Gabriela Sobral
@sobralg.bsky.social
Vertebrate palaeontologist, braincase specialist, and evolutionary morphologist @ SMNS Stuttgart. Professional account; views are my own.
Pinned
Gabriela Sobral
@sobralg.bsky.social
· Jun 17
New data on the skull of Protorosaurus speneri (Reptilia: Archosauromorpha) and their phylogenetic significance
The late Permian (Lopingian) reptile Protorosaurus speneri has long been considered the earliest-diverging well-represented archosauromorph. Although it is known from extensive skeletal material fr...
www.tandfonline.com
Our re-description of the Protorosaurus skull is finally out! 🥳 Very happy to have been part of this! www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
me: ah, this is certainly the prootic. that should be the ASC, the LSC there, floccular fossa over here, foramen for CN VII... a bit broken and istorted but fine.
also me (drooling): eeeh... is that the pre- or postfrontal? jugal maybe?
also me (drooling): eeeh... is that the pre- or postfrontal? jugal maybe?
November 28, 2025 at 2:19 PM
me: ah, this is certainly the prootic. that should be the ASC, the LSC there, floccular fossa over here, foramen for CN VII... a bit broken and istorted but fine.
also me (drooling): eeeh... is that the pre- or postfrontal? jugal maybe?
also me (drooling): eeeh... is that the pre- or postfrontal? jugal maybe?
Reposted by Gabriela Sobral
Happy to be a part of this big project led by Mario Bronzati & Matteo Fabbri—out today #OA in @currentbiology.bsky.social
bit.ly/3M5weun —on the brain endocast of a close pterosaur cousin & what it means for pterosaur brain evolution...maybe different from bird brain evolution. 1/2
bit.ly/3M5weun —on the brain endocast of a close pterosaur cousin & what it means for pterosaur brain evolution...maybe different from bird brain evolution. 1/2
November 26, 2025 at 5:15 PM
Happy to be a part of this big project led by Mario Bronzati & Matteo Fabbri—out today #OA in @currentbiology.bsky.social
bit.ly/3M5weun —on the brain endocast of a close pterosaur cousin & what it means for pterosaur brain evolution...maybe different from bird brain evolution. 1/2
bit.ly/3M5weun —on the brain endocast of a close pterosaur cousin & what it means for pterosaur brain evolution...maybe different from bird brain evolution. 1/2
Reposted by Gabriela Sobral
Honoured to have contributed to a new paper in @currentbiology.bsky.social led by Mario Bronzati and lots of excellent and brainy (yes, pun intended) colleagues, showing that pterosaurs and birds evolved flight-capable brains but in different ways. www.cell.com/current-biol...
November 27, 2025 at 9:59 AM
Honoured to have contributed to a new paper in @currentbiology.bsky.social led by Mario Bronzati and lots of excellent and brainy (yes, pun intended) colleagues, showing that pterosaurs and birds evolved flight-capable brains but in different ways. www.cell.com/current-biol...
The paper of @mariobronzati.bsky.social on the evolution of the pterosaur brain came out toda in @currentbiology.bsky.social, congrats! I gave some comments on that for the magazine @pesquisafapesp.bsky.social (in Portuguese) here: revistapesquisa.fapesp.br/como-o-cereb...
Como o cérebro de pterossauros e aves permitiu alçar voo
“Voar não é tão difícil quanto se pensava, do ponto de vista neurológico”, afirma o paleontólogo brasileiro Mario Bronzati, pesquisador de pós-doutorado na Universidade de Tübingen, na Alemanha. A con...
revistapesquisa.fapesp.br
November 26, 2025 at 9:34 PM
The paper of @mariobronzati.bsky.social on the evolution of the pterosaur brain came out toda in @currentbiology.bsky.social, congrats! I gave some comments on that for the magazine @pesquisafapesp.bsky.social (in Portuguese) here: revistapesquisa.fapesp.br/como-o-cereb...
OMFG I found a complete braincase within the matrix 😭😭 ESRF I love you
November 26, 2025 at 3:19 PM
OMFG I found a complete braincase within the matrix 😭😭 ESRF I love you
Reposted by Gabriela Sobral
Join today our online colloquium to learn about the evolution of feather like structures 250 millions ago, before dinosaurs were around! @kombiota.bsky.social
#SaveTheDate: Research Colloquium: The wonder reptile Mirasaura and the Reptile Revolution of the Triassic
by Dr Stephan Spiekman
Tuesday | 25.11.2025 | 16:00
Join the talk in person at the Museum am Löwentor or online: https://t1p.de/sq0m6
by Dr Stephan Spiekman
Tuesday | 25.11.2025 | 16:00
Join the talk in person at the Museum am Löwentor or online: https://t1p.de/sq0m6
November 25, 2025 at 7:26 AM
Join today our online colloquium to learn about the evolution of feather like structures 250 millions ago, before dinosaurs were around! @kombiota.bsky.social
I have signed already! Please help
I don’t normally share petitions, but good friends and colleagues are going to lose their jobs as part of the planned cuts to the geology dept at Leicester.
Consider adding your signature here:
www.change.org/p/save-geolo...
An excellent dept that doesn’t deserve to be decimated. 🧪⚒️🌍
Consider adding your signature here:
www.change.org/p/save-geolo...
An excellent dept that doesn’t deserve to be decimated. 🧪⚒️🌍
Sign the Petition
Save Geology at the University of Leicester
www.change.org
November 20, 2025 at 9:53 AM
I have signed already! Please help
I finished reviewing one manuscript :D
I have accepted another one D:
I have accepted another one D:
November 20, 2025 at 9:51 AM
I finished reviewing one manuscript :D
I have accepted another one D:
I have accepted another one D:
The Triassic Symposium was a HUGE success! Thanks everyone who participated! 😊
November 14, 2025 at 8:07 PM
The Triassic Symposium was a HUGE success! Thanks everyone who participated! 😊
Reposted by Gabriela Sobral
#2025SVP attendees: did you know you can get a 30% discount on entry to the Sea Life Centre and/or Lego Discovery, both a few minutes walk from the ICC? More info here: www.meetbirmingham.com/svp-2025/
Society of Vertebrate Paleontology 2025 Annual Meeting
Birmingham is delighted to be hosting the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology 2025 Annual Meeting, taking place on from 12 – 15 November 2025 at the International Convention Centre.
www.meetbirmingham.com
November 13, 2025 at 10:22 AM
#2025SVP attendees: did you know you can get a 30% discount on entry to the Sea Life Centre and/or Lego Discovery, both a few minutes walk from the ICC? More info here: www.meetbirmingham.com/svp-2025/
I am a biologist and I can confirm this animal is suffering (me talking about myself the morning after drinking one or two glasses of wine too much at the SVP opening ceremony last evening)
November 13, 2025 at 9:50 AM
I am a biologist and I can confirm this animal is suffering (me talking about myself the morning after drinking one or two glasses of wine too much at the SVP opening ceremony last evening)
Two awesome days at the collections of the NHM with Felipe Pinheiro from UNIPAMPA (my last trip for this project)! And today a great start to SVP :)
November 12, 2025 at 11:29 AM
Two awesome days at the collections of the NHM with Felipe Pinheiro from UNIPAMPA (my last trip for this project)! And today a great start to SVP :)
Now I have to add the famous Last Minute Data for my SVP presentation :)
November 6, 2025 at 9:01 AM
Now I have to add the famous Last Minute Data for my SVP presentation :)
I have paid the price for the last stressful months.. the nasty cold I had in Beijing actually developed to a strong sinusitis. I had to take most of last week off and I didn't feel fit until now - in fact, I'm still not back to normal, but at least I don't feel defeated anymore.
November 6, 2025 at 8:59 AM
I have paid the price for the last stressful months.. the nasty cold I had in Beijing actually developed to a strong sinusitis. I had to take most of last week off and I didn't feel fit until now - in fact, I'm still not back to normal, but at least I don't feel defeated anymore.
Back from an amazing trip to China! The secon week was tough due to a nasty flu, that still lingers... but oh so much fun in Beijing and in IVPP! Everyone there was super nice and the fossils are amazing. I hope to be able to go back soon :)
October 28, 2025 at 11:07 AM
Back from an amazing trip to China! The secon week was tough due to a nasty flu, that still lingers... but oh so much fun in Beijing and in IVPP! Everyone there was super nice and the fossils are amazing. I hope to be able to go back soon :)
Great weekend touristing in Beijing and around: Forbidden City and Mutianyu Great Wall. Now off to start a week of work at IVPP :)
October 20, 2025 at 1:22 AM
Great weekend touristing in Beijing and around: Forbidden City and Mutianyu Great Wall. Now off to start a week of work at IVPP :)
Reposted by Gabriela Sobral
‼️‼️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 Gabriela Sobral
After two years of hard work, I’m proud to announce that our new special exhibition @smnstuttgart.bsky.social is now open for the public – Meet Triassic Life: Dawn of the world of reptiles (1/7).
October 17, 2025 at 4:42 PM
After two years of hard work, I’m proud to announce that our new special exhibition @smnstuttgart.bsky.social is now open for the public – Meet Triassic Life: Dawn of the world of reptiles (1/7).
Yesterday at PKU and today at GMC… just great! Still missing the Geological University of China and the National Museum of Natural History of Beijing for some choristoderes – because no amount of weirdos is enough!
October 17, 2025 at 1:43 PM
Yesterday at PKU and today at GMC… just great! Still missing the Geological University of China and the National Museum of Natural History of Beijing for some choristoderes – because no amount of weirdos is enough!
Reposted by Gabriela Sobral
Yesterday we opened “Triassic Life — Dawn of the age of reptiles” at Museum am Löwentor, Stuttgart. The show tracks life’s rebound after the end Permian mass extinction ~252 million years ago.
📷: Maximilian Schwarz
📷: Maximilian Schwarz
October 17, 2025 at 1:37 PM
Yesterday we opened “Triassic Life — Dawn of the age of reptiles” at Museum am Löwentor, Stuttgart. The show tracks life’s rebound after the end Permian mass extinction ~252 million years ago.
📷: Maximilian Schwarz
📷: Maximilian Schwarz
So today I saw Sinosauropteryx at the Geological Museum of China… I was not expecting and it was like a dream come true. Everything is beautiful about this fossil: the preservation, the pose. I almost chose it as my first tattoo, but I went with Archaeopteryx instead and it remais close to my heart
October 17, 2025 at 1:36 PM
So today I saw Sinosauropteryx at the Geological Museum of China… I was not expecting and it was like a dream come true. Everything is beautiful about this fossil: the preservation, the pose. I almost chose it as my first tattoo, but I went with Archaeopteryx instead and it remais close to my heart
About marine reptiles, I’m glad I decided to treat several groups separately for my analysis… I already can see differences among them and it will be an improvement to my data matrix
October 14, 2025 at 1:11 PM
About marine reptiles, I’m glad I decided to treat several groups separately for my analysis… I already can see differences among them and it will be an improvement to my data matrix
In other news, yesterday I submitted what I hope is the last version of my manuscript and today another important manuscript that I was heavily involved was also submitted. Fingers crossed for both!
October 14, 2025 at 1:10 PM
In other news, yesterday I submitted what I hope is the last version of my manuscript and today another important manuscript that I was heavily involved was also submitted. Fingers crossed for both!
Things have been busy, Rudolf’s departure, sickness and holiday disrupted my pre-trip schedule. But all is fine now; my trip to China went well and today is my last day in Wuhan. Things have been incredibly productive and I’m learning more and more about aquatic reptiles.
October 14, 2025 at 1:05 PM
Things have been busy, Rudolf’s departure, sickness and holiday disrupted my pre-trip schedule. But all is fine now; my trip to China went well and today is my last day in Wuhan. Things have been incredibly productive and I’m learning more and more about aquatic reptiles.
Today I lost my buddy. I think it were 14 years well lived, over half of which with me after my mom had health issues that prevented her to take care of hiim properly. I hope I was able to give him the best life possible. He will be missed.
October 1, 2025 at 8:44 AM
Today I lost my buddy. I think it were 14 years well lived, over half of which with me after my mom had health issues that prevented her to take care of hiim properly. I hope I was able to give him the best life possible. He will be missed.