Denver Fowler Ph.D
@denverfowler.bsky.social
Dinosaur behavior, stratigraphy, fieldwork, raptor feet & claws, tyrannosaur toothmarks, ceratopsids, public interaction, open-science. Opinions my own
Curator at Badlands Dinosaur Museum, Dickinson, North Dakota
Curator at Badlands Dinosaur Museum, Dickinson, North Dakota
This is a slide in our fieldwork presentation, streaming this Thursday!
December 1, 2025 at 5:16 PM
This is a slide in our fieldwork presentation, streaming this Thursday!
Daspletosaurus wilsoni holotype skull full-size reconstruction. Went on display in our exhibit hall (Badlands Dinosaur Museum) Sept 2025. The nicest Daspletosaurus skull reconstruction I think. Casts possibly available in 2026. #dinosaurs #fossils #fossilfriday
December 1, 2025 at 5:12 PM
Daspletosaurus wilsoni holotype skull full-size reconstruction. Went on display in our exhibit hall (Badlands Dinosaur Museum) Sept 2025. The nicest Daspletosaurus skull reconstruction I think. Casts possibly available in 2026. #dinosaurs #fossils #fossilfriday
Postcard sets are up now too. I really wanted a big range of exclusive merch available for this christmas. We've got a few out there, but we've got lots of cool new ideas in the pipeline, based on specimens and artwork we commissioned.
November 26, 2025 at 7:14 PM
Postcard sets are up now too. I really wanted a big range of exclusive merch available for this christmas. We've got a few out there, but we've got lots of cool new ideas in the pipeline, based on specimens and artwork we commissioned.
I made a lot (I run them off on our printer when it's not making exhibits). The detail is really nice -you could probably code characters from these! (I am unreasonably pleased with how well they came out). We're planning on more exclusive merch like this.
November 26, 2025 at 4:52 PM
I made a lot (I run them off on our printer when it's not making exhibits). The detail is really nice -you could probably code characters from these! (I am unreasonably pleased with how well they came out). We're planning on more exclusive merch like this.
NEW MAGNETS: Our shop now stocks magnets of Liberty the Lambeosaurus, & Daspletosaurus wilsoni, all in glorious shades of gold, silver & copper (only US$12 each!). Lambeo based on 3D scan of our skull (the only USA specimen); Dasp by Andrey Atuchin. Link in comments #dinosaurs #fossilfriday
November 26, 2025 at 4:50 PM
NEW MAGNETS: Our shop now stocks magnets of Liberty the Lambeosaurus, & Daspletosaurus wilsoni, all in glorious shades of gold, silver & copper (only US$12 each!). Lambeo based on 3D scan of our skull (the only USA specimen); Dasp by Andrey Atuchin. Link in comments #dinosaurs #fossilfriday
Three very delicate bones cleaned in the past 2 days. SUPER RARE - 2 limb bones from a parrot-mimic oviraptorosaur, and the other is a neck bone from a flying pterosaur.
From US Public Lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management
From US Public Lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management
November 7, 2025 at 11:19 PM
Three very delicate bones cleaned in the past 2 days. SUPER RARE - 2 limb bones from a parrot-mimic oviraptorosaur, and the other is a neck bone from a flying pterosaur.
From US Public Lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management
From US Public Lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management
This new finding adds to our understanding of dinosaur behavior. Although it might seem unintuitive, these battling dinosaurs being injured during reproduction is in keeping with what we see in modern day animals. (art: Troco) /10
November 4, 2025 at 8:43 PM
This new finding adds to our understanding of dinosaur behavior. Although it might seem unintuitive, these battling dinosaurs being injured during reproduction is in keeping with what we see in modern day animals. (art: Troco) /10
A key implication is that these injuries should only be sustained by females, so this might be a way to infer the sex of dinosaurs. The inability to infer males & females in dinosaurs has frustrated scientists since study began nearly 200 years ago! (art: Troco) /9
November 4, 2025 at 8:42 PM
A key implication is that these injuries should only be sustained by females, so this might be a way to infer the sex of dinosaurs. The inability to infer males & females in dinosaurs has frustrated scientists since study began nearly 200 years ago! (art: Troco) /9
The new study combines detailed descriptions of the injured specimens with Finite Element Analysis (FEA) which computer-models how a structure reacts under stress. This showed that the injuries caused to the tail spines were consistent with a force delivered from above. /7
November 4, 2025 at 8:39 PM
The new study combines detailed descriptions of the injured specimens with Finite Element Analysis (FEA) which computer-models how a structure reacts under stress. This showed that the injuries caused to the tail spines were consistent with a force delivered from above. /7
A more recently collected Dickinson specimen, "Had Enough", is another of the nine key skeletons in the study. (specimen found by volunteers Stephanie and Samantha Sutton) /6
November 4, 2025 at 8:39 PM
A more recently collected Dickinson specimen, "Had Enough", is another of the nine key skeletons in the study. (specimen found by volunteers Stephanie and Samantha Sutton) /6
Here Filippo and Liz look at one of the key skeletons, "Warwick's Duck": on loan at Badlands Dinosaur Museum from Museum of the Rockies for a number of years, and can be seen in the exhibit (found by Warwick Fowler, in 2009). /5
November 4, 2025 at 8:38 PM
Here Filippo and Liz look at one of the key skeletons, "Warwick's Duck": on loan at Badlands Dinosaur Museum from Museum of the Rockies for a number of years, and can be seen in the exhibit (found by Warwick Fowler, in 2009). /5
Duckbill researchers have noticed for many years that there were often injuries to the long spines of the tail vertebrae. The tips of the spines were broken, but had healed (albeit usually twisted and deformed) showing that dinosaur survived the incident. /2
November 4, 2025 at 8:36 PM
Duckbill researchers have noticed for many years that there were often injuries to the long spines of the tail vertebrae. The tips of the spines were broken, but had healed (albeit usually twisted and deformed) showing that dinosaur survived the incident. /2
CLUMSY MALE DINOSAURS INJURED FEMALES DURING MATING: Our new paper (Filippo Bertozzo et al. 2025), shows that a common tail injury seen in duckbilled dinosaurs was probably caused by heavy male dinosaurs clumsily crushing the spines of females during mating.
/1
/1
November 4, 2025 at 8:36 PM
CLUMSY MALE DINOSAURS INJURED FEMALES DURING MATING: Our new paper (Filippo Bertozzo et al. 2025), shows that a common tail injury seen in duckbilled dinosaurs was probably caused by heavy male dinosaurs clumsily crushing the spines of females during mating.
/1
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BABY DUCKBILL #dinosaur: Deanna just finished prepping this cute femur. We have a couple of nice jaws from a similarly-sized baby hadro from this same site, so maybe they are part of the same skeleton.
Dinosaur Park Fm, Montana. ~76M years old, Late Cretaceous #fossilfriday
Dinosaur Park Fm, Montana. ~76M years old, Late Cretaceous #fossilfriday
October 29, 2025 at 6:50 PM
BABY DUCKBILL #dinosaur: Deanna just finished prepping this cute femur. We have a couple of nice jaws from a similarly-sized baby hadro from this same site, so maybe they are part of the same skeleton.
Dinosaur Park Fm, Montana. ~76M years old, Late Cretaceous #fossilfriday
Dinosaur Park Fm, Montana. ~76M years old, Late Cretaceous #fossilfriday
Hadrosaurine braincase. #fossilfriday. Collected by Badlands #Dinosaur Museum, Jul 2025 & cleaned by Deanna. Associated skeleton from BLM-administered US #publiclands. Dinosaur Park Formation, Montana.
You're looking up into the underside of the skull roof. The bottom of the photo is the frontals.
You're looking up into the underside of the skull roof. The bottom of the photo is the frontals.
October 17, 2025 at 11:38 PM
Hadrosaurine braincase. #fossilfriday. Collected by Badlands #Dinosaur Museum, Jul 2025 & cleaned by Deanna. Associated skeleton from BLM-administered US #publiclands. Dinosaur Park Formation, Montana.
You're looking up into the underside of the skull roof. The bottom of the photo is the frontals.
You're looking up into the underside of the skull roof. The bottom of the photo is the frontals.
A pubis (pelvic bone) from a medium sized ceratopsid. I'm going to be plaster jacketing this in a few minutes. Dinosaur Park Fm, Montana. From US public lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management.
July 26, 2025 at 3:13 PM
A pubis (pelvic bone) from a medium sized ceratopsid. I'm going to be plaster jacketing this in a few minutes. Dinosaur Park Fm, Montana. From US public lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management.
A selection of teeth collected today in the Judith River. Top row are all raptors, including a cool Dromaeosaurus with a wear facet. Bottom left are nodosaur, bott right is a tyranno.
June 26, 2025 at 4:12 AM
A selection of teeth collected today in the Judith River. Top row are all raptors, including a cool Dromaeosaurus with a wear facet. Bottom left are nodosaur, bott right is a tyranno.
A nice theropod claw found today. #dinosaurs #fossilfriday from US public lands BLM. Judith River FM.
June 25, 2025 at 3:17 AM
A nice theropod claw found today. #dinosaurs #fossilfriday from US public lands BLM. Judith River FM.
It's cold at our digsite today, but we just found this delightful troodontid raptor tooth. This is the site where we have found parts of a troodontid skeleton. Maybe a jaw is nearby, waiting to be found next!
Dino. Park Fm, Montana. From US public lands
#FossilFriday #dinosaur
Dino. Park Fm, Montana. From US public lands
#FossilFriday #dinosaur
June 7, 2025 at 8:46 PM
It's cold at our digsite today, but we just found this delightful troodontid raptor tooth. This is the site where we have found parts of a troodontid skeleton. Maybe a jaw is nearby, waiting to be found next!
Dino. Park Fm, Montana. From US public lands
#FossilFriday #dinosaur
Dino. Park Fm, Montana. From US public lands
#FossilFriday #dinosaur
Loving this 3D print of Champsosaurus. Model freely provided with Dudgeon et al. 2024. #FossilFriday #fossils
May 23, 2025 at 9:02 PM
Loving this 3D print of Champsosaurus. Model freely provided with Dudgeon et al. 2024. #FossilFriday #fossils
Possibly the best #dinosaur rubber stamp I own (I have about 100). #FossilFriday
May 16, 2025 at 7:38 PM
Possibly the best #dinosaur rubber stamp I own (I have about 100). #FossilFriday
I just liked the shape aesthetic.
#dinosaur factory photos: Daspletosaurus wilsoni holotype.
#fossilfriday
#dinosaur factory photos: Daspletosaurus wilsoni holotype.
#fossilfriday
May 13, 2025 at 5:14 PM
I just liked the shape aesthetic.
#dinosaur factory photos: Daspletosaurus wilsoni holotype.
#fossilfriday
#dinosaur factory photos: Daspletosaurus wilsoni holotype.
#fossilfriday
We actually don't usually use nice teeth like in the main post photo for our analyses: we collect broken tooth fragments specifically for these isotope projects. It's a great use for these little bits of fossils!
May 9, 2025 at 7:35 PM
We actually don't usually use nice teeth like in the main post photo for our analyses: we collect broken tooth fragments specifically for these isotope projects. It's a great use for these little bits of fossils!
International collaborative research just published! Michailow et al (2025). Link in comms (free)
Photo: some nice teeth in our collection (left to right): tyrannosaur; duckbill hadrosaur; (top) crocodile; (bottom) raptor; tyrannosaur with wear mark
#fossilfriday #dinosaurs
Photo: some nice teeth in our collection (left to right): tyrannosaur; duckbill hadrosaur; (top) crocodile; (bottom) raptor; tyrannosaur with wear mark
#fossilfriday #dinosaurs
May 9, 2025 at 7:33 PM
International collaborative research just published! Michailow et al (2025). Link in comms (free)
Photo: some nice teeth in our collection (left to right): tyrannosaur; duckbill hadrosaur; (top) crocodile; (bottom) raptor; tyrannosaur with wear mark
#fossilfriday #dinosaurs
Photo: some nice teeth in our collection (left to right): tyrannosaur; duckbill hadrosaur; (top) crocodile; (bottom) raptor; tyrannosaur with wear mark
#fossilfriday #dinosaurs
This partial hand does not look like the troodontid from "Jack's bonebed", so we think it is from a parrot-mimic oviraptorid. We have a few tentative pieces of the skeleton so far, but it's looking really promising!
#FossilFriday #dinosaur #dinosaurs #oviraptor #science #NorthDakota
#FossilFriday #dinosaur #dinosaurs #oviraptor #science #NorthDakota
April 17, 2025 at 9:58 PM
This partial hand does not look like the troodontid from "Jack's bonebed", so we think it is from a parrot-mimic oviraptorid. We have a few tentative pieces of the skeleton so far, but it's looking really promising!
#FossilFriday #dinosaur #dinosaurs #oviraptor #science #NorthDakota
#FossilFriday #dinosaur #dinosaurs #oviraptor #science #NorthDakota