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
🐢 Grateful to be part of this amazing community of turtle researchers at #2025SVP. Feeling energized from the incredible presentations & discussions. Thank you all for the insights, support, and shared passion for these fascinating critters. Here’s to more turtley collaborations & discoveries ahead!
November 15, 2025 at 7:15 AM
🐢 Grateful to be part of this amazing community of turtle researchers at #2025SVP. Feeling energized from the incredible presentations & discussions. Thank you all for the insights, support, and shared passion for these fascinating critters. Here’s to more turtley collaborations & discoveries ahead!
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!
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
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.
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.
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)!
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...
🐺 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!
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”.
This #FossilFriday, a contingent from the Menefee Paleo Project is out scouting the field site in preparation for our upcoming fall field season.
Preview of a lovely osteoderm from Deinosuchus, a giant Late Cretaceous eusuchian (crocodyliform) that grew up to ~10.5 m in length.
Preview of a lovely osteoderm from Deinosuchus, a giant Late Cretaceous eusuchian (crocodyliform) that grew up to ~10.5 m in length.
August 29, 2025 at 3:33 PM
This #FossilFriday, a contingent from the Menefee Paleo Project is out scouting the field site in preparation for our upcoming fall field season.
Preview of a lovely osteoderm from Deinosuchus, a giant Late Cretaceous eusuchian (crocodyliform) that grew up to ~10.5 m in length.
Preview of a lovely osteoderm from Deinosuchus, a giant Late Cretaceous eusuchian (crocodyliform) that grew up to ~10.5 m in length.
Abstracts for the 2025 Western Association of Vertebrate Paleontologists conference held at the AzMNH have now been published in PaleoBios!
escholarship.org/uc/item/4x65...
Paleo folks, I highly recommend this fun conference. Serving on the host committee this year was a great experience!
escholarship.org/uc/item/4x65...
Paleo folks, I highly recommend this fun conference. Serving on the host committee this year was a great experience!
August 26, 2025 at 7:17 PM
Abstracts for the 2025 Western Association of Vertebrate Paleontologists conference held at the AzMNH have now been published in PaleoBios!
escholarship.org/uc/item/4x65...
Paleo folks, I highly recommend this fun conference. Serving on the host committee this year was a great experience!
escholarship.org/uc/item/4x65...
Paleo folks, I highly recommend this fun conference. Serving on the host committee this year was a great experience!
SVP abstract accepted! Looking forward to talking turtles with everyone in Birmingham 🐢
August 18, 2025 at 10:44 PM
SVP abstract accepted! Looking forward to talking turtles with everyone in Birmingham 🐢
If you’re attending #ICVM2025, don’t miss my co-author Leigha Lynch’s @squeacslab.bsky.social presentation on bony labyrinth morphology of North American river otters. Presentation streaming on demand & today Aug 7 at 2:55pm EDT www.xcdsystem.com/icvm/program...
August 7, 2025 at 3:56 PM
If you’re attending #ICVM2025, don’t miss my co-author Leigha Lynch’s @squeacslab.bsky.social presentation on bony labyrinth morphology of North American river otters. Presentation streaming on demand & today Aug 7 at 2:55pm EDT www.xcdsystem.com/icvm/program...
The Menefee Paleontological Project submitted 3 abstracts for GSA 2025! Stay tuned to learn more about new Campanian assemblages of chondrichthyans & actinopterygians from Cliff House Sandstone. Goblin sharks, nurse sharks, angel sharks, rays, and more! 🦈🐟
August 6, 2025 at 11:10 PM
The Menefee Paleontological Project submitted 3 abstracts for GSA 2025! Stay tuned to learn more about new Campanian assemblages of chondrichthyans & actinopterygians from Cliff House Sandstone. Goblin sharks, nurse sharks, angel sharks, rays, and more! 🦈🐟
My lab's awesome summer veterinary research scholars are off to a conference in Spokane to present the results of their summer projects dissecting and segmenting CT scans of the manus of the three-toed sloth (Bradypus variegatus) and tamandua (Tamandua mexicana).
August 5, 2025 at 6:01 PM
My lab's awesome summer veterinary research scholars are off to a conference in Spokane to present the results of their summer projects dissecting and segmenting CT scans of the manus of the three-toed sloth (Bradypus variegatus) and tamandua (Tamandua mexicana).