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cjsea.bsky.social
@cjsea.bsky.social
🇰🇷🇺🇸 UCSD Marine Biology '25 | CSUMB Science Illustration Program '26
Twitter/Instagram: CJSeaArt
Here's a little guide (also inspired by Knuppe's formation work) of the common and scientific names of each animal I illustrated!
July 28, 2025 at 3:20 AM
#SharkWeek BONUS!
The cast of sharks and rays in the Marine Protected Areas of southern California hold a special place in my heart and to celebrate my last year of university here I spent weeks on this mural (inspired by Joschua Knuppe) of the native species I've come to love!
July 28, 2025 at 3:19 AM
#SharkWeek2025 Day 7: Dasmyliobatis thomyorkei
Despite appearing like a generic ray, Dasmyliobatis represents an intermediary state between the eagle rays and whiptail rays (or what many consider stingrays). The holotype was discovered in Italian rocks dating to the Eocene.
July 26, 2025 at 8:43 PM
#SharkWeek2025 Day 5: Galagadon nordquistae
Named after its teeth that resemble the spaceships in Galaga, this holotype of this freshwater carpet shark was famously discovered near the remains of Sue the T.rex. Unlike the giant dinosaur, Galagadon only was about a foot or so long.
July 24, 2025 at 8:49 PM
#sharkweek2025 Day 4: Rolfodon goliath
An extinct relative of modern frilled sharks, R.goliath was discovered to be from the Late Cretaceous of Angola, and lives up to its species name: potentially growing up to 6 meters (or almost 20 feet) long!
July 24, 2025 at 4:02 AM
#SharkWeek2025 Day 3: Metopacanthus granulatus
Despite looking like it has two mouths, the upper appendage of this Jurassic chimaera relative is likely a head clasper, which is used in holding onto females during reproduction, supported with en elongated cartilaginous rostrum!
July 22, 2025 at 6:39 PM
#SharkWeek2025 Day 2: Iniopteryx rushlaui
This strange animal superficially resembles flying fish, but is actually more related to the modern day chimaera. Found in warm shallow Carboniferous seas, this fish grew just over a foot long, and used its large pectoral fins for locomotion.
July 21, 2025 at 11:52 PM
#SharkWeek2025 Day 1: Acanthodes bronii
Part of the acanthodiians, or "spiny sharks", this Permian fish is believed to provide insight into the common ancestors of both cartilaginous and bony fish. Acanthodes was found to be toothless and thus could have been a suspension feeder!
July 20, 2025 at 7:54 PM
Some sketches I did while watching the new #WalkingWithDinosaurs2025
May 26, 2025 at 5:17 PM
A practice sketch of a fisherman catching a small Clavusodens.
May 24, 2025 at 3:34 AM
Traskasaura sandrae, a newly described genus and species of basal elasmosaurid, from Early Cretaceous British Columbia that shares several morphological convergences with the later derived aristonectiines.
May 23, 2025 at 10:42 PM
Gadusaurus, a recently described species of ichthyosaur from the Early Jurassic of Portugal.
May 22, 2025 at 5:46 AM
A sketch of the recently published paper's describing of Pararhincodon torquis, a stem-parascylliid related to modern day collared carpetsharks, found in the Cretaceous Chalk of the UK.
May 14, 2025 at 8:12 PM
An illustration of the Eocene fish, Dibango volans. A fish of unknown placement, it's anomalous features appear similar to that of larval teleost fishes, but had levels of ossification on the bones akin to adults, leading to a possibility of a paedomorphic fish.
May 12, 2025 at 8:37 PM
A practice sketch of a breaching Helicoprion, also known as the buzzsaw shark, despite being a holocephalid, or being related to modern day chimaera.
March 25, 2025 at 12:47 AM
Practicing better lighting and water effects with an illustration of a Spinosaurus snacking on a small Concavodectum. This turned out amazing and I'm 95% happy with how it turned out!!
March 21, 2025 at 6:04 AM
A quick sketch of the newly announced two-clawed therizinosaur Duonychus tsogtbaatar.
March 21, 2025 at 4:18 AM
The longfin greeneye is a species of lizardfish found in Antarctic waters. Its genus name, Lagiacrusichthys, refers to a popular Leviathan from the Monster Hunter game series. Its large upward-facing eyes are used to detect bioluminescent prey in the deep.
March 21, 2025 at 4:17 AM
Clavusodens mcginnisi is a new genus of petalodont, a relative of modern day chimaera. Known from teeth dating from Carboniferous rocks in Mammoth Cave National Park, this cartilaginous fish lived in shallow seas, where they likely lived similar to modern triggerfish.
March 21, 2025 at 4:17 AM
Another practice sketch, this time of the unique mosasaur Megapterygius! Found in rocks in Japan dating to the Late Cretaceous, it is rather the interesting case with evidence of a dorsal fin, and the only known mosasaur to have one!
March 21, 2025 at 4:16 AM
A quick sketch of a Platypterygius, a paraphyletic genus of Cretaceous ichthyosaur that contains numerous species. No particular species was used as reference, but I did use a Hector's dolphin as reference for the colors.
March 21, 2025 at 4:15 AM
An illustration of the infamous Otodus megalodon based on a paper released recently that explores its physiology, speed, and life history. What I drew here is only based on the paper's evidence and modern illustrations.

palaeo-electronica.org/content/2025...
March 21, 2025 at 4:15 AM
Carpathospinosus propheticus is a prehistoric species of spikefish found in Polish rocks dating to the Oligocene. It lived in what was the late Tethys Sea, and was related to the Triacanthodinae, a subfamily that contains most extant spikefish.
January 25, 2025 at 12:23 AM
I even got to hold a cast of the skull of what I believe was the original holotype of Tiktaalik!!
January 24, 2025 at 9:52 PM
Today, I had the honor of listening to and getting to meet Neil Shubin, one of the co-discoverers of Tiktaalik roseae!! While listening to the talk, I took the opportunity to learn about its unique bone structure and illustrated this sketch! Even got it signed!
January 24, 2025 at 9:52 PM