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Posts by The Palaeontological Association

Top left: map of South America featuring Argentina in white. Region highlighted in pink shows where the study area (black square) is located in Chubut Province. Central image: digital brain endocast of Puelia plicata (MLP-PV 67-II-27-27) in dorsal view; the endocast is shown in pink with the surrounding bones of the skull rendered transparent; scale bar at lower left is 10 mm. Bottom left: skull of Puelia plicata (MLP-PV 67-II-27-27) in lateral view; scale bar at lower right is 10 mm. Bottom right: red cover image for the journal Papers in Palaeontology.

Top left: map of South America featuring Argentina in white. Region highlighted in pink shows where the study area (black square) is located in Chubut Province. Central image: digital brain endocast of Puelia plicata (MLP-PV 67-II-27-27) in dorsal view; the endocast is shown in pink with the surrounding bones of the skull rendered transparent; scale bar at lower left is 10 mm. Bottom left: skull of Puelia plicata (MLP-PV 67-II-27-27) in lateral view; scale bar at lower right is 10 mm. Bottom right: red cover image for the journal Papers in Palaeontology.

Reassessing Puelia plicata: cranio-dental anatomy, palaeoneurology & implications for the evolution of early Toxodontia onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/... @datadryad.bsky.social #PapersinPalaeontology

1 day ago 7 0 0 0
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Workshops & Roundtable Workshops will take place on 29 June (four workshops) and 3 July (three workshops) . Check the preliminary program here . Facility: You can find the full address and its location on the map here .

23rd EAVP participants, workshops & roundtable registration is now OPEN!
Please check your email for registration links.

All workshop details: eavp2026.weebly.com/workshops--r...
Deadline: 18 May

3 days ago 1 1 0 0
On the left: A chronologically calibrated cladogram illustrating the diversity of growth rates among pseudosuchians, based on osteohistological data On the right: at the top a complete transverse section through a femur of Tarjadia ruthae, illustrating the internal structure of the bone (scale bar at bottom left is 2 mm). Underneath is an enlargement of the area outlined by the upper white rectangle, showing the zonal bone (labelled ZB), an internal circumfernetial layer (ICL) and the external fundamental system (EFS, which is further enlarged on the right of the image). The main part of the image is shown in plane-polarized light at the top and coloured by the addition of a second, crossed polarizer at the bottom. The enlargment image has two scale bars at the bottom, the one on the left (for the main image) is 500 microns, the one on the right (for the enlargement of the EFS) is 250 microns. Blue rectangle in the bottom right corner is the cover of the journal Palaeontology.

On the left: A chronologically calibrated cladogram illustrating the diversity of growth rates among pseudosuchians, based on osteohistological data On the right: at the top a complete transverse section through a femur of Tarjadia ruthae, illustrating the internal structure of the bone (scale bar at bottom left is 2 mm). Underneath is an enlargement of the area outlined by the upper white rectangle, showing the zonal bone (labelled ZB), an internal circumfernetial layer (ICL) and the external fundamental system (EFS, which is further enlarged on the right of the image). The main part of the image is shown in plane-polarized light at the top and coloured by the addition of a second, crossed polarizer at the bottom. The enlargment image has two scale bars at the bottom, the one on the left (for the main image) is 500 microns, the one on the right (for the enlargement of the EFS) is 250 microns. Blue rectangle in the bottom right corner is the cover of the journal Palaeontology.

More diverse than expected: osteohistology of non-crocodylomorph Pseudosuchia from the Triassic of South America onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

4 days ago 13 4 0 0
Top right: Digital reconstruction of the skull of Ptychotherates bucculentus (CM 31368) in left lateral view. Arrow on the right indicates anterior direction. Scale bar under arrow is 2 cm. Bottom left: A life reconstruction of Ptychotherates bucculentus by Megan Sodano. Red rectangle in bottom right corner is a cover image of the journal Papers in Palaeontology.

Top right: Digital reconstruction of the skull of Ptychotherates bucculentus (CM 31368) in left lateral view. Arrow on the right indicates anterior direction. Scale bar under arrow is 2 cm. Bottom left: A life reconstruction of Ptychotherates bucculentus by Megan Sodano. Red rectangle in bottom right corner is a cover image of the journal Papers in Palaeontology.

A new taxon of saurischian dinosaur from the Coelophysis Quarry of New Mexico, USA highlights herrerasaurian diversity in the latest Triassic onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/... #PapersinPalaeontology @sodanychus.bsky.social

6 days ago 16 4 0 1
Top left: map of the study area (red star) in the Neuquen Basin, Patagonia, Argentina. Below and to the right are examples of the varied morphology of benthic foraminifera recovered. Top right: Favolagena atilai (MML-PM 50; scale bar 20 microns). Bottom row, from left: Cibicides (MML-PM 38; scale bar 100 microns); Gavelinella? neuquense (MML-PM 21; scale bar 100 microns); Fursenkoina tegulata (MML-PM 59; scale bar 20 microns); Stilostomella spinosa (MML-PM 64; scale bar 20 microns).

Top left: map of the study area (red star) in the Neuquen Basin, Patagonia, Argentina. Below and to the right are examples of the varied morphology of benthic foraminifera recovered. Top right: Favolagena atilai (MML-PM 50; scale bar 20 microns). Bottom row, from left: Cibicides (MML-PM 38; scale bar 100 microns); Gavelinella? neuquense (MML-PM 21; scale bar 100 microns); Fursenkoina tegulata (MML-PM 59; scale bar 20 microns); Stilostomella spinosa (MML-PM 64; scale bar 20 microns).

Benthic foraminiferal assemblages across the K/Pg transition in northern Patagonia, Argentina: palaeoenvironmental constraints onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...

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Top right: Photograph of two jaw bones with a one cent Euro coin for scale. The bones are a fragment of a mandible of Galanthis baskini from Las Casiones (small, darker specimen, above) and a complete mandible of the extant species Mustela nivalis (lesser weasel; lighter coloured specimen below). Image: Alberto Valenciano. Top left: blue rectangle is a cover image from the journal Palaeontology. Bottom: Illustration of body mass along the branches of the tip-dated Bayesian MCC tree, showing the ancestral body mass for each clade; illustrated specimens (not to scale): Lutra lutra, MNCN-3666; Vormela peregusna, IVPP-OV519; Zdanskyictis minimus, PMU-21788; Mustela putorius, MNCN-3846; Mustela nivalis, MNCN-14416; Mustela erminea, MNCN-14372; Neogale vison, MNCN-14417; Galanthis baskini, KS-9a; Martes americana, FMNH-51372.

Top right: Photograph of two jaw bones with a one cent Euro coin for scale. The bones are a fragment of a mandible of Galanthis baskini from Las Casiones (small, darker specimen, above) and a complete mandible of the extant species Mustela nivalis (lesser weasel; lighter coloured specimen below). Image: Alberto Valenciano. Top left: blue rectangle is a cover image from the journal Palaeontology. Bottom: Illustration of body mass along the branches of the tip-dated Bayesian MCC tree, showing the ancestral body mass for each clade; illustrated specimens (not to scale): Lutra lutra, MNCN-3666; Vormela peregusna, IVPP-OV519; Zdanskyictis minimus, PMU-21788; Mustela putorius, MNCN-3846; Mustela nivalis, MNCN-14416; Mustela erminea, MNCN-14372; Neogale vison, MNCN-14417; Galanthis baskini, KS-9a; Martes americana, FMNH-51372.

Oldest evidence of a weasel reveals a Miocene origin of the Mustelinae (Mammalia, Carnivora) onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/... @morphobank.bsky.social

1 week ago 16 9 0 2
Top right: a tree illustrating the phylogeny of the sauropodomorphs sampled in this study. At the top in green are non-sauropodiform sauropodomorphs, in the middle in orange are non-sauropodan sauropodiforms, and at the bottom in red are the Sauropoda. At the bottom are some examples of the analytical techniques used. On the left is a neighbour-joining clustering analysis tree and on the right a representation of phylopmorphospace. In both cases, the colours of the datapoints match those on the tree at the top. In the bottom right corner of the phylomorphospace map is wireframe visualization of thin-plate spline deformation of aligned extremal shapes along PC1 (horizontal axis of the main plot); at top right is a similar wireframe model of shape changes along PC2 for this same dataset. The blue rectangle on the left is a cover image for the journal Palaeontology.

Top right: a tree illustrating the phylogeny of the sauropodomorphs sampled in this study. At the top in green are non-sauropodiform sauropodomorphs, in the middle in orange are non-sauropodan sauropodiforms, and at the bottom in red are the Sauropoda. At the bottom are some examples of the analytical techniques used. On the left is a neighbour-joining clustering analysis tree and on the right a representation of phylopmorphospace. In both cases, the colours of the datapoints match those on the tree at the top. In the bottom right corner of the phylomorphospace map is wireframe visualization of thin-plate spline deformation of aligned extremal shapes along PC1 (horizontal axis of the main plot); at top right is a similar wireframe model of shape changes along PC2 for this same dataset. The blue rectangle on the left is a cover image for the journal Palaeontology.

Partial analyses of humeral shape in sauropodomorph dinosaurs highlight a hidden modularity & the differential evolution of sauropod bauplan-related traits onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/... @rl-evobio.bsky.social
@houssayecnrs.bsky.social
@palaeo3d.com
@erc.europa.eu
@ukri.org

1 week ago 5 0 1 0
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Registration Note: Due to limited on-site capacity for EAVP 2026, a maximum of 200 participants can be accommodated on-site. If this number is reached before the registration deadline, further registrations…

Still thinking about joining #EAVP2026? Late registration runs until 16 April 2026📆 #PaleoLife #conference

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⏰ Abstract Submission Deadline: 16th April ⏰

Don’t miss the opportunity to present your work at the ProgPal 2026 conference! 🦖✨
🔗 More info: palass.org/progressive-...
📌 Poster
⚡ Lightning Talk
🎤 Full Talk
🌟 Keynote Speaker
#conference #ProgPal2026 #palaeontology

1 week ago 5 6 0 0
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Join us this #FossilFriday where we will talk to Dr. Cary Woodruff about the largest dinosaurs to ever live 🦕.

🗓 Friday, April 10
🕛 9 a.m. MST, 11 a.m. EST
Great for families, K-12 classes, college students, homeschoolers, and more!
🔗 Zoom- FREE: tinyurl.com/MORFossilFri...

1 week ago 13 4 0 0
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‘World’s oldest octopus’ fossil isn’t an octopus after all | Natural History Museum Pohlsepia mazonensis is still a landmark fossil – but not in the way it was first thought.

The world’s oldest octopus isn’t actually an octopus at all! 🐙

New research reveals that Pohlsepia mazonensis is actually a relative of the nautilus, revealing more about what these animals were like.

Dive into the history of this mysterious fossil 👇
www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/new...

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Infographic showing the main steps in the preparation and publication of 3D datasets.

Infographic showing the main steps in the preparation and publication of 3D datasets.

How should I publish my digital fossil? Recommendations for the publication of comprehensive 3D datasets in palaeontological studies onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/... @daniajinn.bsky.social @mfnberlin.bsky.social @dfg.de @datadryad.bsky.social #FossilFriday

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A picture of a small concretion (rock) with a white blob in the middle. this blob was described as the worlds oldest octopus and called Pohlsepia. Our research shows that hidden under the rock are teeth that confirm it is a nautiloid (a relative of modern nautiluses).

A picture of a small concretion (rock) with a white blob in the middle. this blob was described as the worlds oldest octopus and called Pohlsepia. Our research shows that hidden under the rock are teeth that confirm it is a nautiloid (a relative of modern nautiluses).

An artistic rendering of the rotting Pohlsepia on the seafloor 310 million years ago. Sharks, fish and arthropods lurk in the background

An artistic rendering of the rotting Pohlsepia on the seafloor 310 million years ago. Sharks, fish and arthropods lurk in the background

I am so unbelievably proud to present 8 years of hard work: the worlds oldest octopus is not an octopus...

Pohlsepia is actually a really rotten Nautiloid (but oldest soft tissue nautiloid ever found!). 🐙❌

royalsocietypublishing.org/rspb/article...

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🤩 On April 7, we hosted the first event of the newly re-established Microvertebrate Working Group of The Micropalaeontological Society (TMS), held online 💻🌍
We co-led the session together with my colleague from Poland, Dr Przemysław Świś 👩‍🔬👨‍🔬🇱🇹🇵🇱
#workshop #fossils #digitalization #online #paleontology

1 week ago 6 2 0 0
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⏳ 8 days left!

Register + submit your abstract for #EAVP2026 now 👇
eavp2026.weebly.com/registration...

and a REMINDER -->
💸 Grants available (€200 + fees)
📅 Deadline: 20 April 2026

1 week ago 14 14 0 1
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A sneak peak of us sniggering about mammoths sneezing themselves to death 🦣🤧☠️

2 weeks ago 11 3 2 0
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📖Trilobites, dicynodonts, 19th century frigates: you'll find something for everyone in upcoming PalAss Newsletter 121, heading to members now. 📬 Turn to the back for a puzzle-based giveaway of the new book Spinosaur Tales: The Biology and Ecology of the Spinosaurs🧩🦕#newsletter #PalAss #palaeontology

2 weeks ago 6 2 0 1
On the left, two black and white photographs of Silica Shale brachiopod Paraspirifer bownockeri (UMMP 63146) in anterior (upper image) and ventral (lower image) view. Scale bars below each image are 10 mm. On the right, two plots illustrating the analysis conducted on fauna encrusting these molluscs. At the top, the results of the non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) analysis showing the numbers of epibiont taxa on individual brachiopod specimens (blue for 1, green for 2, yellow for 3 and red for 4). At the bottom, the results of a Spearman correlation analysis showing presence/absence data for a range of encrusting taxa on the dorsal valve. The colour scale indicates a range of positive (cool, blue colours) to negative (warm, red colours) correlation. Five pairs of taxa show a significant correlation (each indicated with a star): four negative and one positive.

On the left, two black and white photographs of Silica Shale brachiopod Paraspirifer bownockeri (UMMP 63146) in anterior (upper image) and ventral (lower image) view. Scale bars below each image are 10 mm. On the right, two plots illustrating the analysis conducted on fauna encrusting these molluscs. At the top, the results of the non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) analysis showing the numbers of epibiont taxa on individual brachiopod specimens (blue for 1, green for 2, yellow for 3 and red for 4). At the bottom, the results of a Spearman correlation analysis showing presence/absence data for a range of encrusting taxa on the dorsal valve. The colour scale indicates a range of positive (cool, blue colours) to negative (warm, red colours) correlation. Five pairs of taxa show a significant correlation (each indicated with a star): four negative and one positive.

Palaeoecology of Middle Devonian epizoans and their Paraspirifer hosts onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/... #FossilFriday @sarahlsheffield.bsky.social @datadryad.bsky.social

2 weeks ago 13 4 0 2
Top right: Sketch of a salamander illustrating the defined movements of the proximal (hip) and distal (elbow) limb joints measured in this study. Middle left: A muscle map for the giant salamander Dicamptodon, used as model comparator for the stem tetrapods. Lower row: left (blue rectangle) cover image for the journal Palaeontology; middle, musculoskeletal model in a mid-stance pose; right, plot of muscle moment arms.

Top right: Sketch of a salamander illustrating the defined movements of the proximal (hip) and distal (elbow) limb joints measured in this study. Middle left: A muscle map for the giant salamander Dicamptodon, used as model comparator for the stem tetrapods. Lower row: left (blue rectangle) cover image for the journal Palaeontology; middle, musculoskeletal model in a mid-stance pose; right, plot of muscle moment arms.

Musculoskeletal function of stem tetrapod limbs onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/... @crocodilejulia.bsky.social @johnrhutchinson.bsky.social @royalvetcollege.bsky.social

2 weeks ago 22 14 0 0
Top right: map showing the position (red dot) of the Toca dos Ossos Cave fossil locality, with inset showing South America. The State of Bahia, Brazil, is shaded grey on both. Bottom left: Holotype specimen MCL-A-1.795, a left tibiotarsus, in medial view. Scale bar at top right is 1 cm. Bottom middle: a life reconstruction of Eschatornis aterradora by Zeinner de Paula, with the position of the tibiotarsus indicated with converging straight lines. Bottom right: red rectangle is cover image for the journal Papers in Palaeontology.

Top right: map showing the position (red dot) of the Toca dos Ossos Cave fossil locality, with inset showing South America. The State of Bahia, Brazil, is shaded grey on both. Bottom left: Holotype specimen MCL-A-1.795, a left tibiotarsus, in medial view. Scale bar at top right is 1 cm. Bottom middle: a life reconstruction of Eschatornis aterradora by Zeinner de Paula, with the position of the tibiotarsus indicated with converging straight lines. Bottom right: red rectangle is cover image for the journal Papers in Palaeontology.

A new terror bird (Cariamiformes, Phorusrhacidae) from the Late Pleistocene of Brazil: insights into the last representatives of the family onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/... #PapersinPalaeontology #FossilFriday

3 weeks ago 29 7 0 1
Two plots showing genus-level diversity of conulariids through time. The top plot (with a sketch of a conulariid in the top left corner) shows changing diversity of numbers of genera from the Ediacaran on the left, through a peak in the Late Ordovician, with a decline towards the end Triassic on the right. Black line and data points use the range through metric; orange line and points use the sampled in bin metric. The lower plot as the same time scale but shows range-based sampling completeness for conulariid genera.

Two plots showing genus-level diversity of conulariids through time. The top plot (with a sketch of a conulariid in the top left corner) shows changing diversity of numbers of genera from the Ediacaran on the left, through a peak in the Late Ordovician, with a decline towards the end Triassic on the right. Black line and data points use the range through metric; orange line and points use the sampled in bin metric. The lower plot as the same time scale but shows range-based sampling completeness for conulariid genera.

And then there were none: decrease of origination & the decline of Conulariida onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/... #PapersinPalaeontology #FossilFriday

3 weeks ago 9 3 0 0
At the top, digital models of a mosasaurid (left) and polycotylid (right) skull, with the various insertion sites for muscles associated with biting shown in different colours. At top left is a silhouette representing a mosasaur (Platecarpus typmpaniticus; Johan Lindgren, Michael W. Caldwell, Takuya Konishi, Luis M. Chiappe CC BY-SA 3.0). At top right is a silhouette of polycotylid Dolichorhynchops osborni. At the bottom is a plot representing the optimized biting adaptive landscape projected over the functional morphospace, showing the distribution from higher biting optimization (yellow, top right) to lower (blue bottom left). Polycotylid skulls feature on the left and mosasaurids on the right.

At the top, digital models of a mosasaurid (left) and polycotylid (right) skull, with the various insertion sites for muscles associated with biting shown in different colours. At top left is a silhouette representing a mosasaur (Platecarpus typmpaniticus; Johan Lindgren, Michael W. Caldwell, Takuya Konishi, Luis M. Chiappe CC BY-SA 3.0). At top right is a silhouette of polycotylid Dolichorhynchops osborni. At the bottom is a plot representing the optimized biting adaptive landscape projected over the functional morphospace, showing the distribution from higher biting optimization (yellow, top right) to lower (blue bottom left). Polycotylid skulls feature on the left and mosasaurids on the right.

Distinct feeding biomechanics in Late Cretaceous marine reptiles from the Western Interior Seaway onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/... @just-fre.bsky.social @universitedeliege.bsky.social @datadryad.bsky.social

3 weeks ago 42 18 0 1
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[2/2] at different career stages, and offering different kinds of contributions to the field. 🦴🔬 The Association stresses the importance of nominations and encourages all members to make nominations ✍️📩
#award #PalAss

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The Palaeontological Association recognizes excellence in our profession by the award of medals and other prizes. 🏅 The Association sees its lists of medals and award winners as a record of the very best palaeontologists worldwide 🌍 [1/2]

3 weeks ago 4 1 1 0
25. A dinosaur covered in porcupine spines & the earliest fossil cloaca
25. A dinosaur covered in porcupine spines & the earliest fossil cloaca YouTube video by The Fossil Files Podcast

@tweetisaurus.bsky.social and @fossilrob.bsky.social take a look at these new finds and there implications and try not to giggle about butt holes in the newest episode of The Fossil Files.
Out today, on YouTube or where ever you get your podcasts www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNQe...

4 weeks ago 13 5 0 0
On the left: a map of South America showing the locality of the AMD-45 caviomorph assemblage in Peru. Top right: reconstruction from CT scan of two fossil mammal teeth: new species Acarechimys manumanta (IPVF-5005), left DP4-M1 in occlusal view; scale bar at lower right is 1 mm. Bottom right: two bar graphs, the upper, coloured one, showing the caviomorph superfamily composition at the locality by specimen count. The lower chart showin the diversity in crown height. Bottom left: red rectangle is a cover image from the journal Papers in Palaeontology.

On the left: a map of South America showing the locality of the AMD-45 caviomorph assemblage in Peru. Top right: reconstruction from CT scan of two fossil mammal teeth: new species Acarechimys manumanta (IPVF-5005), left DP4-M1 in occlusal view; scale bar at lower right is 1 mm. Bottom right: two bar graphs, the upper, coloured one, showing the caviomorph superfamily composition at the locality by specimen count. The lower chart showin the diversity in crown height. Bottom left: red rectangle is a cover image from the journal Papers in Palaeontology.

New Early Miocene hystricognath rodents (Caviomorpha) from the Madre de Dios River in the southeastern Peruvian Amazon onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/... #PapersinPalaeontology

4 weeks ago 6 1 0 0
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#EAVP2026 Palaeoart submissions are open! We’re looking for artwork related to vert palaeo, incl. palaeoenvironmental reconstructions.

More info here or on the eavp website. eavp.org/wp-content/u...

eavp.org/palaeoart-ex...

#palaeoart

1 month ago 3 3 0 0

📢 Have a PhD position to share?
You can submit your own opportunity directly on the PalAss official website by clicking the “Add a PhD opportunity” button.

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🎓🦴 PhD Opportunities in Palaeontology – Open Call! 🌍✨

Looking to take the next step in your academic journey? Explore the latest PhD opportunities in palaeontology now available!

🔍 For full details and descriptions of each call, visit:
👉 palass.org/phd-opportun...

1 month ago 7 3 1 0
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⚠️Honouring Andy Currant: A 40 Year Legacy in Science and Curation
🔸Join the Natural History Museum, London in celebrating the life and work of Andy Currant (1952–2026), their long-serving Curator of Fossil Mammals ⬇️
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/honouring-...

1 month ago 9 1 0 0