Dinosaur News #40New dinosaurs include bird Vadaravis brownae and an unnamed abelisauroid. Sarcoramphus sacer is argued to represent a valid taxon.The mitochondrial genome of Ectopistes migratorius, the braincase of Alioramus altai, the water vapor conductance of Troodon formosus eggs, the history of African sphenisciforms, gut parasites in dinornithiforms, a new specimen of Austroraptor cabazai, and an ornithomimid bonebed are described. A detailed review of neural spine bifurcation in Morrison sauropods is published. Cacatua goffiniana are documented exhibiting self control. The validity of currently interpreted feather colors of fossil dinosaurs is disputed. All non-euornithine avialan specimens (including new Sapeornis, confuciusornithid, and enantiornithine specimens) that preserve leg and foot feathering are found to have pennaceous feathers on their hind limbs. Jeholornis and enantiornithines are found to have had only one functioni
Hail Volantia!If you haven't heard of the news about Volantia, or, perhaps, are unaware of what Volantia is, you've come to the right spot.
Rainbow Dash by Princess-Amy:iconprincess-amy:`Princess-AmyRainbow Dash the Fire SkinkA simple photograph very well done.It's good to see Amy back working the camera.She's had quite the tumultuous several years.Blessings, my friend.(Now we just need to get you back in the darkroom.)Steve
Check the freshness date on your skeletalsAs my "watchers" are most likely aware by now, I'm rolling out a bunch of updated skeletal reconstructions. Any time I provide a skeletal reconstruction to a client (museum, publisher, app maker, producer, etc.) I update the skeletal to bring it into line with the most current research. Many times these are subtle changes, but over time they add up. I realized that I'd done a large number of these over the last couple months without updating any of my DA skeletals, so as I am able to grab a few spare minutes here or there I'll be continuing these updates over the coming weeks.The reason I've been checking the "notify" tab is because anyone who wants to use them as the basis of either a reconstruction or for understanding dinosaur anatomy should really be using the most recent versions, so if you're ogling one of my skeletals be sure to check the date on it for maximum freshness.-Scott
Preening FeetSo, apparently Some species of hummingbird (sword-billed hummingbird in the pictures) use their feet for preening since their bills are so long and awkwardly-shaped. That makes me think of how deinonychosaurs might have used their toe claws to preen, almost like a dog. Perhaps therizinosaurs used their hand claws as well? That must've looked funny.Images from BBC's Life of Birds, The Mastery of Flight.
2013's Weekly Blog Roundup 07Finally a decent week with a decent amount of posts. Oh yeah.And tomorrow I'll have an exam to do. Jeez. But at leat I fixed the blog: now you can go directly to the links I post you.From the Beginning - The Story of Human Evolution is Now Available Online: http://ktboundary-smnt2000.blogspot.it/#!/2013/02/from-beginning-story-of-human-evolution.htmlNew Trailer for Monsters University: http://ktboundary-smnt2000.blogspot.it/#!/2013/02/new-trailer-for-monsters-university.htmlHeartbreak: http://ktboundary-smnt2000.blogspot.it/#!/2013/02/heartbreak.htmlReviews - The Suicide King (The Walking Dead 03x09): http://ktboundary-smnt2000.blogspot.it/#!/2013/02/reviews-suicide-king-walking-dead-03x09.htmlTetrapod Zoology is on Tumblr too: http://ktboundary-smnt2000.blogspot.it/#!/2013/02/tetrapod-zoology-is-on-tumblr-too.htmlA cormorant-like Shuvuuia deserti by John Conway: http://ktboundary-smnt2000.blogspot.it/#!/2013/02/a-cormorant-like-shuvuuia-deserti-by.htmlThis is a Goodbye. I'm Le
Time to do some speed paintingsThe last several months I decided that i wanted to start pushing myself to become a better artist. As I said in my Jersey Boys Dig Dinosaurs interview last week http://jerseyboyhuntsdinosaurs.blogspot.com/2013/02/interview-with-artist-and-scientist.html I really have no training as an artist, and indeed most of my career has been more of the technical diagram variety of illustrations. And I doubt that will change, as skeletal reconstructions and other anatomy diagrams are what I do. That said, I also value improvement, and I intend to do so by starting to do regular speed paintings, as well as trying my hand at some artwork types I've not considered in well over a decade.I've in fact been doing speed paintings now for several weeks, but many of them were not finished to a level where I wanted to share them (some of them I was just working on particular aspects of artwork that I need to improve). But I feel like I will work that much harder if i plan to share them, so I've started a sp
Happy Darwin Day!It's that time again.