, spurious 'Bathornithidae'. Nonetheless these were big birds and definitely flightless.
December 6, 2023 at 3:04 PM
A complete skeleton of Bathornis is infuriatingly unknown. However parts of the skeketon, are very well known indeed. Currently but is impossible to give a weight estimate, for any species of Bathornis or broader, spurious 'Bathornithidae'. Nonetheless these were big birds and definitely flightless.
The face of B. grallator was more robust than is that of the seriema, yet far too gracile for comparison to the big, macrocarnivorous phorusrhacids. So such a lifestyle seems contraindicated for Bathornis.
December 6, 2023 at 2:44 PM
The face of B. grallator was more robust than is that of the seriema, yet far too gracile for comparison to the big, macrocarnivorous phorusrhacids. So such a lifestyle seems contraindicated for Bathornis.
Bathornis belongs to a well-defined cariaman (seriema) radiation, within the clade named telluraves. Paracrax is overall no more similar to Bathornis, and other definite seriemas, than to the arboreal Opisthocomus. Images are screencaps from Mayr.
December 6, 2023 at 2:35 PM
Bathornis belongs to a well-defined cariaman (seriema) radiation, within the clade named telluraves. Paracrax is overall no more similar to Bathornis, and other definite seriemas, than to the arboreal Opisthocomus. Images are screencaps from Mayr.
These photographic images of crania are from his own paper, demonstrating my point.
December 5, 2023 at 12:45 AM
These photographic images of crania are from his own paper, demonstrating my point.
There are two equine morphs in northern subsaharan Africa. One is the Dongola type, actually spread as far as West Africa; the other is a feral pony subject to natural selection, for life on an arid environment. Its very possible that the African pony represents the first subsaharan domestic horses.
December 4, 2023 at 7:24 AM
There are two equine morphs in northern subsaharan Africa. One is the Dongola type, actually spread as far as West Africa; the other is a feral pony subject to natural selection, for life on an arid environment. Its very possible that the African pony represents the first subsaharan domestic horses.
Today I learned the Lovelock skulls are proof of gigantic Caucasoids. Actuallyvthe claim is common online, but usually without the race typology bit, ie. a race of 'giants'. The skulls exist and have been photographed and studied, not 'ignored'. But their wierdness has been exaggerated no ends.
December 3, 2023 at 12:47 PM
Today I learned the Lovelock skulls are proof of gigantic Caucasoids. Actuallyvthe claim is common online, but usually without the race typology bit, ie. a race of 'giants'. The skulls exist and have been photographed and studied, not 'ignored'. But their wierdness has been exaggerated no ends.
You should, really, expect some substructure within North America, that is similar to this diagram by Neumann. With two major branches evolving in parallel (bit certainly not in total isolation) during the Holocene, and the late expansion of Cenoamerinds, contributing novel genetic traits.
December 3, 2023 at 7:20 AM
You should, really, expect some substructure within North America, that is similar to this diagram by Neumann. With two major branches evolving in parallel (bit certainly not in total isolation) during the Holocene, and the late expansion of Cenoamerinds, contributing novel genetic traits.
This Gravel et al bar chart does a slightly better job, but why is there not enough Cenoamerind mixture, across North America? Only at k=9, I notice, do Eskaleut and Na-Dene components duverge. At k=6, Central Americans first distinguished from North Americans. They are northern and not southern.
December 3, 2023 at 5:35 AM
This Gravel et al bar chart does a slightly better job, but why is there not enough Cenoamerind mixture, across North America? Only at k=9, I notice, do Eskaleut and Na-Dene components duverge. At k=6, Central Americans first distinguished from North Americans. They are northern and not southern.
I sometimes feel concern, as to how much admixture, skews the population affinities of living and post-Columbian New Worlders. Its certainly true more aDNA would be helpful.
In the bar chart, from Verdu et al, the dark blue is European related, and pink is East Asian.
In the bar chart, from Verdu et al, the dark blue is European related, and pink is East Asian.
December 3, 2023 at 4:31 AM
I sometimes feel concern, as to how much admixture, skews the population affinities of living and post-Columbian New Worlders. Its certainly true more aDNA would be helpful.
In the bar chart, from Verdu et al, the dark blue is European related, and pink is East Asian.
In the bar chart, from Verdu et al, the dark blue is European related, and pink is East Asian.
Some excerpts of interest.
December 2, 2023 at 4:30 PM
Some excerpts of interest.
As you can see there, though I didn't screencap all the superfluous legend, there isn't as severe a distinction as some claim. 'LSa' is very old Minas Gerais crania, and 'Bot' (ie. Botocudo or Aimore) is ethnohistorical crania from the same region. (From Pucciarelli et al, 2006, btw.)
December 2, 2023 at 2:26 PM
As you can see there, though I didn't screencap all the superfluous legend, there isn't as severe a distinction as some claim. 'LSa' is very old Minas Gerais crania, and 'Bot' (ie. Botocudo or Aimore) is ethnohistorical crania from the same region. (From Pucciarelli et al, 2006, btw.)
Not all craniometric studies have found these ancient South Americans, or their ethnohistorical successors, to be as distinct from other New Worlders, as is sometimes outright stated. Then again, perhaos such studies have not enough Old Worlders to compare.
December 2, 2023 at 1:55 PM
Not all craniometric studies have found these ancient South Americans, or their ethnohistorical successors, to be as distinct from other New Worlders, as is sometimes outright stated. Then again, perhaos such studies have not enough Old Worlders to compare.
Though people look down at past, typological approaches to race, anthropologists - perhaps unavoidably - think like that even today. How distinct are New World Arctic people, from 'Amerindians'? Its a standard distinction, that poorly holds up, and was encouraged by old approaches ie blood groups.
December 2, 2023 at 12:08 PM
Though people look down at past, typological approaches to race, anthropologists - perhaps unavoidably - think like that even today. How distinct are New World Arctic people, from 'Amerindians'? Its a standard distinction, that poorly holds up, and was encouraged by old approaches ie blood groups.
Were ambelodontids really using their trunks to msnipulate objects? If it was so mobile, maybe they were, like Madoqua, moving their mobile and fleshy snout out of the way as they fed.
December 1, 2023 at 9:34 AM
Were ambelodontids really using their trunks to msnipulate objects? If it was so mobile, maybe they were, like Madoqua, moving their mobile and fleshy snout out of the way as they fed.