Dave Rodland
@daverodland.bsky.social
Geologist to the 3rd degree and (formerly) professional necromancer. Paleoecology, taphonomy, stratigraphy, marine biology ... all things Earth history. Living in the past and talking to dead things since the late Holocene.
December 7, 2025 at 6:25 PM
Good morning butterflies! I hear you like #Crustmas, so we put barnacles on your barnacles so you can host more epibionts while you epibiont.
December 6, 2025 at 2:28 PM
Good morning butterflies! I hear you like #Crustmas, so we put barnacles on your barnacles so you can host more epibionts while you epibiont.
Got some of those too!
Well, had. Since these were recent, they might not have ended up going to the Cincinnati Museum with the bulk of the fossil material.
Well, had. Since these were recent, they might not have ended up going to the Cincinnati Museum with the bulk of the fossil material.
December 6, 2025 at 12:59 AM
Got some of those too!
Well, had. Since these were recent, they might not have ended up going to the Cincinnati Museum with the bulk of the fossil material.
Well, had. Since these were recent, they might not have ended up going to the Cincinnati Museum with the bulk of the fossil material.
#FossilFriday comes with an extra dose of #Crustmas tonight! ⚒️🧪
Ostracodes don't get a whole lot of attention among the general public, and so not a lot of love. But these bivalved crustaceans have quite the fossil record and thrive yet today, much as they try to pretend to be mollusks.
Ostracodes don't get a whole lot of attention among the general public, and so not a lot of love. But these bivalved crustaceans have quite the fossil record and thrive yet today, much as they try to pretend to be mollusks.
December 6, 2025 at 12:25 AM
#FossilFriday comes with an extra dose of #Crustmas tonight! ⚒️🧪
Ostracodes don't get a whole lot of attention among the general public, and so not a lot of love. But these bivalved crustaceans have quite the fossil record and thrive yet today, much as they try to pretend to be mollusks.
Ostracodes don't get a whole lot of attention among the general public, and so not a lot of love. But these bivalved crustaceans have quite the fossil record and thrive yet today, much as they try to pretend to be mollusks.
#Crustmas is getting pretty crowded, isn't it?
Here are some gooseneck barnacles (Pollicipes polymerus) facing off against mussels in a contest for surface coverage in the intertidal. Asteroids lurk to even up the playing field, bringing the Paine, as it were.
The rest of the rock is boring. ⚒️🧪🦪
Here are some gooseneck barnacles (Pollicipes polymerus) facing off against mussels in a contest for surface coverage in the intertidal. Asteroids lurk to even up the playing field, bringing the Paine, as it were.
The rest of the rock is boring. ⚒️🧪🦪
December 5, 2025 at 11:37 AM
#Crustmas is getting pretty crowded, isn't it?
Here are some gooseneck barnacles (Pollicipes polymerus) facing off against mussels in a contest for surface coverage in the intertidal. Asteroids lurk to even up the playing field, bringing the Paine, as it were.
The rest of the rock is boring. ⚒️🧪🦪
Here are some gooseneck barnacles (Pollicipes polymerus) facing off against mussels in a contest for surface coverage in the intertidal. Asteroids lurk to even up the playing field, bringing the Paine, as it were.
The rest of the rock is boring. ⚒️🧪🦪
On the 4th day of #Crustmas my true love gave to me ...
Hmm. Nope. Crab taxonomy is not my bag. Possibly the Pacific rock crab, Cancer antennarius?
Northern Oregon coast.
Hmm. Nope. Crab taxonomy is not my bag. Possibly the Pacific rock crab, Cancer antennarius?
Northern Oregon coast.
December 5, 2025 at 12:41 AM
On the 4th day of #Crustmas my true love gave to me ...
Hmm. Nope. Crab taxonomy is not my bag. Possibly the Pacific rock crab, Cancer antennarius?
Northern Oregon coast.
Hmm. Nope. Crab taxonomy is not my bag. Possibly the Pacific rock crab, Cancer antennarius?
Northern Oregon coast.
Reminds me of this gem from the old teaching collection ... Jack Kovach apparently had a very specific sense of humor.
December 4, 2025 at 8:54 PM
Reminds me of this gem from the old teaching collection ... Jack Kovach apparently had a very specific sense of humor.
The naughty list:
December 3, 2025 at 10:55 PM
The naughty list:
Everybody loves crabs, even sea anemones! Although, as with a soft-shelled crab sandwich, maybe the crabs don't always appreciate the attention.
Mind you, anemones are somewhat discerning connoisseurs. Drop an articulate brachiopod in one, it'll spit it right back out. Ick.
#Crustmas, OR coast 🦀
Mind you, anemones are somewhat discerning connoisseurs. Drop an articulate brachiopod in one, it'll spit it right back out. Ick.
#Crustmas, OR coast 🦀
December 3, 2025 at 11:46 AM
Everybody loves crabs, even sea anemones! Although, as with a soft-shelled crab sandwich, maybe the crabs don't always appreciate the attention.
Mind you, anemones are somewhat discerning connoisseurs. Drop an articulate brachiopod in one, it'll spit it right back out. Ick.
#Crustmas, OR coast 🦀
Mind you, anemones are somewhat discerning connoisseurs. Drop an articulate brachiopod in one, it'll spit it right back out. Ick.
#Crustmas, OR coast 🦀
December 3, 2025 at 2:17 AM
Oh! Brachiosaurus replica at Chicago O'Hare Airport:
December 3, 2025 at 2:14 AM
Oh! Brachiosaurus replica at Chicago O'Hare Airport:
Hey, gang! It's #TrilobiteTuesday ⚒️🧪
This is Ptychagnostus, a small agnostid trilobite from the Marjum shale of Utah. While their religious affinities remain uncertain, agnostids were among the oldest skeletal body fossils and probably true trilobites, albeit the sister group to the rest.
This is Ptychagnostus, a small agnostid trilobite from the Marjum shale of Utah. While their religious affinities remain uncertain, agnostids were among the oldest skeletal body fossils and probably true trilobites, albeit the sister group to the rest.
December 2, 2025 at 9:10 PM
Hey, gang! It's #TrilobiteTuesday ⚒️🧪
This is Ptychagnostus, a small agnostid trilobite from the Marjum shale of Utah. While their religious affinities remain uncertain, agnostids were among the oldest skeletal body fossils and probably true trilobites, albeit the sister group to the rest.
This is Ptychagnostus, a small agnostid trilobite from the Marjum shale of Utah. While their religious affinities remain uncertain, agnostids were among the oldest skeletal body fossils and probably true trilobites, albeit the sister group to the rest.
From the Carnegie Museum of Natural History: the classic Apatosaurus and Diplodocus mounts
December 2, 2025 at 7:16 PM
From the Carnegie Museum of Natural History: the classic Apatosaurus and Diplodocus mounts
More perspectives on Galeamopus and a juvenile diplodocine:
December 2, 2025 at 7:09 PM
More perspectives on Galeamopus and a juvenile diplodocine:
Apatosaurus wall mount, still Cincinnati:
December 2, 2025 at 7:09 PM
Apatosaurus wall mount, still Cincinnati:
Some skulls from Cincinnati:
December 2, 2025 at 7:09 PM
Some skulls from Cincinnati:
Lessee here, what have I got? From the Cincinnati Museum Center:
December 2, 2025 at 7:09 PM
Lessee here, what have I got? From the Cincinnati Museum Center:
Nothing like the deafening silence of fresh snow falling. ❄️
December 2, 2025 at 11:04 AM
Nothing like the deafening silence of fresh snow falling. ❄️
December has fallen like a long-runout rock avalanche, and I didn't get you anything for Crustmas. Sorry, was always a weakness in the collection. But it's #MolluskMonday ⚒️🧪!
So, these kinda look like they'd make great 🎄 ornaments, right?
Bellerophontids were weird planispiral mollusks, probably 🐌
So, these kinda look like they'd make great 🎄 ornaments, right?
Bellerophontids were weird planispiral mollusks, probably 🐌
December 1, 2025 at 10:53 PM
December has fallen like a long-runout rock avalanche, and I didn't get you anything for Crustmas. Sorry, was always a weakness in the collection. But it's #MolluskMonday ⚒️🧪!
So, these kinda look like they'd make great 🎄 ornaments, right?
Bellerophontids were weird planispiral mollusks, probably 🐌
So, these kinda look like they'd make great 🎄 ornaments, right?
Bellerophontids were weird planispiral mollusks, probably 🐌
There has been some debate historically, with some workers placing them outside of crown group Gastropoda. The general form is dextrally coiled, with one surface flattened and the living chamber expanding upwards as well as outwards during growth. It had an operculum, and movement seems impractical.
November 28, 2025 at 2:09 PM
There has been some debate historically, with some workers placing them outside of crown group Gastropoda. The general form is dextrally coiled, with one surface flattened and the living chamber expanding upwards as well as outwards during growth. It had an operculum, and movement seems impractical.
When #FossilFriday is also Black Friday, one looks for black fossils ... bonus points if they were apparently purchased from a science supplier like Wards. This on is a large specimen of Maclurites, an Ordovician taxon generally believed to be sedentary, suspension feeding gastropods.
November 28, 2025 at 2:09 PM
When #FossilFriday is also Black Friday, one looks for black fossils ... bonus points if they were apparently purchased from a science supplier like Wards. This on is a large specimen of Maclurites, an Ordovician taxon generally believed to be sedentary, suspension feeding gastropods.
Happy Thanksgiving, to all who celebrate. May you be the one feasting on turkey-sized paravian theropods, and not the other way around!
And to those condemned to battling family upon the occasion, may the strength of a million raptors course through your veins.
And to those condemned to battling family upon the occasion, may the strength of a million raptors course through your veins.
November 27, 2025 at 6:42 PM
Happy Thanksgiving, to all who celebrate. May you be the one feasting on turkey-sized paravian theropods, and not the other way around!
And to those condemned to battling family upon the occasion, may the strength of a million raptors course through your veins.
And to those condemned to battling family upon the occasion, may the strength of a million raptors course through your veins.
You've just died. The 6th picture in your gallery is what killed you.
This is why we don't let anyone borrow our phone, people. No matter how cute they seem.
This is why we don't let anyone borrow our phone, people. No matter how cute they seem.
November 27, 2025 at 1:33 PM
You've just died. The 6th picture in your gallery is what killed you.
This is why we don't let anyone borrow our phone, people. No matter how cute they seem.
This is why we don't let anyone borrow our phone, people. No matter how cute they seem.
Yeah, these guys are Welsh!
Caesar's Creek, you get these guys ...
Caesar's Creek, you get these guys ...
November 26, 2025 at 12:45 AM
Yeah, these guys are Welsh!
Caesar's Creek, you get these guys ...
Caesar's Creek, you get these guys ...
#TrilobiteTuesday has crept up on us again in the dark, twilight waters of the Welsh Ordovician. This one is Trinucleus, a blind trilobite characterized by a pitted fringe along the anterior margin of the cephalon.
November 25, 2025 at 9:50 PM
#TrilobiteTuesday has crept up on us again in the dark, twilight waters of the Welsh Ordovician. This one is Trinucleus, a blind trilobite characterized by a pitted fringe along the anterior margin of the cephalon.