Dean Schnabel

Torvosaurus gurneyi is a large theropod from the Late Jurassic of Portugal. Dozens of isolated remains all across the European Archipelago may indicate that this animal has a far wider distribution than just the Iberian Island, however more diagnostic material is needed.

There’s so many amazing invertebrates known from Jurassic rocks in Europe, but they rarely if ever get artistic attention. So, here’s a sketch of Abyssophthalmus mirus being a pain on Protospinax’s snout as it’s attempting to have a crab dinner. #jurassic #solnhofen #paleoart #crab

Abyssophthalmus is a surprisingly large genus of crab from the Late Jurassic of Europe, known primarily from reef deposits like most jurassic crabs we also lack information on it's anatomy beyond the carapace. Those are reconstructed after members of the extant Homolodromioidea

Asteracanthus is a large hybodont with a widespread distribution in the Late Jurassic. Often confused with Strophodus a large and almost complete skeleton of this taxon from the Solnhofen Archipelago has illuminated it's relationship to other species at the time.

The Late Jurassic Reef age lead to the intense radiation of the galatheoideans like squat lobsters, one of the most speciose munidopsid genera is Gastrosacus known from fossil deposots across europem One species, G. wetzleri is known from beyond just the cephalothorax

Despite being marine animals, teleosaurs are even rarer in the Solnhofen Limestones than Dinosaurs. One elusive member of this clade is Aeolodon known by two skeletons, one from Daiting Germany and one from Canjuers france. This clade of teleosaurs was likely pelagic, adapted to the open ocean.

The Late Jurassic "Reef age", an era of unprecedented reef growth across the world lead to the intense radiation of dozens of clades, among them hermit crabs. Gastrodorus is a more basal member of the paguroidea, with a more elongated carapace.

Im a skeletal artists with alot of experience in drawing specifically pterosaurs for the last couple of years. Im definitely interested in doing this one, we can gladly discuss the details in DMs.

Below are some examples of my prior work on pterosaurs:

Antrimpos is large and relatively common shrimp with a wide temporal distribution, three species are known from the Late Jurassic of Southern Germany primarily distinguished by the number and arrangement of their dorsal spines.

A majority of all Rhamphorhynchus specimens are juveniles, some specimens however represent adults of greater size. One very fragmentary specimen consisting of two vertebra from Ettling however, is 180% larger than the second largest Rhamphorhynchus, indicating an enormous size!

Juravenator is a theropod known by wonderfully complete juvenile specimen from Schamhaupten, Juravenator is of mysterious affinity but it may be a juvenile Megalosauroid. The specimen is famous for preserving a variety of soft tissues including scales and feathers.

Skeletal of Strobilodus, a large caturoid that inhabited the seas of late Jurassic Europe, Strobilodus is among the largest osteichthyian predators of this time. Several complete skeletons are known, by far the largest specimen appears to be an unpublished skull from England

The Lithographic Limestones of Late Jurassic Europe are home to a wide variety of jellyfish. Alot of the taxa from this time are dubious, so I only illustrated some, due to the difficulty of reconstructing jellyfish based on fossils keep in mind that these are very simplified.

Pustulina minuta is a large erymoid lobster from the Late Jurassic of Europe. Most specimens of this taxon are very small, however an isolated claw identified as Eryma verrucosa, a synonym of P. minuta points to an animal reaching above 30 cm in length! #sciart #paleoart

Reconstruction of Uncina ultima, unfortunately this species is only known from a single isolated P1 chela, however it is immensely interesting because this Genus was previously only known from the early Jurassic. This means that this is a ghost clade of 30 million years!

Skeletal of Torvoneustes jurensis, a rather large metriorhynchid from Kimmeridgian Reuchenette Formation in Switzerland, famous for its many marine turtles (Unfortunately not all ribs and vertebrae are figured in the paper, so most might be more incomplete than shown here)

Skeletal Reconstruction of Lusognathus, a large gnathosaurine from the Iberian island of L. Jurassic Europe

Slight update to my skeletal of Cricosaurus albersdoerferi, mostly just changed the rib articulation and some other tiny details. Cute little dolphin croc look at it 🙂

Skeletal Reconstruction of Aegirosaurus, this tiny Ichthyosaur from the Solnhofen Archipelago is known from several well preserved skeletons. Maybe this taxon was more adapted to shallow waters around the islands in comparison to larger contemporary Ichthyosaurs?

Skeletal Reconstruction of the angel shark Pseudorhina. Two species of this genus are known from the late Jurassic of Europe, defferentiated by dental morphology, size and proportions. The role of this taxon in the ecosystem would have been the same as for modern angel sharks.

A size chart with 4 pterosaurs in dorsal and left lateral view. From left to right: a smol toilets pterosaur with a red long snoot and a little crest. A slightly larger, woodland brown pterosaur with a large rounded crest and long snoot. A slightly larger pterosaur with a large slightly downcurved head, which is pitch black, and a short body with lanky legs and a medium length tail. A large grey pterosaur with a snaggletoothed snout and a very long tail ending in a fin-shaped crest. Each of these pterosaurs is also depicted in an overhead flighted view, with wings outstretched.

Happy #FossilFriday!
Today, we have a size chart of Middle Jurassic British Pterosaurs, which I made as an anatomical reference. Featured are Ceoptera, Dearc, Klobiodon (restored based on Rhamphorhynchus) and a basal pterodactyloid known from footprints. #paleoart #paleontology #sciart #pterosaurs

Palaeastacus is a relatively common erymid lobster from the L. Jurassic of the Solnhofen Archipelago. Most specimens of P. fuciformis are rather small, one arm from a different species hailing from Brunn, P. rothgangerae implies that this genus could grow to impressive sizes.

Reconstruction of the two described Galatheoideans from the Solnhofen Limestone. These tiny crustaceans are incredibly diverse in reef deposits elsewhere, wheras the Solnhofen Archipelago has brought forth a low species diversity. However this is likely preservational bias.

Reconstruction of Teudopsinia grossheidei. This is potentially the smallest octobrachian of the Solnhofen Archipelago, known from dozens of well preserved specimens.

Skeletal Reconstruction of Alcmonavis, a theropod dinosaur from the Mörnsheim Formation in an uncertain phylogenetic position. Known from unfortunately only a single wing this bird-like animal was a larger neighbour to its more famous relative Archaeopteryx

Speculative Reconstruction of Aviatyrannis, a small Kimmeridgian Theropod from the Guimarota coal mines originally described as a tyrannosauroid, as an ornithomimosaur based on Hattori et al., 2023

Skeletal Reconstruction of the ctenochasmatid Gnathosaurus. Since all gnathosaurines are only known from cranial material and a couple cervicals, I decided to reconstruct the proportions of this taxon on Huanhepterus, which is not well figured, so it's rather speculative.

A Ramphorynychus attempts to keep its hard earned (or perhaps stolen) Caturus away from a Skiphosoura while an Archaeopteryx watches from the shoreline. In the background a number of other pterosaurs are present including Pterodactylus, Scaphognathus, Petrodactyle, Bellubrunnus, Germanodactylus, Cycnorhamphus, and others.

“Waiting in the Wings”

Since Ramphorynychus is in the news today I figured now would be a good time to drop this! Special thanks to @skyemcdavid.com and @sassypn.bsky.social for helping to check over my WIPs and their fantastic skeletals 🙏

My Skeletal Reconstruction of the FICTIONAL noasaur Serpentilingius for the Lemuria Spec-Evo Project happening on the #paleostream server a timeline where the Indian plate never collided with Asia.

A winter scene of a forest, with the chinese hadrosaur Jinzhousaurus on the middle of the composition. On the backround, the forest is illuminated by some mysterious source.

Forest Interior with Jinzhousaurus. Miguel, 1924.

My last piece of the year, inspired by Ludvig Munthe's 1870 painting "Forest Interior".

#paleoart #hadrosaur #sciart