Ole Zant
@thebiobob.bsky.social
Scientific illustrator / Paleoartist.
Museum fossil preparator and researcher.
Admirer of theropods and Cretaceous Saharan Africa.
Museum fossil preparator and researcher.
Admirer of theropods and Cretaceous Saharan Africa.
Diplodocid bones galore and aplenty at the Oertijdmuseum. Here some photos from a while ago of the construction of Aurora (a composite of two specimens). The skeleton was on display elsewhere for a month and is now being mounted in the Oertijdmuseum. Photos of that coming soon.
November 12, 2025 at 8:31 PM
Diplodocid bones galore and aplenty at the Oertijdmuseum. Here some photos from a while ago of the construction of Aurora (a composite of two specimens). The skeleton was on display elsewhere for a month and is now being mounted in the Oertijdmuseum. Photos of that coming soon.
Also I did prepare the only Metoposaurus skull with teeth. Which is from the same site.
October 31, 2025 at 6:29 PM
Also I did prepare the only Metoposaurus skull with teeth. Which is from the same site.
Here are some progress photos of the skull.
Don't ever put plaster on the bone or I'll make you a dubious taxon.
Don't ever put plaster on the bone or I'll make you a dubious taxon.
October 31, 2025 at 6:28 PM
Here are some progress photos of the skull.
Don't ever put plaster on the bone or I'll make you a dubious taxon.
Don't ever put plaster on the bone or I'll make you a dubious taxon.
I realize I never really posted my work on the Triassic phytosaur skull at the Oertijdmuseum on here. So here (and in the posts below) are some photos. I finished it recently when I cleaned more of the mandible.
#FossilFriday #Phytosaur #paleontology
#FossilFriday #Phytosaur #paleontology
October 31, 2025 at 6:27 PM
I realize I never really posted my work on the Triassic phytosaur skull at the Oertijdmuseum on here. So here (and in the posts below) are some photos. I finished it recently when I cleaned more of the mandible.
#FossilFriday #Phytosaur #paleontology
#FossilFriday #Phytosaur #paleontology
Sketched this little guy eating a mammal earlier this year, although I didn't actually know what to call it then.
I guess we do now. Welcome back Nanotyrannus!
I guess we do now. Welcome back Nanotyrannus!
October 31, 2025 at 9:56 AM
Sketched this little guy eating a mammal earlier this year, although I didn't actually know what to call it then.
I guess we do now. Welcome back Nanotyrannus!
I guess we do now. Welcome back Nanotyrannus!
Two new Edmontosaurus skeletons with preserved skin just got published by Paul Sereno and collegues. They had a fleshy scaly crest over their back and hoofed feet!
I was lucky enough to see the specimens last summer. The publication is open access:
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
I was lucky enough to see the specimens last summer. The publication is open access:
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
October 23, 2025 at 6:21 PM
Two new Edmontosaurus skeletons with preserved skin just got published by Paul Sereno and collegues. They had a fleshy scaly crest over their back and hoofed feet!
I was lucky enough to see the specimens last summer. The publication is open access:
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
I was lucky enough to see the specimens last summer. The publication is open access:
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Overall the integument in PP is really well done. But honestly the more time goes by, the more I appreciate the dinosaurs from Dinosaur (2000). Which have meticulously textured scaly wrinkly skin that matches known specimens quite well (at least for the time).
October 17, 2025 at 10:12 AM
Overall the integument in PP is really well done. But honestly the more time goes by, the more I appreciate the dinosaurs from Dinosaur (2000). Which have meticulously textured scaly wrinkly skin that matches known specimens quite well (at least for the time).
A new diplodocid skeleton was unveiled today at the Provincial House of the Dutch Province of North Brabant!
It will be on display there for the rest of the month, until it returns to the Oertijdmuseum, which is where we originally prepared the skeleton.
#dinosaurs
It will be on display there for the rest of the month, until it returns to the Oertijdmuseum, which is where we originally prepared the skeleton.
#dinosaurs
October 2, 2025 at 2:49 PM
A new diplodocid skeleton was unveiled today at the Provincial House of the Dutch Province of North Brabant!
It will be on display there for the rest of the month, until it returns to the Oertijdmuseum, which is where we originally prepared the skeleton.
#dinosaurs
It will be on display there for the rest of the month, until it returns to the Oertijdmuseum, which is where we originally prepared the skeleton.
#dinosaurs
I haven't been posting much. But that doesn't mean I haven't been drawing any dinosaurs. 👀
September 29, 2025 at 6:12 PM
I haven't been posting much. But that doesn't mean I haven't been drawing any dinosaurs. 👀
I wrapped up a summer full of dinosaurs at Paul Sereno's Fossil Lab earlier this week. I had the privilege of working with a lot of great minds, on a lot of great projects.
August 31, 2025 at 6:28 PM
I wrapped up a summer full of dinosaurs at Paul Sereno's Fossil Lab earlier this week. I had the privilege of working with a lot of great minds, on a lot of great projects.
Hello #PortfolioDay!
I illustrate extinct animals and their environments.
I illustrate extinct animals and their environments.
April 8, 2025 at 1:25 PM
Hello #PortfolioDay!
I illustrate extinct animals and their environments.
I illustrate extinct animals and their environments.
Presented a poster today on my research on mammals from a new Lancian microsite.
The poster is in Dutch but don't worry, I'm almost done with the paper which will feature significantly more material anyway.
The poster is in Dutch but don't worry, I'm almost done with the paper which will feature significantly more material anyway.
April 5, 2025 at 6:48 PM
Presented a poster today on my research on mammals from a new Lancian microsite.
The poster is in Dutch but don't worry, I'm almost done with the paper which will feature significantly more material anyway.
The poster is in Dutch but don't worry, I'm almost done with the paper which will feature significantly more material anyway.
Solar eclipse at the museum today
March 29, 2025 at 11:33 AM
Solar eclipse at the museum today
Here are the original sketches I made last year. At the time I didn't have the intention of turning them into a full illustration but here we are.
March 2, 2025 at 1:57 PM
Here are the original sketches I made last year. At the time I didn't have the intention of turning them into a full illustration but here we are.
In case people are wondering about the crest: it is known that Spinosaurus had one, as the base of some have been found. Unfortunately no complete crests have been described, but seeing the extent of displays like the sail and tail, I find it likely the crest was quite prominent.
March 2, 2025 at 1:55 PM
In case people are wondering about the crest: it is known that Spinosaurus had one, as the base of some have been found. Unfortunately no complete crests have been described, but seeing the extent of displays like the sail and tail, I find it likely the crest was quite prominent.
Scalation is based on other theropods. Wrinkly neck as in Carnotaurus. Larger scales on the feet and square scales in rows on the tail, as in Concavenator. Despite some filaments being preserved on the mostly scaly Juravenator, my Spinosaurus is mostly bald (except for one spot).
March 2, 2025 at 1:54 PM
Scalation is based on other theropods. Wrinkly neck as in Carnotaurus. Larger scales on the feet and square scales in rows on the tail, as in Concavenator. Despite some filaments being preserved on the mostly scaly Juravenator, my Spinosaurus is mostly bald (except for one spot).
The skin around the snout sits quite tightly on the bone. As seen in vascular grooves, as well as bumps on the anterior portion of the maxilla which you can also see in my reconstruction.
March 2, 2025 at 1:53 PM
The skin around the snout sits quite tightly on the bone. As seen in vascular grooves, as well as bumps on the anterior portion of the maxilla which you can also see in my reconstruction.
The fragmentary nature of the specimens makes many aspects of Spinosaurus difficult to reconstruct. Depending on how the sail is reconstructed it may be M-shaped, or relatively round. The sail in my recontruction is mainly based on the reconstruction by Sereno and collegues.
March 2, 2025 at 1:52 PM
The fragmentary nature of the specimens makes many aspects of Spinosaurus difficult to reconstruct. Depending on how the sail is reconstructed it may be M-shaped, or relatively round. The sail in my recontruction is mainly based on the reconstruction by Sereno and collegues.
Many isolated Spinosaurus bones were also found in Morocco. These revealed that Spinosaurus possessed a long flexible neck and a snout with a large notch to ensnare prey such as large fish.
March 2, 2025 at 1:51 PM
Many isolated Spinosaurus bones were also found in Morocco. These revealed that Spinosaurus possessed a long flexible neck and a snout with a large notch to ensnare prey such as large fish.
A century later a similar partial skeleton was uncovered in Morocco. Work on this specimen is still ongoing but it expanded our understanding of the animal in that it preserved very short hindlimbs and a tall (and very long) tail.
March 2, 2025 at 1:51 PM
A century later a similar partial skeleton was uncovered in Morocco. Work on this specimen is still ongoing but it expanded our understanding of the animal in that it preserved very short hindlimbs and a tall (and very long) tail.
Per usual I'll post the fossils and reasoning behind my reconstruction in this thread.
Starting off with the history of discovery, the first Spinosaurus specimen was discovered during a German expedition in Egypt. The skeleton was eventually destroyed during a bombing in WWII.
Starting off with the history of discovery, the first Spinosaurus specimen was discovered during a German expedition in Egypt. The skeleton was eventually destroyed during a bombing in WWII.
March 2, 2025 at 1:50 PM
Per usual I'll post the fossils and reasoning behind my reconstruction in this thread.
Starting off with the history of discovery, the first Spinosaurus specimen was discovered during a German expedition in Egypt. The skeleton was eventually destroyed during a bombing in WWII.
Starting off with the history of discovery, the first Spinosaurus specimen was discovered during a German expedition in Egypt. The skeleton was eventually destroyed during a bombing in WWII.
Here are isolated versions of the Spinosaurus reconstruction, as well as some close-ups.
March 2, 2025 at 1:49 PM
Here are isolated versions of the Spinosaurus reconstruction, as well as some close-ups.
Spinosaurus aegyptiacus
An animal difficult to do justice with an illustration.
An animal difficult to do justice with an illustration.
March 2, 2025 at 1:48 PM
Spinosaurus aegyptiacus
An animal difficult to do justice with an illustration.
An animal difficult to do justice with an illustration.
Finally finished my Spinosaurus reconstruction today. Just have to write the thread now. I'll be posting it on sunday. In the meantime, have some titanosaurs.
February 28, 2025 at 11:50 PM
Finally finished my Spinosaurus reconstruction today. Just have to write the thread now. I'll be posting it on sunday. In the meantime, have some titanosaurs.
A cast of the new Archaeopteryx specimen that was published yesterday.
It's on display in the Oertijdmuseum in the Netherlands. Our senior curator Jonathan found the specimen in Germany a few years ago.
It's on display in the Oertijdmuseum in the Netherlands. Our senior curator Jonathan found the specimen in Germany a few years ago.
January 4, 2025 at 2:01 PM
A cast of the new Archaeopteryx specimen that was published yesterday.
It's on display in the Oertijdmuseum in the Netherlands. Our senior curator Jonathan found the specimen in Germany a few years ago.
It's on display in the Oertijdmuseum in the Netherlands. Our senior curator Jonathan found the specimen in Germany a few years ago.