Sign in

Prof. Christine Böhmer

@vertevo.bsky.social
244 followers 250 following 73 posts

Palaebiologist | Paläobiologin | Research | Forschung @kieluni 🇩🇪🇪🇺 #Palaeontology #Zoology #Evolution #Anatomy #Vertebrae #Archosaurs 🐊🐦🐀 @BoehmerGroup

PostsRepliesMedia
Reposted by Prof. Christine Böhmer
Erin Dillon @erinmdillon.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
How many #sharks should there be on a coral #reef? Our new publication in Science tackles this question using thousands of fossil shark dermal denticles—tiny, tooth-like scales that are shed and preserve in sediments—from Panama's two oceans. Check it out here: doi.org/10.1126/scie...
13316
Prof. Christine Böhmer @vertevo.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
Faster than terrestrial carnivores: our results suggest that craniomandibular function is achieved early in Harbor seals. Steinbach, Schaar & Böhmer @vertevo.bsky.social 2026 @anatrecord.bsky.social Postnatal craniomandibular growth in Harbor #seals (Phoca vitulina vitulina) doi.org/10.1002/ar.7...
032
Reposted by Prof. Christine Böhmer
Didier B. Dutheil @didierdutheil.bsky.social · 09/08/2026
⚠️ "New article alert: The rise of carnivoran mammals in Europe through the lens of body mass". By @val-fisch.bsky.social, Floréal Solé, Kevin Le Verger, Bastien Mennecart, Melvin Vankelst, @narimanechatar.bsky.social, Robert P. Speijer, Stéphane Peigné & Thierry Smith ➡️ doi.org/10.1098/rsbl...
156
Reposted by Prof. Christine Böhmer
Brandon Moore, PhD @rando.insalubrio.us · 09/08/2026
Researchers found a lost set of megalodon vertebrae in a Danish museum collection. These fossils are record-breaking and support the idea that this giant shark grew to over 24 meters long! 🧪 palaeo-electronica.org/content/2026...
A massive megalodon preying upon the whale Cethoterium.

Credit:
Hugo Salais
14217
Reposted by Prof. Christine Böhmer
Caley Orr @caleyorr.bsky.social · 08/08/2026
"These findings support the hypothesis that selection resulted in shifts to P. robustus dental morphology to increase mechanical resistance, consistent with an expanding dietary niche that incorporated increasingly challenging foods."
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
Dietary Adaptation in <fi>Paranthropus robustus</fi> Postcanine Teeth
Upper premolar enamel thickness in Paranthropus robustus increased significantly over time, especially in the occlusal region.
043
Reposted by Prof. Christine Böhmer
Ed Stanley @drscanley.bsky.social · 08/08/2026
Our latest paper started out as a DDIG project 14 years ago and grew into an interdisciplinary reassessment of Madagascar's oldest fossil lizard, showing that Konkasaurus mahalana is a gerrhosaur and the earliest known colonization from Africa by an extant Madagascan lineage. doi.org/10.1093/zool...
A CT scan of the fossil lizard Konkasaurus mahalana showing bones and osteoderms
3198
Prof. Christine Böhmer @vertevo.bsky.social · 04/08/2026
In a mini review, we @vertevo.bsky.social @boehmergroup.bsky.social conceptualize feeding as a series of interrelated functional stages to provide a framework. Böhmer & Winkler 2026 @anatrecord.bsky.social Feeding biomechanics in vertebrates and beyond. doi.org/10.1002/ar.7...
000
Prof. Christine Böhmer @vertevo.bsky.social · 04/08/2026
A huge thank you to all contributing authors! Every article provides state-of-the-art insights into #anatomy, #biomechanics, #teeth,l and #evolution.
111
Prof. Christine Böhmer @vertevo.bsky.social · 04/08/2026
Hot off the press! 🤩 Special Issue @anatrecord.bsky.social on feeding #biomechanics in #vertebrates and beyond 🥩 🌱 🦷 Explore a collection of publications covering a range of #animals from gigantic basking #sharks to tiny praying mantises. anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/toc/19328494...
171
Reposted by Prof. Christine Böhmer
Heather F. Smith. Ph.D. @heatherfsmith.bsky.social · 03/08/2026
African wild dog (Lycaon pictus) paper now in @anatrecord.bsky.social's Feeding Biomechanics Special Issue! Using dissection & diceCT, we show powerful bites aren't just about bigger muscles—muscle architecture, skull mechanics & fascia may be key🐺 anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
03413
Reposted by Prof. Christine Böhmer
Brandon Moore, PhD @rando.insalubrio.us · 30/07/2026
Newly described Australian fossils tell a wild story: an ichthyosaur ate a pterosaur, then was itself torn to pieces by a pliosaur. This is the first evidence of these three animals interacting within the same food web! 🧪 www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Life reconstruction of the probable trophic interactions identified with the specimen KK F1435 featuring Platypterygius australis, pterosaur (Ornithocheiroidae indet) and Kronosaurus queenslandicus.

Credit: Peter Trusler
310927
Reposted by Prof. Christine Böhmer
ZooKeys @zookeys.pensoft.net · 31/07/2026
🌅 To learn more about the novel fish named after “The Sunrise of Java”, check out the original study here: zookeys.pensoft.net/article/1949... #newfish #newspecies #indonesia
zookeys.pensoft.net
Tomiyamichthys oriens, a new species of shrimpgoby (Teleostei, Gobiidae) from the coast of Banyuwangi, East Java, Indonesia
The new shrimpgoby, Tomiyamichthys oriens sp. nov., is described based on two specimens collected off Banyuwangi, East Java, Indonesia. The new species is most similar to the recently described Japane...
033
Prof. Christine Böhmer @vertevo.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
New species of Lower Cretaceous #coelacanth Macropoma gombessae sp nov from Gault Fm of Folkestone #fossilfriday Norton et al 2026 Papers in Palaeontology: Oldest Cretaceous latimeriid elucidates cranial evolution in derived and extant coelacanths (Actinistia, Latimeriidae) doi.org/10.1002/spp2...
061
Reposted by Prof. Christine Böhmer
Stephan Spiekman @stephanspiekman.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
Excited to share our new paper in Science Advances! Led by Dr Wei Wang at #IVPP in Beijing, it presents a complete skeleton of #Austronaga, the most marine of all archosauromorphs. To boot, this fossil preserves the oldest complete digestive tract of any reptile! www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
513761
Reposted by Prof. Christine Böhmer
The Anatomical Record @anatrecord.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
Comparative micro-ornamentation patterns of reptile skin: Phylogeny-ecology debate and species-specific variations. Study by Melodi Yenmiş: anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
032
Prof. Christine Böhmer @vertevo.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
Today, very small-sized geese are found in tropical regions. This suggests warmer paleoenvironment. Mayr et al 2022 Hist Biol: Nearly complete leg of an unusual, shelduck-sized anseriform #bird from the earliest late Miocene hominid locality Hammerschmiede (Germany) dx.doi.org/10.1080/0891...
022
Prof. Christine Böhmer @vertevo.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
[2/2] Sound on! 🔊 Singing with its wings: display behavior of the club-winged manakin. #birds 📹https://www.youtube.com/shorts/gfCGhjv9H0c?feature=share 📄https://www.allaboutbirds.org/news/singing-with-his-wings-the-club-winged-manakins-display/
youtube.com
The club-winged manakin sounds #shorts #shortvideo
YouTube video by True Exists
102
Prof. Christine Böhmer @vertevo.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
[1/2] Sexual selection: Above-head wing-clapping produces loud mechanical sounds. Radius shape linked to behavior. #birds Friscia et al 2016 J Morphology. Adaptive #evolution of a derived #radius #morphology in Manakins (Aves, Pipridae) to support acrobatic display behavior doi.org/10.1002/jmor...
100
Reposted by Prof. Christine Böhmer
Princeton Vaughn @princetonvaughn.bsky.social · 28/07/2026
Thrilled to have my first thesis chapter published in @currentbiology.bsky.social! We combine genomics, gene editing, and performance experiments to reveal the genetic basis and functional consequences of hurricane-induced trait shifts in island lizards! Check it out: www.cell.com/current-biol...
cell.com
Genomic targets of hurricane-induced selection on clinging performance in an island lizard
Vaughn et al. show that hurricanes drive parallel genomic selection signatures in island anoles. One candidate locus (hs6st1) is associated with rear toe length. CRISPR disruption reduces hindfoot ele...
34915
Prof. Christine Böhmer @vertevo.bsky.social · 28/07/2026
First undoubted pre-Pliocene dasyurid. Churchill et al 2026 Australian Zoologist. A new genus of dasyurid Miyumba chrisdickmani (Marsupialia, Dasyuridae) from the Early Miocene deposits of the Riversleigh World Heritage Area, north-western Queensland doi.org/10.1071/AZ26... Art by Nellie Pease.
043
Reposted by Prof. Christine Böhmer
Developmental Biology @devbiol.bsky.social · 07/01/2026
#DBfeature 🐠 Pax9 has a broader role in initiating development of mesenchymal structures around the mouth during zebrafish development By Sandhya Paudel, Sarah McLeod, Stefani Gjorcheska, Lindsey Barske tinyurl.com/yc3jfpux
Cartoon of Pax9 expression (purple) during facial development in mouse (left) and zebrafish (right).
Text: Mammals. Pax9 is expressed In tooth-forming mesenchyme around the mouth. Required for tooth formation in mouse and human.
Fish. Pax9 is also expressed in oral mesenchyme in fishes. But many fish do not form oral teeth. Vestigial expression or divergent function?
Result: pax9 is required for formation of upper jaw bones and barbels in zebrafish, but dispensable for non-oral teeth.
Support ancestral function in building peri-oral structures from condensed mesenchyme rather than a specific requirement for teeth
01212
Reposted by Prof. Christine Böhmer
Science X / Phys.org @sciencex.bsky.social · 15/01/2025
Human-fed red squirrels in Britain developed weaker jaws and flatter skulls due to a diet of soft-shelled peanuts, highlighting the potential negative impact of human intervention on wildlife. doi.org/g8zxdx
phys.org
Human-fed red squirrels in Britain develop weaker jaws and flatter skulls
A large team of researchers affiliated with several institutions in the U.K. has found evidence that red squirrels fed by humans in a town on England's west coast lost muscle mass and experienced changes to the shape of their skulls.
014
Reposted by Prof. Christine Böhmer
PLOS Biology @plosbiology.org · 25/06/2025
How did our mammalian #posture arise from our sprawling #synapsid ancestors? @docrobbrock.bsky.social &co reveal #parasagittal postures in stem therians, implying that synapsids evolved & radiated with distinct forelimb trait combinations for most of their history @plosbiology.org 🧪 plos.io/4loAHoy
Left: Phylogeny of tetrapods showing the evolution of posture from sprawling (green, yellow) to upright or parasagittal (orange), illustrated with humeri of select living and fossil species to show changes in morphology over time. Image credit Robert Brocklehurst. Right: The adaptive landscape of posture evolution in mammals and their ancestors. Living and fossil species with sprawling vs upright postures occupy different adaptive peaks. Image credit Magdalen Mercado.
042
Reposted by Prof. Christine Böhmer
The Anatomical Record @anatrecord.bsky.social · 30/01/2026
Lambeosaurine crests! New work compares internal nasal anatomy of adult Corythosaurus & Lambeosaurus vs juveniles & Hypacrosaurus. Strong genus-level differences, but surprisingly little variation between Corythosaurus species. Dudgeon et al.: anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
02810
Reposted by Prof. Christine Böhmer
Emily Troyer @fishfetisher.bsky.social · 01/09/2025
Excited to announce that the 1st paper from my postdoc is now out in @currentbiology.bsky.social ! Using a large dataset of 3D preserved fossils, we explore the diversification of jaws in early bony fishes. 1/15 www.cell.com/current-biol...
cell.com
Macroevolutionary role reversals in the earliest radiation of bony fishes
Troyer et al. examine lower jaw evolution in Silurian-Devonian bony fishes and find substantial differences in patterns of morphological disparity, rates of shape evolution, and functional diversity b...
818167
Reposted by Prof. Christine Böhmer
RC Hoover @rchoover.bsky.social · 16/05/2026
My first PhD chapter is out! How do related fishes adapt to eat different foods? And how do they change as they grow? 🧵 doi.org/10.1002/jmor...
Screenshot of https://doi.org/10.1002/jmor.70131
35517
Reposted by Prof. Christine Böhmer
Schmalhausen Evolutionary Morphology @schmalhausenm.bsky.social · 29/03/2025
Humerus shape evolved in cetaceans under relaxed selection and random drift: a new paper by Maria Ghazali and the whole @schmalhausenm.bsky.social team in the Communications Biology, the research on living and fossil whales and dolphins, 3D morphology and genetics www.nature.com/articles/s42...
164
Reposted by Prof. Christine Böhmer
Journal of Experimental Biology @jexpbiol.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
Sperm whales rest in an unusual position, sleeping vertically underwater. In their recent paper, Freymond & co show that the whales blow bubbles in their sleep to keep themselves from shooting to the surface, letting them sleep soundly beneath the waves doi.org/10.1242/jeb....
Two resting sperm whales blowing bubbles. Photo credit: Stéphane Granzotto www.stephanegranzotto.com
1185
Reposted by Prof. Christine Böhmer
Philip Donoghue @phil-donoghue.bsky.social · 25/07/2026
Our latest: Hummingbird and hawkmoth wing shape: Analyzing functional convergence in analogous structures, by Benton Walters @bristolpalaeo.bsky.social, with help from Yuming Liu, Iman Fadel @ferronhg.bsky.social @emilyrayfield.bsky.social and myself.
academic.oup.com
Hummingbird and Hawkmoth Wing Shape: Analyzing Functional Convergence in Analogous Structures
Synopsis. Similar wing planform shapes have independently evolved in both hummingbirds and hawkmoths, indicating convergence. Functional analysis of bird w
25824
Prof. Christine Böhmer @vertevo.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
Earliest sabre-toothed predatory therapsid from Mallorca: Algarpes ferus. Matamels-Andreu et al 2025 Palaeogeo, Palaeoclimatol, Palaeoecol. Track-trackmaker correlation of co-occurring gorgonopsian bones and footprints from the early–?middle Permian of equatorial Pangaea doi.org/10.1016/j.pa...
053
Reposted by Prof. Christine Böhmer
The Anatomical Record @anatrecord.bsky.social · 24/07/2026
A second theropod tooth from the Cauvery Basin reaffirms the presence of troodontid dinosaurs in the Cretaceous of India. Study by Harsha Dhiman et al.: anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/... #FossilFriday
031
Prof. Christine Böhmer @vertevo.bsky.social · 24/07/2026
"Mother of all lizards" Megachirella wachtleri indicates more gradual acquisition of squamatan features in diapsid #evolution than previously thought. #fossilfriday Simões et al Nature 2018 The origin of squamates revealed by a Middle Triassic #lizard from the Italian Alps doi.org/10.1038/s415...
010
Prof. Christine Böhmer @vertevo.bsky.social · 23/07/2026
[3/3] All Special Issue articles @AnatRecord are already published online. Stay tuned for the printed issue and the amazing cover image. anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/1932...
000
Prof. Christine Böhmer @vertevo.bsky.social · 23/07/2026
[2/3] Building on existing concepts, we conceptualized #feeding as a series of stages to provide a framework for the contributions in our Special Issue. Böhmer & Winkler @boehmergroup.bsky.social 2026 @anatrecord.bsky.social Feeding biomechanics in #vertebrates and beyond doi.org/10.1002/ar.7...
100
Prof. Christine Böhmer @vertevo.bsky.social · 23/07/2026
[1/3] All life depends on acquiring energy. Heterotrophic organisms obtain energy by consuming food resources found in their environments. With our introduction article, we aim to highlight the benefits of a comparative approach to deepen our understanding of the #feeding #biomechanics. 👇
110
Reposted by Prof. Christine Böhmer
The Anatomical Record @anatrecord.bsky.social · 22/07/2026
🦇 Bat tracheal chambers may be key evolutionary innovation behind echolocation diversity by supporting higher-frequency calls & helping drive evolution of specialized echolocation, contributing to bats’ remarkable ecological success Brualla et al anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
074
Reposted by Prof. Christine Böhmer
Tiago Simões @trsimoes.bsky.social · 22/07/2026
Proud to share our latest paper in out in Nature today on the origin of #snakes. We present Tametara mirim, an articulated 3D preserved stem snake from the Late Cretaceous of Brazil. Tametara helped us re-tell the story of snake origins in a novel way... www.nature.com/articles/s41...
nature.com
Exceptional brain and ecological diversity in the earliest snakes - Nature
A well-preserved fossil snake from the Late Cretaceous of Brazil shows early ecological and brain shape&nbsp;disparity in the group.
37142
Reposted by Prof. Christine Böhmer
Christopher Zobek @czobek.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
I’m happy to say the first chapter of my dissertation has just gotten published! Here, we compared the results of two prominent tools for measuring muscle architecture from contrast data, Xfiber and Goodfibes, with some recommendations for each. anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
Relative performance of automated fiber‐tracking approaches to <fc>3D</fc> muscle architecture and their utility for comparative biomechanics
Muscle architecture is a key determinant of muscle performance, informing the calculation of functional traits such as force production and excursion distance. Due to its importance in understanding ....
1126
Reposted by Prof. Christine Böhmer
travis-park.bsky.social @travis-park.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
If you want an up-to-date summary of whale and dolphin evolution, have a read of my new review paper in @natrevbiodiv.nature.com! I’ve tried to cover as much research as possible in this, so apologies if I’ve missed you! doi.org/10.1038/s443...
doi.org
The evolution and diversification of Cetacea - Nature Reviews Biodiversity
Cetaceans are a highly diverse and enigmatic group of animals with a well-documented evolutionary history. This Review describes the macroevolutionary and palaeobiological history of Cetacea, from the...
05023
Reposted by Prof. Christine Böhmer
The Anatomical Record @anatrecord.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
🐰 What drives body shape evolution in rabbits, hares, and pikas? Changes in rib length & thoracolumbar region are main drivers of body shape diversity. Body size—not burrowing or locomotion—best predicts body shape & limb proportions Brice et al.: anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
055
Reposted by Prof. Christine Böhmer
Dr James Rule @palaeo-jrule.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
Seals have a superpower: they are the only mammals with amphibious hearing! They hear well both in-air and underwater. My collagues and I have a new study in Proceedings B on the origins and evolution of amphibious hearing in pinnipeds 🦭🔊🧪 doi.org/10.1098/rspb...
doi.org
The origin and evolution of amphibious hearing in pinnipeds
Abstract. Pinnipeds (true seals, eared seals and walruses) are the only mammals that can hear effectively in both air and water. How and when they achieved
411544
Reposted by Prof. Christine Böhmer
Alberta Claw @albertonykus.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
Musculoskeletal anatomy of the flight apparatus in the southern screamer: academic.oup.com/iob/advance-... 🪶🧪 (📷 @tyrannosaura.bsky.social et al.)
Digital models of the shoulder and wing bones of a southern screamer (a waterfowl from South America), shown with (middle and right) and without (left) select muscles.
0218
Reposted by Prof. Christine Böhmer
The Anatomical Record @anatrecord.bsky.social · 09/07/2026
🦇 How do bats breathe, smell & echolocate thru the same nose? Using simulations of 12 bat sp., researchers found nasal anatomy—not echolocation strategy—shapes airflow. Unique nasal strands in horseshoe bats affect pressure & airflow Goodwin et al anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
0124
Prof. Christine Böhmer @vertevo.bsky.social · 08/07/2026
[2/2] Contrary to expectations, rabbits in Australia have larger #skulls than european rabbits - despite Australia's warmer climate. Our study suggests a mosaic effect of different climatic factors shaping morphological #evolution im wild #rabbits from Australia & Europe. tinyurl.com/kiel-univers...
020
Prof. Christine Böhmer @vertevo.bsky.social · 08/07/2026
[1/2] Thank you very much for this great collaboration on #lagomorphs 🐇 Pillai et al @boehmergroup.bsky.social @uni-kiel.de 2026 Oikos. Home and away: allometry and #climate drive morphology of European #rabbits in their native and introduced range doi.org/10.1002/oik....
121
Reposted by Prof. Christine Böhmer
ISYEB @isyeb.mnhn.fr · 03/07/2026
New in @journalofanatomy.bsky.social 70201 "Musculo-skeletal variation in the forelimb of two highly specialised diggers (genus Talpa)" cross-team collaboration for ISYEB ! Klein, E., Houssin, C., Delapre, A., Nicolas, V., Cornette, R. @isyeb.mnhn.fr et al. doi-org.inee.bib.cnrs.fr/10.1111/joa....
054
Prof. Christine Böhmer @vertevo.bsky.social · 03/07/2026
Self-righting is crucial for survival in animals and particularly relevant in turtles. Study investigated performance in hatchlings. Van Casteren et al 2024 Scientific Reports Shell shape does not accurately predict self‑righting ability in hatchling freshwater #turtles doi.org/10.1038/s415...
010
Reposted by Prof. Christine Böhmer
Thomas R. Holtz, Jr. @arctomet.bsky.social · 01/07/2026
Unlocking the early evolution of brain and feeding strategies in Anseriformes: the case of Conflicto antarcticus royalsocietypublishing.org/rsos/article...
royalsocietypublishing.org
Unlocking the early evolution of brain and feeding strategies in Anseriformes: the case of Conflicto antarcticus
Abstract. The early Palaeocene Conflicto antarcticus reveals a mosaic pattern of brain and skull evolution relative to other Anseriformes. Despite its hype
0114
Reposted by Prof. Christine Böhmer
The Anatomical Record @anatrecord.bsky.social · 29/06/2026
Long-bone cortical structure in diaphyses changes during growth via skeletal modeling. Femoral micro-CT comparison of humans vs chimps shows shared early remodeling but divergent cross-sectional shape tied to locomotion. Swan et al.: anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
042
Reposted by Prof. Christine Böhmer
Phil Mannion @pdmannion.bsky.social · 29/06/2026
Our new paper led by @profpaulbarrett.bsky.social @nhm-london.bsky.social & Mark Evans @bas.ac.uk on a sauropod from Antarctica 🦕 that represents the earliest collected dinosaur fossil from this continent: www.app.pan.pl/article/item... www.bbc.co.uk/news/article... @es-ucl.bsky.social
app.pan.pl
A titanosaurian sauropod dinosaur from the Upper Cretaceous of Antarctica - Acta Palaeontologica Polonica
12110