Skulls and Bones

May 24, 2013

Gastornis

… is an extinct genus of large flightless bird that lived during the late Paleocene and Eocene epochs of the Cenozoic. It was named in 1855, after Gaston Planté, who had discovered the first fossils in Argile Plastique formation deposits at Meudon near Paris, France.

In the 1870s, the famous American paleontologist Edward Drinker Cope discovered another, more complete set of fossils in North America, and named them Diatryma, which of course turned out later to be Gastornis.

Gastornis parisiensis measured on average 1.75 metres (5.7 ft) tall, but large individuals grew up to 2 metres (6.6 ft) tall. The Gastornis had a remarkably huge beak with a slightly hooked top, which was taken as evidence suggesting that it was carnivorous. Gastornis had large powerful legs, with large, taloned feet, which also were considered in support of the theory that it was a predator…

(read more: Wikipedia)

(via scientificillustration)

1:20pm | URL: http://tmblr.co/ZRGLQylisLll

(Notes: 209)

May 21, 2013

Squelette de Martinet noir/ Common Swift Skeleton (Apus apus) by JC-Osteo on Flickr.

5:20am | URL: http://tmblr.co/ZRGLQylTd-fX

(Notes: 53)

Filed under: Collection jctheil Osteology Ostéologie Squelette Skeleton Skull Bones Bone Bird Martinet Swift Apus apus Apus

May 21, 2013

Crâne d’Anolis / Bearded Anole Skull (Anolis barbatus) by JC-Osteo on Flickr.

2:40am | URL: http://tmblr.co/ZRGLQylSrpqI

(Notes: 25)

Filed under: Collection Ostéologie Osteology Skeleton Squelette Skull Bones Bone Anole Anolis Anolis barbatus Reptilia jctheil

May 20, 2013

biologicalmarginalia:

The skeleton of an Arnoux’s Beaked Whale (Berardius arnuxii) with a Gray’s Beaked Whale (Mesoplodon grayi — then “australis”) for comparison; the last image is a cleaner version from Beddard. Points of interest for the Giant Beaked Whale include the relatively small head, long neck with with only the first three vertebrae fused, low vertebral spines, and elongate lumbar vertebrae. Beddard remarkably stated the “proportions are curiously suggestive of some of the extinct aquatic Mosasaurians, as well as of some of the Dinosaurs”, although to me, this species looks like a toned-down Basilosaurus.

Beddard also mentioned the teeth being erectile and kept in cartilaginous sacs (?!?!). I haven’t seen this fact mentioned recently, so has it been disproven or is it really true and just poorly-known?

Flower W. (1872) On the recent Ziphoid whales, with a description of the skeleton of Berardius arnouxi. Trans R Soc Lond 8 203–234.

Beddard, F. (1900) A Book of Whales.

(via scientificillustration)

9:20pm | URL: http://tmblr.co/ZRGLQylRNdB4

(Notes: 109)

Filed under: beaked whale bone bones skeleton skull illustratio scientific science cetacean

May 15, 2013

prehistosaurio:

Fig. 20.—Skeletons of Brontosaurus (above) and Diplodocus (below) in the American Museum. The parts preserved in these specimens are shaded. Scale, 10 feet=1 inch.

(via scientificillustration)

2:40am | URL: http://tmblr.co/ZRGLQyk-d1TJ

(Notes: 83)

Filed under: skeleton brontosaurus diplodocus bone bones extinct animals dinosaur Illustration science scientific

May 12, 2013

scientificillustration:

The skeleton of a Giant Hummingbird (Trochilus gigas now called Patagona gigas) by BioDivLibrary on Flickr.

9:20pm | URL: http://tmblr.co/ZRGLQykqvovO

(Notes: 92)

Filed under: hummingbird skeleton bone bones illustration scientific scientific illustration science

May 7, 2013

scientificillustration:

Rynchops niger by BioDivLibrary on Flickr.

Osteologia avium, or, A sketch of the osteology of birds /.
[Wellington] :Published by R. Hobson, Wellington, Salop,1858-1875..
biodiversitylibrary.org/page/41399041

10:40am | URL: http://tmblr.co/ZRGLQykQxWNU

(Notes: 133)

Filed under: skeleton bird bone bones illustration scientific

May 6, 2013