Heather F. Smith. Ph.D.
@heatherfsmith.bsky.social
Editor-in-Chief, The Anatomical Record (@anatrecord.bsky.social). Professor of Anatomy. Evolutionary biologist, paleontologist, and educator studying fossil and extant turtles and carnivorans. anatomicalrecord.com
If you're attending #2025SVP, come by my poster to hear about Campanian plastomenid turtles from the Menefee Formation (Friday 11/14 4:30-6:30pm)!
November 11, 2025 at 7:37 AM
If you're attending #2025SVP, come by my poster to hear about Campanian plastomenid turtles from the Menefee Formation (Friday 11/14 4:30-6:30pm)!
Sneak peak of my poster on Campanian plastomenid turtle fossils from the San Juan Basin (NM) for the upcoming Society of Vertebrate Paleontology conference. Looking forward to seeing paleo folks in Birmingham, UK!
November 8, 2025 at 9:06 PM
Sneak peak of my poster on Campanian plastomenid turtle fossils from the San Juan Basin (NM) for the upcoming Society of Vertebrate Paleontology conference. Looking forward to seeing paleo folks in Birmingham, UK!
Enjoying the International Society for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (ISSOTL) 2025 conference in Christchurch, New Zealand!
November 4, 2025 at 6:17 PM
Enjoying the International Society for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (ISSOTL) 2025 conference in Christchurch, New Zealand!
Reposted by Heather F. Smith. Ph.D.
This Halloween, meet the real masters of the night! 🦇
This study by Quinn et al. shows that Seba’s short-tailed bats use tiny sensory hairs on their wings to fine-tune flight — changing wingbeat and shape mid-air!
anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
This study by Quinn et al. shows that Seba’s short-tailed bats use tiny sensory hairs on their wings to fine-tune flight — changing wingbeat and shape mid-air!
anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
November 1, 2025 at 1:22 AM
This Halloween, meet the real masters of the night! 🦇
This study by Quinn et al. shows that Seba’s short-tailed bats use tiny sensory hairs on their wings to fine-tune flight — changing wingbeat and shape mid-air!
anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
This study by Quinn et al. shows that Seba’s short-tailed bats use tiny sensory hairs on their wings to fine-tune flight — changing wingbeat and shape mid-air!
anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
Congratulations to student doctor Colton Lane and crew for this new publication on anatomical variation in coronary vasculature! Our study of 167 human hearts found no significant correlation b/w coronary artery dominance & cardiac venous drainage dominance
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
October 30, 2025 at 4:27 PM
Congratulations to student doctor Colton Lane and crew for this new publication on anatomical variation in coronary vasculature! Our study of 167 human hearts found no significant correlation b/w coronary artery dominance & cardiac venous drainage dominance
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Productive trip to Wiley HQ for the annual AAA journal strategy meeting. Looking forward to the next 5 years with @anatrecord.bsky.social!
October 28, 2025 at 7:13 PM
Productive trip to Wiley HQ for the annual AAA journal strategy meeting. Looking forward to the next 5 years with @anatrecord.bsky.social!
So proud of rockstar Menefee Paleo Project team members, Ben Goode, Harry Brand, & Jessie Silverstein, who presented our recent research on chondricthyans & actinopterygians from Cliff House Fm (Campanian, NM) at GSA Connects & an ongoing meta-analysis of Campanian Laramidian faunal diversity
October 23, 2025 at 4:25 PM
So proud of rockstar Menefee Paleo Project team members, Ben Goode, Harry Brand, & Jessie Silverstein, who presented our recent research on chondricthyans & actinopterygians from Cliff House Fm (Campanian, NM) at GSA Connects & an ongoing meta-analysis of Campanian Laramidian faunal diversity
🦖 Happy National Fossil Day and World Anatomy Day from the Menefee Formation!
We’re currently in the field excavating Campanian fossils from the San Juan Basin of New Mexico. From plastomenid turtle shell to ceratopsian horn, the Menefee continues to amaze us.
We’re currently in the field excavating Campanian fossils from the San Juan Basin of New Mexico. From plastomenid turtle shell to ceratopsian horn, the Menefee continues to amaze us.
October 15, 2025 at 8:17 PM
🦖 Happy National Fossil Day and World Anatomy Day from the Menefee Formation!
We’re currently in the field excavating Campanian fossils from the San Juan Basin of New Mexico. From plastomenid turtle shell to ceratopsian horn, the Menefee continues to amaze us.
We’re currently in the field excavating Campanian fossils from the San Juan Basin of New Mexico. From plastomenid turtle shell to ceratopsian horn, the Menefee continues to amaze us.
Back in the badlands... Menefee Formation
October 13, 2025 at 12:59 AM
Back in the badlands... Menefee Formation
Reposted by Heather F. Smith. Ph.D.
We're excited to share a new Special Issue on sabretooth taxa, broadly defined. From defining what makes a sabertooth/tusk to exploring fossil taxa and saber function.
anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/toc/19328494...
Volume edited by Hartstone-Rose, Werdelin & Pollock
anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/toc/19328494...
Volume edited by Hartstone-Rose, Werdelin & Pollock
October 8, 2025 at 3:36 PM
We're excited to share a new Special Issue on sabretooth taxa, broadly defined. From defining what makes a sabertooth/tusk to exploring fossil taxa and saber function.
anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/toc/19328494...
Volume edited by Hartstone-Rose, Werdelin & Pollock
anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/toc/19328494...
Volume edited by Hartstone-Rose, Werdelin & Pollock
Reposted by Heather F. Smith. Ph.D.
We have a new paper out! Turtle ancestors evolved a shell—but what else? We found that an unique rostral vasculature was also obtained gradually along the lineage, and that one of the earliest turtles Proganochelys likely retained a mostly ancestral state!🐢 sjpp.springeropen.com/articles/10....
October 7, 2025 at 9:02 AM
We have a new paper out! Turtle ancestors evolved a shell—but what else? We found that an unique rostral vasculature was also obtained gradually along the lineage, and that one of the earliest turtles Proganochelys likely retained a mostly ancestral state!🐢 sjpp.springeropen.com/articles/10....
Paleo Connected 2025 was a truly excellent conference! Thanks to @anatomyorg.bsky.social and the awesome conference organizers. I thoroughly enjoyed hearing about the latest exciting paleo and ev bio research & connecting with the paleo community. @anatrecord.bsky.social was excited to participate.
October 5, 2025 at 9:13 PM
Paleo Connected 2025 was a truly excellent conference! Thanks to @anatomyorg.bsky.social and the awesome conference organizers. I thoroughly enjoyed hearing about the latest exciting paleo and ev bio research & connecting with the paleo community. @anatrecord.bsky.social was excited to participate.
Reposted by Heather F. Smith. Ph.D.
This #FossilFriday, we're at Paleo Connected 2025! Looking forward to the exciting paleo presentations
October 3, 2025 at 4:56 PM
This #FossilFriday, we're at Paleo Connected 2025! Looking forward to the exciting paleo presentations
Reposted by Heather F. Smith. Ph.D.
Menon & Joyce 2025
A redescription of Glyptochelone, an enigmatic fossil sea turtle (Chelonioidea) from the Maastrichtian of the Netherlands and Belgium, sheds new light on fossil sea turtle shell variation and neural bone homology
Swiss J of Palaeontology 144: 62
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
A redescription of Glyptochelone, an enigmatic fossil sea turtle (Chelonioidea) from the Maastrichtian of the Netherlands and Belgium, sheds new light on fossil sea turtle shell variation and neural bone homology
Swiss J of Palaeontology 144: 62
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
A redescription of Glyptochelone suyckerbuykii (Ubaghs, 1879), an enigmatic fossil sea turtle (Chelonioidea) from the Maastrichtian of the Netherlands and Belgium, sheds new light on fossil sea turtle shell variation and neural bone homology - Swiss Journal of Palaeontology
We here provide a redescription the Late Cretaceous (Campanian–Maastrichtian) fossil marine turtle Glyptochelone suyckerbuykii to document its anatomy and intraspecific variation. This redescription highlights the complete absence of a nuchal pedestal, presence of a radiating shell surface texture pattern easily differentiated from that of coeval marine turtles, and the presence of interneural elements, a characteristic unique among Late Cretaceous turtles. A phylogenetic analysis suggests that Glyptochelone suyckerbuykii is located at the base of Dermochelyidae, a dubious result likely resulting from missing data. To allow constructing phylogenetic characters based on the presence of supernumerary neural elements, we suggest a revised classification for the midline column of the carapace of turtles based on novel homology criteria as consisting of neurals, which are outgrowths of the neural arches, as opposed to preneurals, interneurals, and postneurals, which are independent bones that form in front, within, and posterior to the neural column, respectively. We suggest use of this novel classification in future phylogenetic analysis.
doi.org
October 3, 2025 at 1:23 PM
Menon & Joyce 2025
A redescription of Glyptochelone, an enigmatic fossil sea turtle (Chelonioidea) from the Maastrichtian of the Netherlands and Belgium, sheds new light on fossil sea turtle shell variation and neural bone homology
Swiss J of Palaeontology 144: 62
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
A redescription of Glyptochelone, an enigmatic fossil sea turtle (Chelonioidea) from the Maastrichtian of the Netherlands and Belgium, sheds new light on fossil sea turtle shell variation and neural bone homology
Swiss J of Palaeontology 144: 62
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Putting the finishing touches on my talk for PaleoConnected 2025! Excited to present a new Cenomanian turtle fossil jaw, including detailed microCT segmentation of its extensive neurovascular canals.
October 2, 2025 at 2:26 PM
Putting the finishing touches on my talk for PaleoConnected 2025! Excited to present a new Cenomanian turtle fossil jaw, including detailed microCT segmentation of its extensive neurovascular canals.
Reposted by Heather F. Smith. Ph.D.
The Jane Goodall Institute of Canada has learned this morning, Wednesday, October 1st, 2025, that Dr. Jane Goodall DBE, UN Messenger of Peace and Founder of the Jane Goodall Institute, has passed away due to natural causes.
She was in California as part of her speaking tour in the United States.
She was in California as part of her speaking tour in the United States.
October 1, 2025 at 6:14 PM
The Jane Goodall Institute of Canada has learned this morning, Wednesday, October 1st, 2025, that Dr. Jane Goodall DBE, UN Messenger of Peace and Founder of the Jane Goodall Institute, has passed away due to natural causes.
She was in California as part of her speaking tour in the United States.
She was in California as part of her speaking tour in the United States.
Preparing @anatrecord.bsky.social swag for the upcoming PaleoConnected 2025 conference at Mizzou!
Beautiful paleoart reconstructions by Henry Sharpe (pseudosuchians) and Adam Hartstone-Rose (sabretooth cat).
Beautiful paleoart reconstructions by Henry Sharpe (pseudosuchians) and Adam Hartstone-Rose (sabretooth cat).
September 30, 2025 at 4:30 PM
Preparing @anatrecord.bsky.social swag for the upcoming PaleoConnected 2025 conference at Mizzou!
Beautiful paleoart reconstructions by Henry Sharpe (pseudosuchians) and Adam Hartstone-Rose (sabretooth cat).
Beautiful paleoart reconstructions by Henry Sharpe (pseudosuchians) and Adam Hartstone-Rose (sabretooth cat).
Fun night at Arizona Museum of Natural History's Rock on the Rock fundraiser. Excellent live music & science themed games! Proceeds will fund fieldwork, research, education, & new exhibits 🦖🐢🎶
September 28, 2025 at 1:47 PM
Fun night at Arizona Museum of Natural History's Rock on the Rock fundraiser. Excellent live music & science themed games! Proceeds will fund fieldwork, research, education, & new exhibits 🦖🐢🎶
I have the best students (who know me very well)!
September 25, 2025 at 3:53 PM
I have the best students (who know me very well)!
Reposted by Heather F. Smith. Ph.D.
We're pleased to share the abstracts from the 2025 International Symposium on Morphological Sciences held earlier this year in Lisbon, Portugal. It was an honor to sponsor and support this excellent conference:
anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/toc/19328494...
anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/toc/19328494...
September 22, 2025 at 1:02 PM
We're pleased to share the abstracts from the 2025 International Symposium on Morphological Sciences held earlier this year in Lisbon, Portugal. It was an honor to sponsor and support this excellent conference:
anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/toc/19328494...
anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/toc/19328494...
Phx folks, fundraiser for AZ Natural History Museum Sat 9/27. Come by to enjoy live music, local brews, science themed games & chat w/me & other paleontologists about fossils! Proceeds will fund fieldwork, research, education & new exhibits! 🎸🦖🎶🦕
www.arizonamuseumofnaturalhistory.org/get-involved...
www.arizonamuseumofnaturalhistory.org/get-involved...
September 17, 2025 at 3:16 PM
Phx folks, fundraiser for AZ Natural History Museum Sat 9/27. Come by to enjoy live music, local brews, science themed games & chat w/me & other paleontologists about fossils! Proceeds will fund fieldwork, research, education & new exhibits! 🎸🦖🎶🦕
www.arizonamuseumofnaturalhistory.org/get-involved...
www.arizonamuseumofnaturalhistory.org/get-involved...
Reposted by Heather F. Smith. Ph.D.
We are excited to announce the publication of a new Special Issue "Looking into Chinese Fossils: Paleobiology, Evolution and Biodiversity" organized by Drs. He Chen, Tong Bao, & Hong Pang bringing together leading research institutions across China
anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/toc/19328494...
anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/toc/19328494...
September 16, 2025 at 1:02 PM
We are excited to announce the publication of a new Special Issue "Looking into Chinese Fossils: Paleobiology, Evolution and Biodiversity" organized by Drs. He Chen, Tong Bao, & Hong Pang bringing together leading research institutions across China
anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/toc/19328494...
anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/toc/19328494...
🐺 Happy to share our recent article, “The dire wolf resurrection that wasn’t”
anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
Thanks to my awesome co-authors Annie Burrows, Adam Hartstone-Rose, and Mike Jensen-Seaman!
anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
Thanks to my awesome co-authors Annie Burrows, Adam Hartstone-Rose, and Mike Jensen-Seaman!
September 10, 2025 at 3:46 PM
🐺 Happy to share our recent article, “The dire wolf resurrection that wasn’t”
anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
Thanks to my awesome co-authors Annie Burrows, Adam Hartstone-Rose, and Mike Jensen-Seaman!
anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
Thanks to my awesome co-authors Annie Burrows, Adam Hartstone-Rose, and Mike Jensen-Seaman!
Reposted by Heather F. Smith. Ph.D.
Thanks to @asbmr.bsky.social for hosting a fantastic session on effective science communication today. My slides and resources can be found below. Please share with your research groups!
tinyurl.com/tku9xnfx
tinyurl.com/tku9xnfx
2025 ASBMR Science Communication - Google Drive
tinyurl.com
September 5, 2025 at 9:09 PM
Thanks to @asbmr.bsky.social for hosting a fantastic session on effective science communication today. My slides and resources can be found below. Please share with your research groups!
tinyurl.com/tku9xnfx
tinyurl.com/tku9xnfx
Really touched to receive an award for mentorship of student researchers from the medical school, “a professor who pursues knowledge, believes in students’ dreams with unwavering curiosity and dedication and mentors students to reach the next plateau”.
September 2, 2025 at 5:01 PM
Really touched to receive an award for mentorship of student researchers from the medical school, “a professor who pursues knowledge, believes in students’ dreams with unwavering curiosity and dedication and mentors students to reach the next plateau”.