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41-454: Darren William Naish (born 26 September 1975) is a British vertebrate palaeontologist , author and science communicator . As a researcher, he is best known for his work describing and reevaluating dinosaurs and other Mesozoic reptiles, including Eotyrannus , Xenoposeidon , and azhdarchid pterosaurs. Much of his research has focused on Wealden Group fossils from the Isle of Wight . He

82-504: A collection of early articles from Tetrapod Zoology as a book titled Tetrapod Zoology Book One . The Tetrapod Zoology Podcast was launched on 1 February 2013 and is the official podcast of the TetZooVerse. The podcast covers all things tetrapod and vertebrate palaeontology. The podcast is hosted by Naish and co-host John Conway, For episode 15 the regular hosts were joined by Memo Kosemen, co-author and artist of Cryptozoologicon. TetZooCon

123-508: A dinosaur that he, together with Steve Hutt and colleagues, named in 2001. He has published articles on the Wealden Supergroup theropods Thecocoelurus , Calamospondylus and Aristosuchus . With Martill and "Dino" Frey , he named a new illegally acquired Brazilian compsognathid theropod Mirischia . In 2004, Naish and Gareth Dyke reinterpreted the controversial Romanian fossil Heptasteornis . Suggested by other authors to be

164-490: A geology degree at the University of Southampton and later studied vertebrate palaeontology under British palaeontologist David Martill at the University of Portsmouth , where he obtained both an M. Phil. and PhD. Though initially beginning his research career in palaeontology with the intention of working on fossil marine reptiles, Naish became known for his doctoral work on the basal tyrannosauroid theropod Eotyrannus ,

205-481: A giant owl , troodontid or dromaeosaurid , it was argued by Naish and Dyke to be an alvarezsaurid , and as such is the first member of this group to be reported from Europe. Other fragmentary European alvarezsaurid specimens have since been reported. Naish has also published work on sauropod dinosaurs, pterosaurs , fossil marine reptiles, turtles, marine mammals and other fossil vertebrates, and he has also produced articles on other aspects of zoology. He published

246-574: A new, as-yet-unnamed, Transylvanian pterosaur taxon. In 2017, a new species of pycnodont fish, Scalacurvichthys naishi , was named after Naish. Naish has published several popular books on prehistoric animals including Dinosaurs: How They Lived and Evolved co-authored with Paul Barrett ( Natural History Museum 2016) Dinosaur Record Breakers (Carlton Kids 2018), the Dorling Kindersley Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Life (2003, with David Lambert and Elizabeth Wyse),

287-500: A paper on sauropod neck posture in 2008. In 2010 Naish published a paper on the theoretical flotation abilities of giraffes. In 2011 Hone , Naish and Cuthill published a paper on mutual selection in dinosaurs and pterosaurs In 2013, Naish described Vectidraco daisymorrisae , a small azhdarchoid pterosaur from the Isle of Wight . Also in 2013 Naish and Witton published a follow-up to their 2008 paper on terrestrial stalking in azhdarchid pterosaurs. In 2015 Naish and colleagues published on

328-499: A series of articles on poorly known cetaceans during the 1990s and in 2004 published a review article on the giant New Zealand gecko Hoplodactylus delcourti . In 2004 Naish and colleagues described a giant Isle of Wight sauropod dinosaur that appears closely related to the North American brachiosaurid Sauroposeidon , and informally referred to as Angloposeidon . Prior to the 2006 description of Turiasaurus from Spain, this

369-524: A sub-family of Pteranodontidae , Nesov (1984) named the Azhdarchinae to include the pterosaurs Azhdarcho , Quetzalcoatlus , and Titanopteryx (now known as Arambourgiania ). They were among the last known surviving members of the pterosaurs, and were a rather successful group with a worldwide distribution. Previously it was thought that by the end of the Cretaceous, most pterosaur families except for

410-569: A workshop. Vertebrate paleontology The fossil record shows aspects of the meandering evolutionary path from early aquatic vertebrates to modern fish as well as mammals , birds , reptiles and amphibians , with a host of transitional fossils , though there are still large blank areas. The earliest known fossil vertebrates were heavily armored fish discovered in rocks from the Ordovician period about 485 to 444 Ma ( megaannum , million years ago), with jawed vertebrates emerging in

451-517: Is an annual meeting themed around the contents of the Tetrapod Zoology blog. The convention was first held on 12 June 2014 and has taken places in various venues in London. The convention involves talks on a variety of subjects, ranging from palaeontology to cryptozoology, as well as workshops. The convention is organised by Naish and Conway; the former traditionally gives a talk himself, the latter hosts

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492-764: Is currently unnamed, recently discovered in Transylvania , may be the largest representative of the family thus far discovered. This unnamed specimen (nicknamed " Dracula " by paleontologists), currently on display in the Altmühltal Dinosaur Museum in Bavaria is estimated to have a wingspan of 12–20 m (39–66 ft), although similarities to the contemporary azhdarchid Hatzegopteryx have also been noted. Azhdarchids were originally classified as close relatives of Pteranodon due to their long, toothless beaks. Others have suggested they were more closely related to

533-407: Is founder of the vertebrate palaeozoology blog Tetrapod Zoology, and has written several popular science books. Naish also makes frequent media appearances and is a scientific consultant and advisor for film, television, museums and exhibitions. Naish is also known for his scepticism and work examining cryptozoology and sea monster sightings and beliefs from a scientific perspective. He obtained

574-587: Is still used in works where systematic overview is essential, e.g. Benton (1998), Hildebrand and Goslow (2001) and Knobill and Neill (2006). While mostly seen in general works, it is also still used in some specialist works like Fortuny & al. (2011). Kingdom Animalia The oVert (openVertebrate) Thematic Collection Network (TCN) is a project that aims to generate and distribute high-resolution digital three-dimensional data for internal anatomy across vertebrate diversity. The project will CT-scan over 20,000 fluid-preserved specimens, representing more than 80% of

615-631: The Jurassic , with crown-group birds ( Neornithes ) emerging in the Cretaceous between 100 Ma and 60 Ma. The K-Pg mass extinction wiped out many vertebrate clades, including the pterosaurs , plesiosaurs , mosasaurs and nearly all dinosaurs , leaving many ecological niches open. While therian mammals had already evolved in the Late Jurassic, they would rise to prominence in the Paleogene following

656-663: The Persian word azhdar , اژدر , a dragon-like creature in Persian mythology ) is a family of pterosaurs known primarily from the Late Cretaceous Period, though an isolated vertebra apparently from an azhdarchid is known from the Early Cretaceous as well (late Berriasian age, about 140 million years ago). Azhdarchids are mainly known for including some of the largest flying animals discovered, but smaller cat-size members have also been found. Originally considered

697-593: The Triassic period (252 to 201 Ma). Lissamphibians , modern amphibians, likely arose around that time from temnospondyls. True mammals , derived from cynodont therapsids, showed up in the Middle Triassic around the same time as the dinosaurs , who emerged from a clade of archosaurs. At the same time, ray-finned fish diversified, leading to teleost fish dominating the seas. Ancestral birds ( Avialae ) like Archaeopteryx first evolved from dinosaurs during

738-549: The "blunt-beaked" forms with shorter and deeper bills and the "slender-beaked" forms with longer and thinner jaws. It had been suggested azhdarchids were skimmers, but further research has cast doubt on this idea, demonstrating that azhdarchids lacked the necessary adaptations for a skim-feeding lifestyle, and that they may have led a more terrestrial existence similar to modern storks and ground hornbills . Most large azhdarchids probably fed on small prey, including hatchling and small dinosaurs; in an unusual modification of

779-585: The (at the time) contested theory of extinction of species. Thomas Jefferson is credited with initiating the science of vertebrate paleontology in the United States with the reading of a paper to the American Philosophical Society in Philadelphia in 1797. Jefferson presented fossil bones of a ground sloth found in a cave in western Virginia and named the genus ( Megalonyx ). The species

820-924: The Azhdarchidae disappeared from the fossil record, but recent studies indicate a wealth of pterosaurian fauna, including pteranodontids , nyctosaurids , tapejarids and several indeterminate forms. In several analyses, some taxa such as Navajodactylus , Bakonydraco and Montanazhdarcho were moved from Azhdarchidae to other clades. Azhdarchids are characterized by their long legs and extremely long necks, made up of elongated neck vertebrae which are round in cross section. Most species of azhdarchids are still known mainly from their distinctive neck bones and not much else. The few azhdarchids that are known from reasonably good skeletons include Zhejiangopterus and Quetzalcoatlus . Azhdarchids are also distinguished by their relatively large heads and long, spear-like jaws. There are two major types of azhdarchid morphologies:

861-586: The Palaeontological Association book Dinosaurs of the Isle of Wight (2001, with David Martill) and the highly acclaimed BBC Walking with Dinosaurs: The Evidence (2000, with David Martill), produced to accompany the TV series Walking with Dinosaurs . In 2010, he published The Great Dinosaur Discoveries as sole author. In 2012, he published All Yesterdays with John Conway and C. M. Kosemen . It examines

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902-766: The Reality Behind the Myths and Cryptozoologicon: Volume I with John Conway and C. M. Kosemen . His name is also attached to several children's books on prehistoric animals. Naish is an associate editor for the journal Cretaceous Research and was also on the editorial board of the journal The Cryptozoology Review . He acts as a regular book reviewer for the Palaeontological Association . Naish has appeared widely on British television, having featured on BBC News 24 , Channel 4 's Sunday Brunch , Richard & Judy , and Live from Dinosaur Island, as well as

943-506: The azhdarchid bodyplan, the robust Hatzegopteryx may have tackled larger prey as the apex predator in its ecosystem. In another departure from typical azhdarchid lifestyles, the jaw of Alanqa may possibly be an adaptation to crushing shellfish and other hard foodstuffs. Azhdarchids are generally medium- to large-sized pterosaurs, with the largest achieving wingspans of 10–12 metres (33–39 ft), but several small-sized species have recently been discovered. Another azhdarchid that

984-520: The blog has moved away from Scientific American and is hosted independently. Tetrapod Zoology covers various subjects concerning tetrapods . Topics have included frogs, reptiles, mammals, birds, dinosaurs, pterosaurs and cryptozoology. Together with colleagues Michael P. Taylor and Mathew Wedel , Naish also contributes to the Sauropod Vertebra Picture of the Week blog. In 2010, Naish published

1025-405: The documentary How to build a dinosaur . He appeared on a Channel 4 discussion programme on cryptozoology, presented by journalist Jon Ronson , during the late 1990s. Naish's research on the giant Isle of Wight sauropod " Angloposeidon ", on the pterosaur Tupuxuara , and on the sauropod Xenoposeidon was widely reported in the news media, as was his research paper on floating giraffes. Naish

1066-432: The early Carboniferous, with temnospondyls dominating the ecosystem and becoming the first land vertebrate megafauna. A lineage of reptiliomorphs developed a metabolism better suited for life exclusively on land, as well as a novel form of reproduction freeing them from the water: the amniotic egg , with full-fledged amniotes appearing in the mid-Carboniferous. Sharks and their holocephalian relatives flourished in

1107-523: The following Silurian period (444 to 419 Ma) with the placoderms and acanthodians . The Devonian period (419 to 359 Ma) saw primitive air-breathing fish to develop limbs allowing them to walk on land, thus becoming the first terrestrial vertebrates, the stegocephalians . Romer's gap in the early Carboniferous period (359 to 299 Ma) left little of the early stegocephalians, but allowed vertebrates more adapted to life on land to flourish in their wake. Crown-group tetrapods appeared in

1148-459: The living genera of vertebrates, at a network of digitization centers across the US. This collection of digital imagery and three-dimensional volumes will be open for exploration, download, and use to address questions related to the discovery of new species, documenting patterns of anatomical diversity and growth, and testing hypotheses of function and evolution. Azhdarchid Azhdarchidae (from

1189-434: The mass extinction and remain to this day, although squamates and birds still lead in diversity. One of the people who helped figure out the vertebrate progression was French zoologist Georges Cuvier (1769–1832), who realized that fossils found in older rock strata differed greatly from more recent fossils or modern animals. He published his findings in 1812 and, although he steadfastly refuted evolution , his work proved

1230-592: The palaeontological reconstruction of dinosaurs by applying the same method to living animal skeletons. In 2017 Naish published Evolution in Minutes a book answering fundamental questions on the topic of evolution through a collection of mini-essays. In 2021, he published Dinopedia , a book covering a variety of topics ranging from general concepts of dinosaur anatomy, groups of dinosaurs, significant people, locations, etc. Naish has also published several books on cryptozoology, including Hunting Monsters: Cryptozoology and

1271-672: The popular books by Naish that were widely featured in the media were the Cryptozoologicon and All Yesterdays . In September 2022, Naish spoke at the United Nations Science Summit 2022. In 2006, Naish started a weblog , Tetrapod Zoology, that covered various aspects of zoology. In 2007 he joined the ScienceBlogs network. In July 2011, the blog moved to the Scientific American blog network, as of 31 July 2018

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1312-469: The seas, while rivers were dominated by lobe-finned fish like rhizodonts . During the Permian period (299 to 252 Ma), one of the two major branches of amniotes, the synapsids , flourished, with derived therapsids taking over in the middle of the period . The Great Dying wiped out most of the synapsid diversity, with archosaurs , emerging from the other sauropsid branch, replacing many of them in

1353-455: The serious study into the lives of extinct animals. With the publication of the Origin of Species by Charles Darwin in 1859, the field got a theoretical framework. Much of the subsequent work has been to map the relationship between fossil and extant organisms, as well as their history through time. In modern times, Alfred Romer (1894–1973) wrote what has been termed the definitive textbook on

1394-527: The subject was written by Robert L. Carroll of McGill University, the 1988 text Vertebrate Paleontology and Evolution . Carroll was president of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology in 1983. The Society keeps its members informed on the latest discoveries through newsletters and the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology . The "traditional" vertebrate classification scheme employ evolutionary taxonomy where several of

1435-506: The subject, called Vertebrate Paleontology . It shows the progression of evolution in fossil fish, and amphibians and reptiles through comparative anatomy, including a list of all the (then) known fossil vertebrate genera . Romer became the first president of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology in 1940, alongside co-founder Howard Chiu. An updated work that largely carried on the tradition from Romer, and by many considered definitive book on

1476-421: The taxa listed are paraphyletic , i.e. have given rise to another taxa that have been given the same rank. For instance, birds are generally considered to be the descendants of reptiles (Saurischian dinosaurs to be precise), but in this system both are listed as separate classes. Under phylogenetic nomenclature , such an arrangement is unacceptable, though it offers excellent overview. This classical scheme

1517-640: The toothy ctenochasmatids (which include filter-feeders like Ctenochasma and Pterodaustro ). Currently it is widely agreed that azhdarchids were closely related to pterosaurs such as Tupuxuara and Tapejara . Classification after Unwin 2006, except where noted. One of the most complete cladograms of azhdarchids is presented by Andres (2021): Azhdarcho Albadraco Aerotitan Mistralazhdarcho Phosphatodraco Aralazhdarcho Eurazhdarcho Zhejiangopterus Wellnhopterus Cryodrakon Hatzegopteryx Arambourgiania Quetzalcoatlus [REDACTED] In

1558-644: The vertebrate fossils of Galve in Spain. The Galve fossils are significant in including istiodactylid pterosaurs, heterodontosaurids and spinosaurines. In 2007, Naish co-authored the description of the new sauropod Xenoposeidon with fellow Portsmouth-based palaeontologist Mike P. Taylor . In 2008 he published an evaluation of azhdarchid pterosaurs with Mark Witton , in which they argued that azhdarchids were stork- or ground hornbill-like generalists, foraging in diverse environments for small animals and carrion. Along with his colleagues Mike Taylor and Matt Wedel he published

1599-545: Was a scientific advisor for Impossible Pictures , for the 2020 Netflix series Alien Worlds , and for the Apple TV+ series Prehistoric Planet . Naish has been featured in several stories about so-called mystery carcasses including the Montauk Monster , San Diego Demonoid , Beast of Exmoor , and a Russian mystery monster carcass. He emphasises the effects of taphonomy in making familiar animals unrecognisable. Among

1640-500: Was the largest dinosaur reported from Europe. In 2005 he coauthored the description of the new Cretaceous turtle Araripemys arturi , and in 2006 he and David Martill published a revision of the South American crested pterosaurs Tupuxuara and Thalassodromeus . During 2007 and 2008, Naish and Martill published a major revision of British dinosaurs; Naish also published work with Barbara Sánchez-Hernández and Michael J. Benton on

1681-509: Was ultimately named Megalonyx jeffersonii in his honor. Jefferson corresponded with Cuvier, including sending him a shipment of highly desirable bones of the American mastodon and the woolly mammoth . Paleontology really got started though, with the publication of Recherches sur les poissons fossiles (1833–1843) by Swiss naturalist Louis Agassiz (1807–1873). He studied, described and listed hundreds of species of fossil fish , beginning

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