Sarah Boessenecker, MSc. 🏛️🔭
@tetrameryx.bsky.social
Paleontologist, fossil librarian, amateur astronomer, cat mom
🌌📷⬇️
https://www.astrobin.com/users/tetrameryx/
🌌📷⬇️
https://www.astrobin.com/users/tetrameryx/
Pinned
This cat KNOWS he's pretty, and loves to ham it up for pictures 🖤🤍@coastalpaleo.bsky.social
Reposted by Sarah Boessenecker, MSc. 🏛️🔭
One of the incredible treasures we saw last week at the @nhm-london.bsky.social were some of Charles Darwin's actual pigeons - ones that factored into his formulation of Natural Selection, published in Origin of Species 166 years ago today. @tetrameryx.bsky.social
November 24, 2025 at 10:29 PM
One of the incredible treasures we saw last week at the @nhm-london.bsky.social were some of Charles Darwin's actual pigeons - ones that factored into his formulation of Natural Selection, published in Origin of Species 166 years ago today. @tetrameryx.bsky.social
November 25, 2025 at 5:20 PM
Reposted by Sarah Boessenecker, MSc. 🏛️🔭
New blog post: The Boesseneckers in Britain - a bit of a travelogue on our visit to the UK for the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology meeting, Sarah's very belated graduation, and some sightseeing in London. 🦖 #2025SVP @tetrameryx.bsky.social coastalpaleo.blogspot.com/2025/11/annu...
Annual Meeting of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology, 2025 - Birmingham, UK
Incredible northern lights illuminated our path across the North Atlantic - here photographed with a five second exposure. This one is more ...
coastalpaleo.blogspot.com
November 24, 2025 at 5:57 PM
New blog post: The Boesseneckers in Britain - a bit of a travelogue on our visit to the UK for the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology meeting, Sarah's very belated graduation, and some sightseeing in London. 🦖 #2025SVP @tetrameryx.bsky.social coastalpaleo.blogspot.com/2025/11/annu...
Reposted by Sarah Boessenecker, MSc. 🏛️🔭
#fossilfriday Sarah stands in for scale against the surprisingly large skeleton of the Jurassic pliosaur Rhomaleosaurus cramptoni, on display in the "Mary Anning hall" at @nhm-london.bsky.social. This is a cast of the type, from the Whitby Mudstone of Yorkshire. @tetrameryx.bsky.social #2025SVP
November 21, 2025 at 2:52 PM
#fossilfriday Sarah stands in for scale against the surprisingly large skeleton of the Jurassic pliosaur Rhomaleosaurus cramptoni, on display in the "Mary Anning hall" at @nhm-london.bsky.social. This is a cast of the type, from the Whitby Mudstone of Yorkshire. @tetrameryx.bsky.social #2025SVP
Reposted by Sarah Boessenecker, MSc. 🏛️🔭
In Oct 2025, 'Charges dropped against former College of Charleston paleontologist in case of missing fossils': allegations made against marine mammal expert Dr Bobby Boessenecker said to stem from "personal animosities and hidden agendas" www.postandcourier.com/news/crime/c... #fossils #FossilFriday
Charges dropped against former College of Charleston paleontologist in case of missing fossils
Charleston prosecutors dismissed charges against Robert Boessenecker and Sarah Jo Michalies of stealing about $8,000 worth of fossils and models.
www.postandcourier.com
November 14, 2025 at 12:22 PM
In Oct 2025, 'Charges dropped against former College of Charleston paleontologist in case of missing fossils': allegations made against marine mammal expert Dr Bobby Boessenecker said to stem from "personal animosities and hidden agendas" www.postandcourier.com/news/crime/c... #fossils #FossilFriday
Reposted by Sarah Boessenecker, MSc. 🏛️🔭
The welcome reception a couple nights ago at #2025svp! On display in hr Lapworth Museum is a familiar "face" from our days at MSU & MOR, a cast of the Allosaurus "Big Al".
November 14, 2025 at 6:30 AM
The welcome reception a couple nights ago at #2025svp! On display in hr Lapworth Museum is a familiar "face" from our days at MSU & MOR, a cast of the Allosaurus "Big Al".
Reposted by Sarah Boessenecker, MSc. 🏛️🔭
#fossilfriday This year at #2025svp I presented on these adorable little mandibles I discovered with @tetrameryx.bsky.social during some spring break fieldwork in Santa Cruz, CA - Pithanotaria, dwarf fur seal, 6-7 my, Purisima Formation
November 14, 2025 at 9:03 AM
#fossilfriday This year at #2025svp I presented on these adorable little mandibles I discovered with @tetrameryx.bsky.social during some spring break fieldwork in Santa Cruz, CA - Pithanotaria, dwarf fur seal, 6-7 my, Purisima Formation
Reposted by Sarah Boessenecker, MSc. 🏛️🔭
#fossilfriday An early fossil dolphin earbone (tympanic bulla) with the middle ear sinus just completely filled with little fecal pellets, revealed by acid preparation. From the Oligocene (26 myo) Pysht Formation of Washington. More on my blog: coastalpaleo.blogspot.com/2025/11/acid...
November 7, 2025 at 6:03 PM
#fossilfriday An early fossil dolphin earbone (tympanic bulla) with the middle ear sinus just completely filled with little fecal pellets, revealed by acid preparation. From the Oligocene (26 myo) Pysht Formation of Washington. More on my blog: coastalpaleo.blogspot.com/2025/11/acid...
Reposted by Sarah Boessenecker, MSc. 🏛️🔭
I have finally gotten back to work on drafting more #fossilexplainer comics for the book - I've been feeling like illustrating key taphonomic concepts. Here's nos. 63 and 64, on preservation bias - soft v. hard tissue preservation, and preservation as it relates to environment 🐡🦖🧪 #sciart
November 1, 2025 at 8:12 PM
I have finally gotten back to work on drafting more #fossilexplainer comics for the book - I've been feeling like illustrating key taphonomic concepts. Here's nos. 63 and 64, on preservation bias - soft v. hard tissue preservation, and preservation as it relates to environment 🐡🦖🧪 #sciart
Reposted by Sarah Boessenecker, MSc. 🏛️🔭
But what if the male dinosaurs were subs?
A key implication is that these injuries should only be sustained by females, so this might be a way to infer the sex of dinosaurs. The inability to infer males & females in dinosaurs has frustrated scientists since study began nearly 200 years ago! (art: Troco) /9
November 4, 2025 at 8:46 PM
But what if the male dinosaurs were subs?
Reposted by Sarah Boessenecker, MSc. 🏛️🔭
New blog post: invertebrate fecal pellets discovered inside ~28 million year old dolphin earbones - revealed by acid preparation. Who dealt 'em? Really brings a whole new meaning to "that sounds like shit". 💩💩💩 Read it here: coastalpaleo.blogspot.com/2025/11/acid...
November 3, 2025 at 6:49 PM
New blog post: invertebrate fecal pellets discovered inside ~28 million year old dolphin earbones - revealed by acid preparation. Who dealt 'em? Really brings a whole new meaning to "that sounds like shit". 💩💩💩 Read it here: coastalpaleo.blogspot.com/2025/11/acid...
Reposted by Sarah Boessenecker, MSc. 🏛️🔭
Fossil fur seal bones with unusual circular punctures - not from sharks, but mammals. Is this a result of predation (or infanticide) by another pinniped? Or predation by a terrestrial carnivore? Read more about the fur seal fossil record here: coastalpaleo.blogspot.com/2025/10/the-...
October 28, 2025 at 5:51 PM
Fossil fur seal bones with unusual circular punctures - not from sharks, but mammals. Is this a result of predation (or infanticide) by another pinniped? Or predation by a terrestrial carnivore? Read more about the fur seal fossil record here: coastalpaleo.blogspot.com/2025/10/the-...
Reposted by Sarah Boessenecker, MSc. 🏛️🔭
🦖🐬🧪An incredible "fossil brain" of a fossil fur seal (Thalassoleon macnallyae) from the Pliocene Purisima Formation near Santa Cruz. This incredible specimen preserves a cranial endocast with exquisite detail. Read more about fossil fur seals on my blog: coastalpaleo.blogspot.com/2025/10/the-...
October 27, 2025 at 3:26 PM
🦖🐬🧪An incredible "fossil brain" of a fossil fur seal (Thalassoleon macnallyae) from the Pliocene Purisima Formation near Santa Cruz. This incredible specimen preserves a cranial endocast with exquisite detail. Read more about fossil fur seals on my blog: coastalpaleo.blogspot.com/2025/10/the-...
🔭 #astronomy #astro #astrophoto #astrophotography
C/2025 A6 (Lemmon)
This comet was discovered in January 2025 by the Mount Lemmon Survey. It's a bright comet, visible through binoculars! It'll be back around and be visible from earth again in the year 3175, so make sure to mark your calendars 😂
C/2025 A6 (Lemmon)
This comet was discovered in January 2025 by the Mount Lemmon Survey. It's a bright comet, visible through binoculars! It'll be back around and be visible from earth again in the year 3175, so make sure to mark your calendars 😂
October 24, 2025 at 7:35 PM
🔭 #astronomy #astro #astrophoto #astrophotography
C/2025 A6 (Lemmon)
This comet was discovered in January 2025 by the Mount Lemmon Survey. It's a bright comet, visible through binoculars! It'll be back around and be visible from earth again in the year 3175, so make sure to mark your calendars 😂
C/2025 A6 (Lemmon)
This comet was discovered in January 2025 by the Mount Lemmon Survey. It's a bright comet, visible through binoculars! It'll be back around and be visible from earth again in the year 3175, so make sure to mark your calendars 😂
Reposted by Sarah Boessenecker, MSc. 🏛️🔭
For #fossilfriday here is the Golden Gate walrus - a partial snout and tusk of a walrus dredged from late Pleistocene sediments on the seafloor below the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco! This is the southernmost record of modern walrus in the eastern Pacific. On display @calacademy.bsky.social
October 24, 2025 at 3:53 PM
For #fossilfriday here is the Golden Gate walrus - a partial snout and tusk of a walrus dredged from late Pleistocene sediments on the seafloor below the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco! This is the southernmost record of modern walrus in the eastern Pacific. On display @calacademy.bsky.social
Reposted by Sarah Boessenecker, MSc. 🏛️🔭
In celebration of the 'Walrus' special on @pbs.org Nature tonight, here's a thread about the fossil record of walruses! Walruses have a surprisingly diverse fossil record, and until very recently, lived extensively on temperate and subtropical coastlines down to Florida and Baja. 1/ 🦖🐬🧪 #walrus
October 22, 2025 at 5:54 PM
Reposted by Sarah Boessenecker, MSc. 🏛️🔭
#toothtuesday Fur seals and sea lions evolved from ancestors with double-rooted teeth - but evolved single rooted teeth over the past five million years. Shown here is the 'anagenetic' evolution of the northern fur seal, Callorhinus ursinus. Read more here: coastalpaleo.blogspot.com/2025/10/the-...
October 21, 2025 at 5:17 PM
#toothtuesday Fur seals and sea lions evolved from ancestors with double-rooted teeth - but evolved single rooted teeth over the past five million years. Shown here is the 'anagenetic' evolution of the northern fur seal, Callorhinus ursinus. Read more here: coastalpaleo.blogspot.com/2025/10/the-...
Reposted by Sarah Boessenecker, MSc. 🏛️🔭
New blog post, and it's a long one: all about the fossil record and evolution of "eared seals" - or, the fur seals and sea lions. I review their anatomy, current and former diversity, phylogeny, macroevolutionary patterns, and sexual dimorphism. 🦖🦑🐬🧪 #marinemammals #paleontology #evolution
The fossil record and evolution of fur seals and sea lions - the family Otariidae
A life restoration of the early fur seal Pithanotaria , hiding within a kelp forest off the California coast during the late Miocene. Artwor...
coastalpaleo.blogspot.com
October 20, 2025 at 4:23 PM
New blog post, and it's a long one: all about the fossil record and evolution of "eared seals" - or, the fur seals and sea lions. I review their anatomy, current and former diversity, phylogeny, macroevolutionary patterns, and sexual dimorphism. 🦖🦑🐬🧪 #marinemammals #paleontology #evolution
Reposted by Sarah Boessenecker, MSc. 🏛️🔭
And finally, my favorite sightings: I got to snorkel with a bunch of sea lion pups in their nursery at La Jolla Cove! I didn't approach them: I basically just floated there and they would do 'flybys' every couple of minutes. This one was playing with a piece of kelp! 🤿🐬🦑 #snorkeling
October 19, 2025 at 4:08 PM
And finally, my favorite sightings: I got to snorkel with a bunch of sea lion pups in their nursery at La Jolla Cove! I didn't approach them: I basically just floated there and they would do 'flybys' every couple of minutes. This one was playing with a piece of kelp! 🤿🐬🦑 #snorkeling
Reposted by Sarah Boessenecker, MSc. 🏛️🔭
A small school of Pacific barracuda (Sphyraena argentea) - a bit smaller than the great barracuda you find in the Caribbean, and with a distinctive yellow tail; my first time seeing this species!
October 18, 2025 at 4:42 PM
A small school of Pacific barracuda (Sphyraena argentea) - a bit smaller than the great barracuda you find in the Caribbean, and with a distinctive yellow tail; my first time seeing this species!
October 19, 2025 at 4:17 PM
Reposted by Sarah Boessenecker, MSc. 🏛️🔭
#fossilfriday One of my favorite recent discoveries - the youngest record of the early ~7 myo 'dwarf' fur seal Pithanotaria starri, from the Purisima Formation of northern CA - only 90-100 cm long as an ADULT! I'll be presenting on this little cutie at SVP next month in the UK! #2025SVP 🦖🐬
October 17, 2025 at 5:16 PM
#fossilfriday One of my favorite recent discoveries - the youngest record of the early ~7 myo 'dwarf' fur seal Pithanotaria starri, from the Purisima Formation of northern CA - only 90-100 cm long as an ADULT! I'll be presenting on this little cutie at SVP next month in the UK! #2025SVP 🦖🐬
Reposted by Sarah Boessenecker, MSc. 🏛️🔭
Happy #nationalfossilday and #whalewednesday! This is Waharoa ruwhenua, a critical fossil for understanding the early evolution of baleen whales. Waharoa was discovered in 26 million year old limestone in New Zealand, and likely had both baleen AND vestigial teeth. 🧵1/
October 15, 2025 at 4:08 PM
Happy #nationalfossilday and #whalewednesday! This is Waharoa ruwhenua, a critical fossil for understanding the early evolution of baleen whales. Waharoa was discovered in 26 million year old limestone in New Zealand, and likely had both baleen AND vestigial teeth. 🧵1/
Reposted by Sarah Boessenecker, MSc. 🏛️🔭
Starting right now!
We'd love to have a huge turn out for Nic's talk. Please help spread the word. There are downloadable pdf adverts in the link below. They can be emailed or printed. If you work in a public space (e.g. Library) you could help by printing and posting one of the flyers. Ngā mihi nui!
October 13, 2025 at 10:00 PM
Starting right now!