Stephan Spiekman
@stephanspiekman.bsky.social
Postdoctoral Researcher @smnstuttgart.bsky.social. Vertebrate palaeontologist studying Triassic reptile evolution.
Pinned
I am proud and grateful to present a dream project today in @nature.com www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Meet #Mirasaura grauvogeli, a #wonderreptilewith skin appendages that rival feathers and hairs, challenging our view of reptile #evolution🪶🦎
Meet #Mirasaura grauvogeli, a #wonderreptilewith skin appendages that rival feathers and hairs, challenging our view of reptile #evolution🪶🦎
Reposted by Stephan Spiekman
Meet our brilliant team of Associate Editors!
𝐃𝐫 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐩𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐞𝐤𝐦𝐚𝐧 (Museum of Natural History Stuttgart) is a specialist in Triassic reptile evolution, using comparative anatomy, functional morphology, histology and phylogeny.
Read more: buff.ly/UYmwXjr
@stephanspiekman.bsky.social #Paleosky
𝐃𝐫 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐩𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐞𝐤𝐦𝐚𝐧 (Museum of Natural History Stuttgart) is a specialist in Triassic reptile evolution, using comparative anatomy, functional morphology, histology and phylogeny.
Read more: buff.ly/UYmwXjr
@stephanspiekman.bsky.social #Paleosky
January 14, 2026 at 8:01 AM
Meet our brilliant team of Associate Editors!
𝐃𝐫 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐩𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐞𝐤𝐦𝐚𝐧 (Museum of Natural History Stuttgart) is a specialist in Triassic reptile evolution, using comparative anatomy, functional morphology, histology and phylogeny.
Read more: buff.ly/UYmwXjr
@stephanspiekman.bsky.social #Paleosky
𝐃𝐫 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐩𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐞𝐤𝐦𝐚𝐧 (Museum of Natural History Stuttgart) is a specialist in Triassic reptile evolution, using comparative anatomy, functional morphology, histology and phylogeny.
Read more: buff.ly/UYmwXjr
@stephanspiekman.bsky.social #Paleosky
Reposted by Stephan Spiekman
Out in @nature.com today, we shake up the ornithischian family tree. Remember those weird Late Cretaceous iguanodontians, the rhabdodontids? Well they're weird because they aren't iguanodontians. They're ceratopsians. Well, at least some of them are... www.nature.com/articles/s41...
A hidden diversity of ceratopsian dinosaurs in Late Cretaceous Europe - Nature
New results indicate that rhabdodontids and the previously described Ajkaceratops are actually distinctive European ceratopsians, a group better known from Asia and North America.
www.nature.com
January 7, 2026 at 4:57 PM
Out in @nature.com today, we shake up the ornithischian family tree. Remember those weird Late Cretaceous iguanodontians, the rhabdodontids? Well they're weird because they aren't iguanodontians. They're ceratopsians. Well, at least some of them are... www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Stephan Spiekman
New paper! Buffa 𝘦𝘵 𝘢𝘭. (2025) redescribe the anatomy of the enigmatic stem-reptile 𝙂𝙖𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙥𝙝𝙮𝙧𝙪𝙨 𝙘𝙖𝙥𝙚𝙣𝙨𝙞𝙨 from the Permian of South Africa and the origin of Neodiapsida 🦎
Phylogenetic analysis of the relationships of Permian reptiles. Read the study here: buff.ly/62lJG0W
#FossilFriday #PaleoSky
Phylogenetic analysis of the relationships of Permian reptiles. Read the study here: buff.ly/62lJG0W
#FossilFriday #PaleoSky
December 19, 2025 at 8:00 AM
New paper! Buffa 𝘦𝘵 𝘢𝘭. (2025) redescribe the anatomy of the enigmatic stem-reptile 𝙂𝙖𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙥𝙝𝙮𝙧𝙪𝙨 𝙘𝙖𝙥𝙚𝙣𝙨𝙞𝙨 from the Permian of South Africa and the origin of Neodiapsida 🦎
Phylogenetic analysis of the relationships of Permian reptiles. Read the study here: buff.ly/62lJG0W
#FossilFriday #PaleoSky
Phylogenetic analysis of the relationships of Permian reptiles. Read the study here: buff.ly/62lJG0W
#FossilFriday #PaleoSky
Reposted by Stephan Spiekman
On the off-chance that you are one of the three people left in the world who hasn't heard me talking about stegosaurs, you can catch me here, on The Ancients podcast: youtube.com/watch?v=I9Vk...
Inside The Bizarre Biology Of The Stegosaurs
YouTube video by The Ancients
youtube.com
December 17, 2025 at 9:33 PM
On the off-chance that you are one of the three people left in the world who hasn't heard me talking about stegosaurs, you can catch me here, on The Ancients podcast: youtube.com/watch?v=I9Vk...
Reposted by Stephan Spiekman
🐸 NEW PAPER OUT!
This time it’s all about FROGS and their melanosomes!
Falk et al., 2025, iScience: 10.1016/j.isci.2025.114220
#palaeontology #frogs #deeptime
This time it’s all about FROGS and their melanosomes!
Falk et al., 2025, iScience: 10.1016/j.isci.2025.114220
#palaeontology #frogs #deeptime
December 17, 2025 at 4:55 PM
🐸 NEW PAPER OUT!
This time it’s all about FROGS and their melanosomes!
Falk et al., 2025, iScience: 10.1016/j.isci.2025.114220
#palaeontology #frogs #deeptime
This time it’s all about FROGS and their melanosomes!
Falk et al., 2025, iScience: 10.1016/j.isci.2025.114220
#palaeontology #frogs #deeptime
Reposted by Stephan Spiekman
You wait ages for a paper, and two come along (almost) at once! This is the first publication from the project we're currently working on, where we're investigating the relationship between different regions of the avian head. 1/n royalsocietypublishing.org/rspb/article...
Avian cranial evolution is influenced by shape interactions between hard and soft tissue traits
Abstract. Changes in the structure and relative size of the brain are thought to be key transformations in the evolution of birds, reflecting innovations a
royalsocietypublishing.org
December 17, 2025 at 10:11 AM
You wait ages for a paper, and two come along (almost) at once! This is the first publication from the project we're currently working on, where we're investigating the relationship between different regions of the avian head. 1/n royalsocietypublishing.org/rspb/article...
Just a quick heads up for those who intended to use the free scale bars handed out at this year's SVP by #PaleoTools: don't...
December 17, 2025 at 4:07 PM
Just a quick heads up for those who intended to use the free scale bars handed out at this year's SVP by #PaleoTools: don't...
What cynic would ever say such a thing? 👀
Review of the Fossil Files podcast @thefossilfiles.bsky.social just in from a palaeo podcast skeptic: "I really thought palaeo podcasts weren't for me, but I guess I was listening to the wrong ones". Listen on libsyn or wherever you get your podcasts: fossils.libsyn.com
The Fossil Files
In “The Fossil Files”, a pair of palaeontologists delve into the latest discoveries from the world of palaeontology and seek to bring fossils to back to life. Each episode, Susie and Rob will discuss ...
fossils.libsyn.com
November 19, 2025 at 8:05 PM
What cynic would ever say such a thing? 👀
Reposted by Stephan Spiekman
Buffa et al.’s paper on the enigmatic Permian reptile 🦎 Galesphyrus and the origin of Neodiapsida is out in the Journal of Systematic Palaeontology! Read the thread 👇 for some important takeaways from our study
@valentinbuffa.bsky.social
#Paleontology #Reptile #Permian
doi.org/10.1080/1477...
@valentinbuffa.bsky.social
#Paleontology #Reptile #Permian
doi.org/10.1080/1477...
November 18, 2025 at 3:51 PM
Buffa et al.’s paper on the enigmatic Permian reptile 🦎 Galesphyrus and the origin of Neodiapsida is out in the Journal of Systematic Palaeontology! Read the thread 👇 for some important takeaways from our study
@valentinbuffa.bsky.social
#Paleontology #Reptile #Permian
doi.org/10.1080/1477...
@valentinbuffa.bsky.social
#Paleontology #Reptile #Permian
doi.org/10.1080/1477...
Reposted by Stephan Spiekman
🦎✨ New research delivers the 1st full 3D anatomical atlases of the veiled chameleon (Chamaeleo calyptratus)! Open-access atlases + lesson plans offer powerful new tools for studying reptile evolution and teaching comparative anatomy.
Leavey et al.: anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
Leavey et al.: anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
November 19, 2025 at 12:30 PM
🦎✨ New research delivers the 1st full 3D anatomical atlases of the veiled chameleon (Chamaeleo calyptratus)! Open-access atlases + lesson plans offer powerful new tools for studying reptile evolution and teaching comparative anatomy.
Leavey et al.: anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
Leavey et al.: anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
Reposted by Stephan Spiekman
The geology department at the University of Leicester, where myself and countless others did our palaeontology PhDs, is at serious risk of closure
Please show your support by signing the below!
c.org/KtYyZB8dHk
Please show your support by signing the below!
c.org/KtYyZB8dHk
Save Geology at the University of Leicester
Can you spare a minute to help this campaign?
c.org
November 19, 2025 at 9:50 AM
The geology department at the University of Leicester, where myself and countless others did our palaeontology PhDs, is at serious risk of closure
Please show your support by signing the below!
c.org/KtYyZB8dHk
Please show your support by signing the below!
c.org/KtYyZB8dHk
Reposted by Stephan Spiekman
We have a proper picture! Thanks @stephanspiekman.bsky.social and the rest that doesn’t have a BlueSky handle
November 14, 2025 at 9:56 PM
We have a proper picture! Thanks @stephanspiekman.bsky.social and the rest that doesn’t have a BlueSky handle
Reposted by Stephan Spiekman
Spiekman and Ezcurra doing totally normal things in my office... @stephanspiekman.bsky.social
November 7, 2025 at 4:54 PM
Spiekman and Ezcurra doing totally normal things in my office... @stephanspiekman.bsky.social
‼️‼️Triassic Life just opened @smnstuttgart.bsky.social‼️‼️
For all #Triassic fans, lovers of strange reptiles and the Dawn of the Modern World, this is an absolute MUST!
It also couldn't be more timely with our recent publication @nature.com of the wonder reptile #Mirasaura, which is now on display!
For all #Triassic fans, lovers of strange reptiles and the Dawn of the Modern World, this is an absolute MUST!
It also couldn't be more timely with our recent publication @nature.com of the wonder reptile #Mirasaura, which is now on display!
October 18, 2025 at 9:13 AM
‼️‼️Triassic Life just opened @smnstuttgart.bsky.social‼️‼️
For all #Triassic fans, lovers of strange reptiles and the Dawn of the Modern World, this is an absolute MUST!
It also couldn't be more timely with our recent publication @nature.com of the wonder reptile #Mirasaura, which is now on display!
For all #Triassic fans, lovers of strange reptiles and the Dawn of the Modern World, this is an absolute MUST!
It also couldn't be more timely with our recent publication @nature.com of the wonder reptile #Mirasaura, which is now on display!
Reposted by Stephan Spiekman
Placodonts are amazing! Exhibit A: Cyamodus orientalis. And no, this is NOT a turtle.
This is an illustration for my book (in preparation) You can see this one and another Placodont I reconstructed for my book in a new post exclusive for my patrons
Patreon.com/serpenillus
🐡 🎨 🧪 #paleontology 🐍
This is an illustration for my book (in preparation) You can see this one and another Placodont I reconstructed for my book in a new post exclusive for my patrons
Patreon.com/serpenillus
🐡 🎨 🧪 #paleontology 🐍
August 14, 2024 at 2:00 PM
Placodonts are amazing! Exhibit A: Cyamodus orientalis. And no, this is NOT a turtle.
This is an illustration for my book (in preparation) You can see this one and another Placodont I reconstructed for my book in a new post exclusive for my patrons
Patreon.com/serpenillus
🐡 🎨 🧪 #paleontology 🐍
This is an illustration for my book (in preparation) You can see this one and another Placodont I reconstructed for my book in a new post exclusive for my patrons
Patreon.com/serpenillus
🐡 🎨 🧪 #paleontology 🐍
Reposted by Stephan Spiekman
The Triassic was a time of weird reptiles of every description.
This is one of the more recent finds: Mirasaura from France. It's one of the drepanosaurs, an odd group of arboreal reptiles with superficially bird-like heads and, in some cases, equally superficially feather-like appendages.
This is one of the more recent finds: Mirasaura from France. It's one of the drepanosaurs, an odd group of arboreal reptiles with superficially bird-like heads and, in some cases, equally superficially feather-like appendages.
October 1, 2025 at 9:10 AM
The Triassic was a time of weird reptiles of every description.
This is one of the more recent finds: Mirasaura from France. It's one of the drepanosaurs, an odd group of arboreal reptiles with superficially bird-like heads and, in some cases, equally superficially feather-like appendages.
This is one of the more recent finds: Mirasaura from France. It's one of the drepanosaurs, an odd group of arboreal reptiles with superficially bird-like heads and, in some cases, equally superficially feather-like appendages.
PhD position available at the Museum für Naturkunde in Berlin on avialan ontogeny (birds and their closest non-avian dinosaur relatives)!
jobs.museumfuernaturkunde.berlin/jobposting/e...
jobs.museumfuernaturkunde.berlin/jobposting/e...
42/2025 Research Associate with the goal of a doctorate (f/m/d)
jobs.museumfuernaturkunde.berlin
September 30, 2025 at 9:11 AM
PhD position available at the Museum für Naturkunde in Berlin on avialan ontogeny (birds and their closest non-avian dinosaur relatives)!
jobs.museumfuernaturkunde.berlin/jobposting/e...
jobs.museumfuernaturkunde.berlin/jobposting/e...
Reposted by Stephan Spiekman
News @ Urwelt-Museum Oberfranken (UMO) in Bayreuth: new ichthyosaur, Eurhinosaurus mistelgauensis, named today after UMO's prime excavation site, the Jurassic clay pit Mistelgau. @olorotitan.bsky.social beautifully reconstructed the to-be fossil on a belemnite battleground typical for the locality.
September 25, 2025 at 2:36 PM
News @ Urwelt-Museum Oberfranken (UMO) in Bayreuth: new ichthyosaur, Eurhinosaurus mistelgauensis, named today after UMO's prime excavation site, the Jurassic clay pit Mistelgau. @olorotitan.bsky.social beautifully reconstructed the to-be fossil on a belemnite battleground typical for the locality.
Reposted by Stephan Spiekman
Check out the provisional programme for #SVP2025 #2025SVP - the Triassic symposium was so popular they are running it for the entire day!
vertpaleo.org/wp-content/u...
vertpaleo.org/wp-content/u...
vertpaleo.org
September 17, 2025 at 7:37 PM
Check out the provisional programme for #SVP2025 #2025SVP - the Triassic symposium was so popular they are running it for the entire day!
vertpaleo.org/wp-content/u...
vertpaleo.org/wp-content/u...
Reposted by Stephan Spiekman
Hi all, me, @richardjbutler.bsky.social and the amazing UK-US-Moroccan team are delighted to announce that.. we have a new specimen of Spicomellus AND IT'S WAY WEIRDER AND WAY COOLER THAN WE EVER IMAGINED!!
August 27, 2025 at 3:22 PM
Hi all, me, @richardjbutler.bsky.social and the amazing UK-US-Moroccan team are delighted to announce that.. we have a new specimen of Spicomellus AND IT'S WAY WEIRDER AND WAY COOLER THAN WE EVER IMAGINED!!
Reposted by Stephan Spiekman
Meet Spiny Norman, the earliest known and definitely the most outrageously spiky ankylosaur ever discovered, as presented by @tweetisaurus.bsky.social & @richardjbutler.bsky.social in @nature.com. Q: how did it mate? A: carefully. www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Extreme armour in the world’s oldest ankylosaur - Nature
The ankylosaurian dinosaur Spicomellus afer possessed a tail weapon and uniquely elaborate dermal armour.
www.nature.com
August 27, 2025 at 6:22 PM
Meet Spiny Norman, the earliest known and definitely the most outrageously spiky ankylosaur ever discovered, as presented by @tweetisaurus.bsky.social & @richardjbutler.bsky.social in @nature.com. Q: how did it mate? A: carefully. www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Stephan Spiekman
Unusual fossil skin appendage is not a feather. Although large, elongated protrusions on a 247-million-year-old reptile fossil have some similarities to feathers, they are not feathers www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Unusual fossil skin appendage is not a feather
Although large, elongated protrusions on a 247-million-year-old reptile fossil have some similarities to feathers, they are not feathers.
www.nature.com
July 31, 2025 at 2:02 PM
Unusual fossil skin appendage is not a feather. Although large, elongated protrusions on a 247-million-year-old reptile fossil have some similarities to feathers, they are not feathers www.nature.com/articles/d41...
As the icing on a very special cake, our work forms the cover of Nature @nature.com this week, in large part thanks to the amazing reconstruction by @serpenillus.bsky.social!
I am proud and grateful to present a dream project today in @nature.com www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Meet #Mirasaura grauvogeli, a #wonderreptilewith skin appendages that rival feathers and hairs, challenging our view of reptile #evolution🪶🦎
Meet #Mirasaura grauvogeli, a #wonderreptilewith skin appendages that rival feathers and hairs, challenging our view of reptile #evolution🪶🦎
July 31, 2025 at 4:17 PM
As the icing on a very special cake, our work forms the cover of Nature @nature.com this week, in large part thanks to the amazing reconstruction by @serpenillus.bsky.social!
Reposted by Stephan Spiekman
Out today, our Nature cover debut! @stephanspiekman.bsky.social @she-paleo.bsky.social @nature.com @natureportfolio.nature.com
July 31, 2025 at 10:01 AM
Out today, our Nature cover debut! @stephanspiekman.bsky.social @she-paleo.bsky.social @nature.com @natureportfolio.nature.com