Processo

So many facets of palaeontology are weird and cute and interesting, we need more communicators popularising their work and wonders of natural history.

The Megaraptor Had Giant Claws and an Appetite for Crocodilians

For the @nytimes.com, I wrote about Joaquinraptor, a new species from a very cool family of dinosaurs: long-armed, hook clawed (possible) tyrannosaur relatives from South America

Initial sketch, digital sketch and early process steps.

Advanced process steps and color explorations.

And, here are some pictures of the painting process

Details of the background fauna, shark teeth and fossil.

In the background, other marine fauna from the upper Aptian layers of the Paja Formation (Association 3 of Benavides-Cabra et al., 2023), such as a pliosaur, 𝘔𝘶𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘴𝘢𝘶𝘳𝘶𝘴 𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘵𝘪 and 𝘊𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘢𝘴𝘢𝘶𝘳𝘶𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘮𝘣𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘴, complete the scene.

Detail of the sharks swimming above your point of view.

Detail of the dead shark sinking.

Detail of the burial and fossilization of the shark and turtle specimens.

It depicts the taphonomic history of specimen CFSTA090318, from its sinking and burial to its fossilization, along with the remains of an associated turtle.

https://l.instagram.com/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fkwnsfk27.r.eu-west-1.awstrack.me%2FL0%2Fhttps%3A%2F%2Fauthors.elsevier.com%2Fc%2F1lm2-_4Skwyg~c%2F1%2F010201993e68458b-94d06826-8fd3-46c4-a9f8-8807bdec79fd-000...

A 7+ year study reveals a 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘰𝘭𝘢𝘮𝘯𝘢 𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘪 specimen preserving teeth, vertebrae, skin, cartilage, muscles & more! At 6.65 m, this specimen is the oldest known gigantic lamniform shark. 🦈
Free access until Oct 27 — read here:
t.co/80t0uDEU8H

It depicts the taphonomic history of an individual of the shark species classified as Protolamna ricaurtei from its sinking and burial to its fossilization, along with the remains of an associated turtle. In the background, other marine fauna from the upper Aptian layers of the Paja Formation (Association 3 of Benavides-Cabra et al., 2023), such as 𝘔𝘶𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘴𝘢𝘶𝘳𝘶𝘴 𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘵𝘪 and 𝘊𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘢𝘴𝘢𝘶𝘳𝘶𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘮𝘣𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘴, complete the scene.

Un nuevo Protolamna ricaurtei
Illustrated for: Cristian D. Benavides-Cabra, José A. Narváez-Rincón, Daniel E. Pomar

Made to go with the study published last week describing a new specimen of 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘰𝘭𝘢𝘮𝘯𝘢 𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘪 Carrillo Briceño et al., 2019.

Froggy doggy

Evolution of sideways locomotion in crabs The evolutionary change in the mode of locomotion is often a major evolutionary event, triggering diversification. Sideways locomotion is a defining feature of true crabs (Brachyura) and may have cont...

🚨 Exciting new crab preprint! A Japanese team found that sideways walking only evolved once! Maybe carcinization itself is necessary but not sufficient to go sideways?

When it's lost, the species that go forward have alternate anti predation behaviors. 🧪🦑🦀

www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

Firion ✨ #finalfantasyII

Science is dominated by male native-English-speakers with elevated affluence. It's a demographic that makes up less than 3% of the total global population. If someone wants to keep politics out of science, they are comfortable enforcing the status quo that benefits them (a small privileged group).

Remingtoncetid protowhales #sciart

I am very pleased with the results, although I would like to revisit some details at some point. My only regret is not having it ready in 2024 for Dr. María to see everything she inspired and the opportunities she opened up for me.

Initial sketch, self-made 3d model reference for the teeth, and color and value explorations

Revised sketch, advanced value exploaration, and underwater turbulence rendering attempts

This illustration therefore underwent extensive changes and explorations, and gave me the chance to explore other techniques.

Detail of the ammonoid

Detail of the ichthyosaur face

Detail of the ichthyosaur grainy tooth crown texture

It depicts an individual of the ophthalmosaurid ichthyosaur 𝘗𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘺𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘨𝘪𝘶𝘴 𝘦𝘭𝘴𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘶𝘰𝘴𝘰 Páramo-Fonseca et al., 2023 hunting an ammonoid 𝘕𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘢 𝘱𝘶𝘭𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘢 d'Orbigny.

It depicts an individual of the ophthalmosaurid ichthyosaur 𝘗𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘺𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘨𝘪𝘶𝘴 𝘦𝘭𝘴𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘶𝘰𝘴𝘰 Páramo-Fonseca et al., 2023 hunting an ammonoid 𝘕𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘢 𝘱𝘶𝘭𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘢 d'Orbigny.

El mar se estremeció primero
Illustrated for: 3° Congreso Colombiano de Paleontología Paleoart contest - 1st place Digital Illustration category.
This illustration was originally intended to go out with the publication but life got in the way, I resumed work on it mid-August.

It depicts an individual of the agglutinated foraminifera 𝘛𝘳𝘰𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘮𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘰𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘴 𝘷𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘶𝘴 Grzybowski, 1898, as it would be seen under an optical microscope, showing a particle selection behavior for the construction of its test.

It depicts an individual of the agglutinated foraminifera 𝘛𝘳𝘰𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘮𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘰𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘴 𝘷𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘶𝘴 Grzybowski, 1898, as it would be seen under an optical microscope, showing a particle selection behavior for the construction of its test.

𝘛𝘳𝘰𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘮𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘰𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘴 𝘷𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘶𝘴
A practice illustration to delve into a different group of organisms, inspired by the work of Torres et al., 2022.
#paleoart #foraminifera

It depicts an individual of the agglutinated foraminifera 𝘛𝘳𝘰𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘮𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘰𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘴 𝘷𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘶𝘴 Grzybowski, 1898, as it would be seen under an optical microscope, showing a particle selection behavior for the construction of its test.

It depicts an individual of the ophthalmosaurid ichthyosaur 𝘗𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘺𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘨𝘪𝘶𝘴 𝘴𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘶𝘮 Páramo, 1997 in a playful interspecific interaction with an ammonoid 𝘎𝘦𝘳𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘵𝘪𝘢 𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘻𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘴 Hyatt.

It depicts an individual of the ophthalmosaurid ichthyosaur 𝘗𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘺𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘨𝘪𝘶𝘴 𝘴𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘶𝘮 Páramo, 1997 in a playful interspecific interaction with an ammonoid 𝘎𝘦𝘳𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘵𝘪𝘢 𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘻𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘴 Hyatt.

Intriga
Illustrated for: 2° Congreso Colombiano de Paleontología Paleoart contest - 1st place.
Two years ago, I presented a talk at a conference for the first time and made this illustration for their paleoart contest.
#paleoart #ichthyosaur

It depicts an individual of the ophthalmosaurid ichthyosaur 𝘗𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘺𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘨𝘪𝘶𝘴 𝘴𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘶𝘮 Páramo, 1997 in a playful interspecific interaction with an ammonoid 𝘎𝘦𝘳𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘵𝘪𝘢 𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘻𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘴 Hyatt.