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Tom Parker

@tomozaurus.bsky.social
3K followers 571 following 331 posts

Scientific researcher, author and illustrator focused on Palaeontology and Palaeobotany.

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Tom Parker @tomozaurus.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
An assortment of ferns from the Late Cretaceous of North America, as described by Holian et al. 2026. Specimens come from the Denver, Hell Creek and lower Raton Formations. I only included those found in the Cretaceous (and excluded a couple I deemed not worth illustrating.)
Illustrations of ferns from the Latest Cretaceous of North America. Illustration shows drawings of fern parts based on preserved fossil matieral as well as speculative life reconstructions of said ferns based on related modern species.
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Tom Parker @tomozaurus.bsky.social · 27/04/2026
Apatosaurus sketch while watching Apex (2026), based on an old GSP skeletal
apatosaurus sketch
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Tom Parker @tomozaurus.bsky.social · 02/03/2026
Sketch: dacentrurine and stegosaurine stegosaurs coexisting in the Morrison Formation
Pencil sketch. Foreground: two dacentrurine stegosaurs drinking from a stream in front of an embankment covered in a Gleichenia thicket. Equisetum grow by the streamside. In the background an adult and juvenile Stegosaurus wander through osmundaceous ferns. A Ptilophyllum-type bennettite stands from among the ferns.
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Tom Parker @tomozaurus.bsky.social · 01/03/2026
Alnashetri cerropoliciensis
Alnashetri cerropoliciensis pencil sketch
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Tom Parker @tomozaurus.bsky.social · 20/02/2026
Tired but couldn't help myself, so quick Spinosaurus mirabilis sketch. Proportions just taken from the paper (Sereno et al. 2026).
Spinosaurus mirabilis sketch
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Tom Parker @tomozaurus.bsky.social · 18/02/2026
Taurovenator violantei sketch (very much based on skeletal by Dan Folkes)
Taurovenator violantei pencil sketch. Large ventral and caudal scutes are like those found on Allosaurus and Concavenator. Vertical pointing "arrowhead" shaped scales inspired by those seen on Juravenator.
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Tom Parker @tomozaurus.bsky.social · 09/02/2026
Tyrannosaurus rex 2026 AMNH 5027 is the best one, sorry. In my mind there is no contest.
Pencil line reconstruction of Tyrannosaurus rex based on AMNH 5027, gaps filled with the holotype.
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Tom Parker @tomozaurus.bsky.social · 09/02/2026
The new iguanodont with novel skin coverings. In addition to the large scute-like scales on the tail, the body is covered with what the author's describe as "spikes". The largest ones are about 4 cm long but almost a cm thick, resembling short quills. The smaller ones are hair or eyelash-like.
Illustration of Haolong dongi with Laura Dern for scale (the animal is about the size of a large dog or a minature pony)Haolong dongi shown alongside the fossil with various close-ups of the preserved skin from Huang et al. 2026.
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Tom Parker @tomozaurus.bsky.social · 23/01/2026
I just read this passage in The Lost World (the Crichton one) describing the main villain, and it's hysterical how perfectly this describes Elon Musk.
Passage from The Lost World by Michael Crichton describing Lewis Dodgson as an unscrupulous hack whose only talent is stealing ideas from other people and presenting them as his own.
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Tom Parker @tomozaurus.bsky.social · 31/12/2025
The specimens of the new speices, Ohania is much smaller than this. The authors suggest it was probably shrub-sized. However, there are other large, thick trunks with Ptilophyllum leaves attached/associated so something like Brougham depicts is definitely on the table.
Bucklandia indica, a thick, scaled, cycad-like stem with a Ptilophyllum-type leaf attached.
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Tom Parker @tomozaurus.bsky.social · 30/12/2025
Check out this piece by Jason Broughham from 2013 btw, he was cooking. He even describes it as having Ptilophyllum leaves.
Reconstruction of a Williamsoniacean bennettitale baring Ptilophyllum type leaves by Jason Broughham from 2013. He almost perfectly predicts the growth habit revealed of Ptilophyllum-type bennies revealed with the 2025 publication of Ohaniella ptilofolia.
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Tom Parker @tomozaurus.bsky.social · 29/12/2025
Sketch studies of the new whole-plant bennettitale described last week, Ohaniella.
Sketch studies of the new whole-plant bennettitale described last week, Ohaniella.
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Tom Parker @tomozaurus.bsky.social · 13/12/2025
Look, the last time they looked like this, I'll take what I can get
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Tom Parker @tomozaurus.bsky.social · 01/12/2025
I haven't had much time or energy to do illustrations for myself lately, but yesterday I finally got the drive and managed to do two. This is Edmontosaurus annectens, incorporating the new soft-tissue data, as well as some inspiration from the re-described Red Willow Edmontosaurin.
Sketch reconstruction of a large Edmontosaurus annectens about 9 metres long (Laura Dern silhouette for scale), shown in side view with a frill-like soft-tissue ridge running from its neck to its hips. To the right is a smaller, fully coloured version of the same dinosaur, featuring patterning inspired by The Lost World: Jurassic Park arcade game.
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Tom Parker @tomozaurus.bsky.social · 01/12/2025
Nanotyrannus lancensis (pencil lines, 2025)
Nanotyrannus lancensis (pencil lines, 2025)
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Tom Parker @tomozaurus.bsky.social · 24/10/2025
I am losing my mind at the tiny babies oh my god
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Tom Parker @tomozaurus.bsky.social · 22/09/2025
I wanted to do something for this little guy (Zavacephale), especially because there are good plant fossils from the same formation he is found in, but this is all I had the energy for.
Pencil sketch of pachycephalosaur Zavacephale in its environment.Same illustration with featured species labelled. Zavacephale (pachycephalosaur), lycopodites (a lycophyte), equisetites (a horsetail), coniopteris, onychiopsis (dicksoniaceae ferns), nageia (podocarpaceae), abies-like pine.
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Tom Parker @tomozaurus.bsky.social · 19/07/2025
New dromaeosaurid, Shri rapax. What an amazing fossil!
Sketch of the dromaesaurid Shri rapax with the fossil
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Tom Parker @tomozaurus.bsky.social · 07/07/2025
Let me cook
Edited shot from Jurassic World Rebirth showing the head crest of Thalassodromeus visible between the aisles of the convenience store like a shark's fin.
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Tom Parker @tomozaurus.bsky.social · 07/07/2025
I've seen lots of suggestions for what real prehistoric animal could have replaced the "mutadon" in Jurassic World Rebirth. Having seen the film now, I couldn't stop thinking what if it was a ground-dwelling predatory pterosaur, like has been suggested for Thalassodromeus.
Drawing of the pterosaur Thalassodromeus with colors inspired by the "Mutadon" from Jurassic World Rebirth.
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Tom Parker @tomozaurus.bsky.social · 02/07/2025
Its my birthday today, and good news! You can celebrate by reading my fully illustrated new article on the prehistoric animals of Jurassic World Dominion, what we know of their life appearance & behavior, and how that compares to the film: jurassicparkterror.com/jurassic-par...
Quetzalcoatlus mounts an aeroplane
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Tom Parker @tomozaurus.bsky.social · 28/06/2025
I have been enjoying doing these environment sketches in what little time I have.
Quick thumbnail sketches of Two Medicine Formation and Cloverly Formation environments.
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Tom Parker @tomozaurus.bsky.social · 22/06/2025
A few silly guys
Coloured pencil sketch of CompsognathusColoured pencil sketch of Tenontosaurus, grayscale thumbnail sketch of Stegosaurus posing with Coniopteris ferns and a fallen log
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Tom Parker @tomozaurus.bsky.social · 04/06/2025
Today I can share the Cretaceous angiosperms (for the Temperate and Tropical biomes) and Cretaceous Wetland plants I designed for Prehistoric Kingdom.
Diagramic reconstructions of a number of Cretaceous angiosperms for Prehistoric Kingdom's Mesozoic Temperate and Mesozoic Tropical biomes (2023).Diagramic reconstructions of extinct plants for Prehistoric Kingdom's Mesozoic Swamp biome (2023).
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Tom Parker @tomozaurus.bsky.social · 28/05/2025
I really like how these lines look and now I'm afraid to do anything else to them
lineart sketch of tyrannosaurus rex
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Tom Parker @tomozaurus.bsky.social · 21/05/2025
Lowkey obssessed with the Rebirth rex
Pencil sketches of the Tyrannosaurus from the Jurassic World Rebirth trailer
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Tom Parker @tomozaurus.bsky.social · 14/05/2025
I can now share the "Jurassic Scrub" plants I designed/reconstructed for Prehistoric Kingdom!
Scientific diagram of a Jurassic Araucaria, based mostly on Araucaria delevoryasii from the Morrison Formation.Reconstruction/Diagram of Kimuriella with leaves based on Zamites species from formations featured in the game, total form based on Kimuriella densifolia and Kimuriella/Zamites gigas.Jurassic Gleichenia-lineage plant based mostly on Gleichenia pulchella.Reconstruction of a "Cupressinocladus" type cheirolepidiaceous conifer, drawing from various Jurassic and Early Cretaceous preserved logs and branches.
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Tom Parker @tomozaurus.bsky.social · 01/05/2025
No shade to the authors, it's not their fault I know, but God I hate textbook prices. Like what do you MEAN it's 230 buck for the kindle version??
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Tom Parker @tomozaurus.bsky.social · 06/04/2025
8am Velociraptor sketch, as you do.
Pencil sketch of Velociraptor mongoliensis, figure of holotype fossil is used for the background.
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Tom Parker @tomozaurus.bsky.social · 27/03/2025
Is it worth posting ultra ultra low detail sketches like this? Obviously inspired by two new papers, the therizinosaur Duonychus, and evidence for face-biting behavior in hererrasaurids.
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Tom Parker @tomozaurus.bsky.social · 27/03/2025
There's a nice one in the 2021 Hone & Holtz ecology paper, @danpalaeon.bsky.social also has a good one, and of course Scott Hartman has one. palaeo-electronica.org/content/2021...
Spinosaurus skeletal drawings from Hone & Holtz 2021.Spinosaurus skeletal drawing by Dan FolkesSpinosaurus skeletal drawing by Scott Hartman
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Tom Parker @tomozaurus.bsky.social · 13/03/2025
This might be controversial because I'm positive there are fans that like this, but I really don't like how they started giving the dinosaurs basically video game skins instead of distinct male, female and juvenile variants. It's especially bad in the cartoon shows.
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Tom Parker @tomozaurus.bsky.social · 07/03/2025
What if I said I kinda suspect they got the idea to give Titanosaurus fins by googling "Titanosaurus" and getting a bunch of images of the kaiju
Screenshot of the Titanosaurus from Jurassic World RebirthScreenshot of the kaiju Titanosaurus (Terror of MechaGodzilla, 1975)
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Tom Parker @tomozaurus.bsky.social · 28/02/2025
I'm sorry but I like this so much better, if they give us the option I am taking off the stupid hat at the first available opportunity
Tweet from "MandJTV" reading "thank god for character customization bc I am burning that slimy street magician's fedora immediately" in reference to the character designs from Pokemon Legends ZAQuick edit by me of the female protagonist with the hat removed.
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Tom Parker @tomozaurus.bsky.social · 24/02/2025
Also this cladogram is quite good except for the fact that it has turtles outside amniotes for some reason?? In fact if turtles and mammals were flipped the chart would be 100% correct.
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Tom Parker @tomozaurus.bsky.social · 24/02/2025
I'm reading The Science of Jurassic Park and The Lost World (DeSalle & Lindley 1997) and they are currently discussing the possibility of finding a piece of Mesozoic dinosaur in amber, and obviously it's funny that this has now actually happened a few times.
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Tom Parker @tomozaurus.bsky.social · 22/02/2025
Sketch of a diplodocid with cycadales and araucarialesPhoto of a mounted diplodocid skeleton
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Tom Parker @tomozaurus.bsky.social · 13/02/2025
Got home from work and immediately threw together a quick sketch of the new Jurassic dinosaur Baminornis, which preserves the earliest known example of a pygostyle (the fused tail bones that support the tail feathers in modern birds).
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Tom Parker @tomozaurus.bsky.social · 08/02/2025
Already torturing myself I'm afraid
Rough colour sketches of Hatzegopteryx, Tyrannosaurus and "Titanosaurus" (Isisaurus with a diplodocid-like tail and small sails) depicted with colours and other features based on designs from the Jurassic World Rebirth trailer. Referenced skeletals by Greg S Paul (Tyrannosaurus), Mark Witton (Hatzegopteryx) and Scott Hartman (Isisaurus).
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Tom Parker @tomozaurus.bsky.social · 06/02/2025
I still think the head is ugly but if it looks like this that is a W imo
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Tom Parker @tomozaurus.bsky.social · 01/02/2025
Big silly guy
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Tom Parker @tomozaurus.bsky.social · 30/01/2025
OK here you go
Witchmon card from the Digimon TCG
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Tom Parker @tomozaurus.bsky.social · 21/01/2025
I've got the go ahead to post concept art I did for the Video Game Prehistoric Kingdom. I helped with the design of their Palaeobotany system. First up are the ferns and trees from the 'Coastal' biome. Check out the Dev Diary below to see some of those plants as in-game models!
Reconstructions of the mesozoic ferns Coniopteris and ToditesReconstructions of the Mesozoic trees Elatides and Ginkgo
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Tom Parker @tomozaurus.bsky.social · 20/01/2025
I had a weird memory of a Pokemon Poster I had in the 90s really early on, like when Red & Blue had just released, that had bizarre names on a lot of the Pokemon. Remembering it as an adult I figured it must've been some weird bootleg, but turns out it was a real thing!
Australian 1998 Pre-Release Pokemon Poster with the monsters listed under their Beta names.
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Tom Parker @tomozaurus.bsky.social · 18/01/2025
First art of 2025, a bunch of VERY quick, very loose sketches
loose sketches of various mesozoic animals and plants
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Tom Parker @tomozaurus.bsky.social · 12/01/2025
💚
Ginkgo leaf shaped like a heart
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Tom Parker @tomozaurus.bsky.social · 30/12/2024
Laura Dern as Ellie Sattler in Jurassic ParkLaura Dern as Ellie Sattler in Jurassic Park
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Tom Parker @tomozaurus.bsky.social · 30/12/2024
Here are examples from the University of Oregon, @skeletaldrawing.bsky.social @sketchy-raptor.bsky.social and @danpalaeon.bsky.social showing what I feel is a more natural articulation of the rib-cage and pectoral girdle.
University of OregonScott HartmanMatt DempseyDan Folks
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Tom Parker @tomozaurus.bsky.social · 30/12/2024
...but in doing so I think I found what the answer is myself. Its got to be primarily coming from the Field Museaum Sue mount right? And like, I don't mean this in a super critical way, I understand that skeletal mounts are extremely difficult to do, but the pectoral girdle is out of position right?
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Tom Parker @tomozaurus.bsky.social · 30/12/2024
So I drew this little diagram here with the intention to ask about a trend I'd seen in recent palaeoart to do soft-tissue on Tyrannosaurus rex like illustrated in green. I wanted to know where this came from, as it is frequently touted as the new "accurate" way to do this by a lot of people...
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