Christiana Garros
@chrissygarros.bsky.social
🇨🇦🇧🇷| Edmonton | U of Alberta | MSc student in paleontology studying theropod foot pathologies 🦖 | she/her
Share to scare a Nanotyrannus denier
Happy Halloweeeeen! 🎃
Happy Halloweeeeen! 🎃
October 31, 2025 at 7:32 AM
Share to scare a Nanotyrannus denier
Happy Halloweeeeen! 🎃
Happy Halloweeeeen! 🎃
#livefromthefield
Work resumes on "Scorpio" the Lambeosaurus lambei whose quarry was reopened last year. While last year we collected the skull, this year the body blocks are revealing vast swaths of skin underneath! Exciting!
Work resumes on "Scorpio" the Lambeosaurus lambei whose quarry was reopened last year. While last year we collected the skull, this year the body blocks are revealing vast swaths of skin underneath! Exciting!
June 13, 2025 at 4:51 PM
#livefromthefield
Work resumes on "Scorpio" the Lambeosaurus lambei whose quarry was reopened last year. While last year we collected the skull, this year the body blocks are revealing vast swaths of skin underneath! Exciting!
Work resumes on "Scorpio" the Lambeosaurus lambei whose quarry was reopened last year. While last year we collected the skull, this year the body blocks are revealing vast swaths of skin underneath! Exciting!
Overall, I am very happy with this project. I would like to sincerely thank my coauthors and many mentors and friends I've made along the way. I would also like to thank the guest editors of the special issue Mateusz Wosik and @funstonpaleo.bsky.social . I am excited to see the full thing!
April 21, 2025 at 4:08 PM
Overall, I am very happy with this project. I would like to sincerely thank my coauthors and many mentors and friends I've made along the way. I would also like to thank the guest editors of the special issue Mateusz Wosik and @funstonpaleo.bsky.social . I am excited to see the full thing!
Stranger however, is that there appear to be two growth trajectories present even among the healthy individuals. One with an earlier growth spurt and plateau (blue, red, orange?), and another with a later one (teal, black, green)
April 21, 2025 at 4:08 PM
Stranger however, is that there appear to be two growth trajectories present even among the healthy individuals. One with an earlier growth spurt and plateau (blue, red, orange?), and another with a later one (teal, black, green)
We were curious how, (if at all), these pathologies impacted growth in these animals, so we measured area within cyclical growth marks. While it appears TMP1992.036.0720 (red) may have experienced reduced growth, the other two (black and teal) seem relatively unaffected
April 21, 2025 at 4:08 PM
We were curious how, (if at all), these pathologies impacted growth in these animals, so we measured area within cyclical growth marks. While it appears TMP1992.036.0720 (red) may have experienced reduced growth, the other two (black and teal) seem relatively unaffected
Unlike the other two specimens, the trauma in this one appeared to have happened earlier in life and was more widely impacting. Severe resorption at the distal end suggests chronic inflammation at the distal joint that may have resulted in lameness and subsequent injuries
April 21, 2025 at 4:08 PM
Unlike the other two specimens, the trauma in this one appeared to have happened earlier in life and was more widely impacting. Severe resorption at the distal end suggests chronic inflammation at the distal joint that may have resulted in lameness and subsequent injuries
The third specimen however, was a little bit more complicated. TMP1992.036.0720 consisted of a severely deformed MTIV (pictured here) and a slightly deformed MTII
April 21, 2025 at 4:08 PM
The third specimen however, was a little bit more complicated. TMP1992.036.0720 consisted of a severely deformed MTIV (pictured here) and a slightly deformed MTII
Speaking of stress, we selected three pathologic specimens we deemed good candidates for histology. Two of these appear to have relatively straightforward conditions. A superficial cortical fracture, and an enthesophyte turned chip fracture in another.
April 21, 2025 at 4:08 PM
Speaking of stress, we selected three pathologic specimens we deemed good candidates for histology. Two of these appear to have relatively straightforward conditions. A superficial cortical fracture, and an enthesophyte turned chip fracture in another.
By taking full cross-sections and sampling across the entire metatarsus, we were able to map where along the metatarsus different bone types occur, which parts grow and finish growing first, and where the stresses concentrate (as shown by Haversian bone)
April 21, 2025 at 4:08 PM
By taking full cross-sections and sampling across the entire metatarsus, we were able to map where along the metatarsus different bone types occur, which parts grow and finish growing first, and where the stresses concentrate (as shown by Haversian bone)
Fortunately, metatarsals are among the most commonly found and recognized isolated troodontid elements from the Dinosaur Park Formation, and this combined with the generosity of the lovely folks at the Royal Tyrrell, allowed us to section 11 specimens!
April 21, 2025 at 4:08 PM
Fortunately, metatarsals are among the most commonly found and recognized isolated troodontid elements from the Dinosaur Park Formation, and this combined with the generosity of the lovely folks at the Royal Tyrrell, allowed us to section 11 specimens!
So we set forth to sample as many metatarsals as we could in hopes of not only exploring the growth of troodontids from the DPF (which had never been done prior) but also to diagnose pathologies we found and see how they related to the animal's life stage or impacted growth.
April 21, 2025 at 4:08 PM
So we set forth to sample as many metatarsals as we could in hopes of not only exploring the growth of troodontids from the DPF (which had never been done prior) but also to diagnose pathologies we found and see how they related to the animal's life stage or impacted growth.
My lovely colleagues Mark Powers and @a-dyer-wolf.bsky.social introduced me to the world of histology, and how it can be used not just to help diagnose pathologies like the one above, but also explore the life history of these animals (the first section we made shown here)
April 21, 2025 at 4:08 PM
My lovely colleagues Mark Powers and @a-dyer-wolf.bsky.social introduced me to the world of histology, and how it can be used not just to help diagnose pathologies like the one above, but also explore the life history of these animals (the first section we made shown here)
At the 2022 SVP meeting, I presented the preliminary findings of my metatarsal pathology survey, among which was an unusually high occurrence of pathologies in troodontids. This paired with their weird anatomy, was hard to ignore, so I decided this taxon warranted a closer look
April 21, 2025 at 4:08 PM
At the 2022 SVP meeting, I presented the preliminary findings of my metatarsal pathology survey, among which was an unusually high occurrence of pathologies in troodontids. This paired with their weird anatomy, was hard to ignore, so I decided this taxon warranted a closer look
In particular, I became fascinated with the troodontids and their unusual modified arctometarsus (pictured on the right), which features an enlarged MTIV and reduced, laterally compressed MTII for bearing the raptorial digit.
April 21, 2025 at 4:08 PM
In particular, I became fascinated with the troodontids and their unusual modified arctometarsus (pictured on the right), which features an enlarged MTIV and reduced, laterally compressed MTII for bearing the raptorial digit.
In 2019, I begun my histology and pathology journey at the Royal Tyrrell Museum surveying theropod metatarsals for signs of injury and disease. I was interested in theropod feet because of their similarity to those of birds, and metatarsals because of their varied morphologies
April 21, 2025 at 4:08 PM
In 2019, I begun my histology and pathology journey at the Royal Tyrrell Museum surveying theropod metatarsals for signs of injury and disease. I was interested in theropod feet because of their similarity to those of birds, and metatarsals because of their varied morphologies
Published yesterday in @journalofanatomy.bsky.social with open access, we demonstrate how tiny slices of isolated bones (in this case, troodontid metatarsals) can provide a wealth of information on the growth, lifestyle, and injuries of these animals. (🧵) (Troodontid art by Henry Sharpe )
April 21, 2025 at 4:08 PM
Published yesterday in @journalofanatomy.bsky.social with open access, we demonstrate how tiny slices of isolated bones (in this case, troodontid metatarsals) can provide a wealth of information on the growth, lifestyle, and injuries of these animals. (🧵) (Troodontid art by Henry Sharpe )
Velociraptor mongoliensis - colour pencils and gel pen on paper
Pattern and colours based on the greater roadrunner (my favorite paleoart trope)
Pattern and colours based on the greater roadrunner (my favorite paleoart trope)
January 6, 2025 at 10:03 PM
Velociraptor mongoliensis - colour pencils and gel pen on paper
Pattern and colours based on the greater roadrunner (my favorite paleoart trope)
Pattern and colours based on the greater roadrunner (my favorite paleoart trope)
Art vs. Artist 2024!
January 1, 2025 at 1:01 AM
Art vs. Artist 2024!
Last paleoart piece of 2024!
Carnotaurus sastrei- colour pencils on paper
What a weird looking animal
Carnotaurus sastrei- colour pencils on paper
What a weird looking animal
December 31, 2024 at 9:33 PM
Last paleoart piece of 2024!
Carnotaurus sastrei- colour pencils on paper
What a weird looking animal
Carnotaurus sastrei- colour pencils on paper
What a weird looking animal
#FossilFriday Check out this ankylosaurid osteoderm from Dinosaur Park! While these bones are famous for forming the thick armour of these animals, some osteoderms were really thin! This one is incredibly concave on the underside and less than a centimetre thick in most places
December 6, 2024 at 10:17 PM
#FossilFriday Check out this ankylosaurid osteoderm from Dinosaur Park! While these bones are famous for forming the thick armour of these animals, some osteoderms were really thin! This one is incredibly concave on the underside and less than a centimetre thick in most places
If you see this, post a dino!
Acheroraptor - white conté on black paper
Acheroraptor - white conté on black paper
December 2, 2024 at 9:31 AM
If you see this, post a dino!
Acheroraptor - white conté on black paper
Acheroraptor - white conté on black paper
'You were here'
Homotherium latidens
Watercolor pencils on paper
Homotherium latidens
Watercolor pencils on paper
November 21, 2024 at 8:47 PM
'You were here'
Homotherium latidens
Watercolor pencils on paper
Homotherium latidens
Watercolor pencils on paper
Nasutoceratops sketch - watercolor pencil on medium grain paper
Based on a photo of a Sichuan Takin I took at the zoo
Based on a photo of a Sichuan Takin I took at the zoo
November 19, 2024 at 4:16 AM
Nasutoceratops sketch - watercolor pencil on medium grain paper
Based on a photo of a Sichuan Takin I took at the zoo
Based on a photo of a Sichuan Takin I took at the zoo
This cute 0.5'd goober inspired by a picture taken by my colleague
November 18, 2024 at 5:42 AM
This cute 0.5'd goober inspired by a picture taken by my colleague
Hesperonychus elizabethae - pencil crayons and pen
November 18, 2024 at 5:09 AM
Hesperonychus elizabethae - pencil crayons and pen