Cary Woodruff
@doublebeam.bsky.social
A dino paleontologist who loves to research & share all things sauropod (🦕) related. Curator of Vert. Paleo. at Frost Science in Miami, FL USA.
If only I were at the meeting this year.....😪😪😪😪
November 11, 2025 at 4:14 PM
If only I were at the meeting this year.....😪😪😪😪
The expression on your face looks like you got a gift you don't want 😂
October 24, 2025 at 3:47 PM
The expression on your face looks like you got a gift you don't want 😂
If this does happen, I'd be more than willing to help out 👍
October 22, 2025 at 10:25 AM
If this does happen, I'd be more than willing to help out 👍
I'm gonna replicate these methodologies on the very first articulated diplodocid rib series I get a hold of, and I suspect we'll see varied results - but why, and what it means will be immensely important to our understanding of 🦕 life history.
October 17, 2025 at 12:27 PM
I'm gonna replicate these methodologies on the very first articulated diplodocid rib series I get a hold of, and I suspect we'll see varied results - but why, and what it means will be immensely important to our understanding of 🦕 life history.
Differences between more basal and derived macronarians? Variations with greater or less pneumaticity? Widely variable amongst clades? ALL GOOD QUESTIONS! I LOVE this study, & it's a perfect example of the *many* challenges we still have with 🦕 life history studies.
October 17, 2025 at 12:26 PM
Differences between more basal and derived macronarians? Variations with greater or less pneumaticity? Widely variable amongst clades? ALL GOOD QUESTIONS! I LOVE this study, & it's a perfect example of the *many* challenges we still have with 🦕 life history studies.
By serially sampling the dorsal ribs in this titanosaur, Fronimos & Woodward showed that counter W&S, in this titanosaur the oldest life history data (an EFS) and most intact growth record was recorded in the posterior ribs.
October 17, 2025 at 12:26 PM
By serially sampling the dorsal ribs in this titanosaur, Fronimos & Woodward showed that counter W&S, in this titanosaur the oldest life history data (an EFS) and most intact growth record was recorded in the posterior ribs.
But the Waskow & Sander study was in a Camarasaurus, and while I've followed this methodology in several diplodocoid studies, is this a 'rule' for all sauropods?
October 17, 2025 at 12:25 PM
But the Waskow & Sander study was in a Camarasaurus, and while I've followed this methodology in several diplodocoid studies, is this a 'rule' for all sauropods?
Waskow & Sander (2014) did a landmark study on the life history data preserved in 🦕 dorsal ribs. 🦕 are infamous for retaining a super shi%%y growth record, but this study showed that parts of ribs (anteriormost & rib 'neck') kept the growth record.
October 17, 2025 at 12:25 PM
Waskow & Sander (2014) did a landmark study on the life history data preserved in 🦕 dorsal ribs. 🦕 are infamous for retaining a super shi%%y growth record, but this study showed that parts of ribs (anteriormost & rib 'neck') kept the growth record.
This specimen (cf. Alamosaurus[?]) is an essentially complete and articulated ~torso & hips, and I described this specimen back in 2016 because it preserves a large chunk of in situ 'nuchal'/interspinal ligaments!
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
The structural preservation of a titanosaurid (Dinosauria: Sauropoda) vertebral ligament
Within the past decade exceptional preservation of original organic components have been reported from several dinosaurian families, including members…
www.sciencedirect.com
October 17, 2025 at 12:24 PM
This specimen (cf. Alamosaurus[?]) is an essentially complete and articulated ~torso & hips, and I described this specimen back in 2016 because it preserves a large chunk of in situ 'nuchal'/interspinal ligaments!
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
John A. Fronimos & Holly N. Woodward (2025)
Ontogenetic assessment from dorsal ribs in a mature titanosaur (Dinosauria, Sauropoda) from the Upper Cretaceous of Texas
Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology e2559012
doi: doi.org/10.1080/0272...
Ontogenetic assessment from dorsal ribs in a mature titanosaur (Dinosauria, Sauropoda) from the Upper Cretaceous of Texas
Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology e2559012
doi: doi.org/10.1080/0272...
Ontogenetic assessment from dorsal ribs in a mature titanosaur (Dinosauria, Sauropoda) from the Upper Cretaceous of Texas
Osteohistology has provided significant insights into the ontogeny and life history of the sauropod dinosaurs. However, the Titanosauria, which include Earth’s largest terrestrial vertebrates, exhi...
doi.org
October 17, 2025 at 12:24 PM
John A. Fronimos & Holly N. Woodward (2025)
Ontogenetic assessment from dorsal ribs in a mature titanosaur (Dinosauria, Sauropoda) from the Upper Cretaceous of Texas
Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology e2559012
doi: doi.org/10.1080/0272...
Ontogenetic assessment from dorsal ribs in a mature titanosaur (Dinosauria, Sauropoda) from the Upper Cretaceous of Texas
Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology e2559012
doi: doi.org/10.1080/0272...
2) Fronimos & Woodward did an osteohisto age-determinate analysis on a remarkable titanosaur from Texas!
October 17, 2025 at 12:23 PM
2) Fronimos & Woodward did an osteohisto age-determinate analysis on a remarkable titanosaur from Texas!
E. Martín Hechenleitner, Agustín G. Martinelli, Sebastián Rocher, Lucas E. Fiorelli, Malena Juarez, Jeremías R. A. Taborda & Julia B. Desojo (2025)
A long-necked early dinosaur from a newly discovered Upper Triassic basin in the Andes
Nature (advance online publication)
doi: doi.org/10.1038/s415...
A long-necked early dinosaur from a newly discovered Upper Triassic basin in the Andes
Nature (advance online publication)
doi: doi.org/10.1038/s415...
A long-necked early dinosaur from a newly discovered Upper Triassic basin in the Andes - Nature
Discovery of a nearly complete skeleton of Huayracursor jaguensis, a Carnian dinosaur from the Northern Precordillera Basin in northwestern Argentina provides evidence of increased body size and early...
doi.org
October 17, 2025 at 12:23 PM
E. Martín Hechenleitner, Agustín G. Martinelli, Sebastián Rocher, Lucas E. Fiorelli, Malena Juarez, Jeremías R. A. Taborda & Julia B. Desojo (2025)
A long-necked early dinosaur from a newly discovered Upper Triassic basin in the Andes
Nature (advance online publication)
doi: doi.org/10.1038/s415...
A long-necked early dinosaur from a newly discovered Upper Triassic basin in the Andes
Nature (advance online publication)
doi: doi.org/10.1038/s415...
1) #Huayracursor_jaguensis is a new sauropodomorph from the Late Triassic of Argentina. For any early dino that is an INSANELY complete skeleton! And check out those cervicals! Definitely an important taxon for understanding the evolutionary history of pod neck elongation.
October 17, 2025 at 12:22 PM
1) #Huayracursor_jaguensis is a new sauropodomorph from the Late Triassic of Argentina. For any early dino that is an INSANELY complete skeleton! And check out those cervicals! Definitely an important taxon for understanding the evolutionary history of pod neck elongation.
hamoni: in honor of Bob Harmon. Bob was the former head of the MOR lab and field program, and he was the best field mentor I've ever had. I learned so much from Bob, and I am the crew chief I am today thanks to his tutelage. Thank you Bob, for everything.
(📷 by A. Bailleul)
(📷 by A. Bailleul)
October 10, 2025 at 1:55 PM
hamoni: in honor of Bob Harmon. Bob was the former head of the MOR lab and field program, and he was the best field mentor I've ever had. I learned so much from Bob, and I am the crew chief I am today thanks to his tutelage. Thank you Bob, for everything.
(📷 by A. Bailleul)
(📷 by A. Bailleul)
Now, on to the name: Brontotholus, which means Thunder Dome. Yes, a bit of a nod to the classic sauropod named "Brontosaurus", but primarily in homage to the classic 1985 film Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome.
October 10, 2025 at 1:54 PM
Now, on to the name: Brontotholus, which means Thunder Dome. Yes, a bit of a nod to the classic sauropod named "Brontosaurus", but primarily in homage to the classic 1985 film Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome.
But while there was no support for such a relationship between these 3, given the stratigraphic distribution & time between these Two Med specimens, we suggest that there *might* be a case for anagenesis within this new species (ex T. horridus -> T. prorsus).
October 10, 2025 at 1:54 PM
But while there was no support for such a relationship between these 3, given the stratigraphic distribution & time between these Two Med specimens, we suggest that there *might* be a case for anagenesis within this new species (ex T. horridus -> T. prorsus).
Long story short, we found that these Two Med domes constituted a novel genus, and that this taxon was phylogenetically not close to either Stegoceras *OR* Pachycephalosaurus. So, no anagenetic relationship between these three.
October 10, 2025 at 1:54 PM
Long story short, we found that these Two Med domes constituted a novel genus, and that this taxon was phylogenetically not close to either Stegoceras *OR* Pachycephalosaurus. So, no anagenetic relationship between these three.
Fast forward MANY YEARS later, & one of my dissertation chapters was to describe this Two Med dome (& 4 others) with my academic 'parents' - Dave Evans and Jack Horner, and 'committee uncle' Mark Goodwin.
October 10, 2025 at 1:53 PM
Fast forward MANY YEARS later, & one of my dissertation chapters was to describe this Two Med dome (& 4 others) with my academic 'parents' - Dave Evans and Jack Horner, and 'committee uncle' Mark Goodwin.
Horner et al (1992) proposed that a dome from the Two Medicine Fm was an anagenetic intermediate between the stratigraphically older Stegoceras & the younger Pachycephalosaurus. & given our understanding of their taxonomy at the time, that wasn't a crazy hypothesis.
October 10, 2025 at 1:53 PM
Horner et al (1992) proposed that a dome from the Two Medicine Fm was an anagenetic intermediate between the stratigraphically older Stegoceras & the younger Pachycephalosaurus. & given our understanding of their taxonomy at the time, that wasn't a crazy hypothesis.