My Australian Paleobotany 30 day challenge zine is now available! This full colour zine includes all 30 watercolour and gouache illustrations and follows 500 million years of plant evolution known from Australian fossils. 🌏🌿
Watercolour and gouache fossil study and life reconstruction - Elrathia kingii, a very common trilobite from the Wheeler Shale Formation, Utah. Excited to be starting a short course in natural history illustration with @newcastlexnhi this week!
Australian paleobotany challenge day 30/30 - The final piece for this series! A remote population of Wollemia was discovered in the 90's, its striking resemblance to fossil specimens caused a sensation. It was labelled a 'living fossil', a term that modern science views as somewhat misleading, as it implies they have not changed in a very long time. Which is not entirely true, Wollemia is a descendant of very similar ancestors that lived during the Cretaceous period, and although it may look outwardly similar, it is still genetically different. However they do give us a window into prehistoric Australia which is pretty cool. They are critically endangered and protected, but numbers are on the increase as many more are being planted in Australia and abroad.
Australian paleobotany challenge day 25/30 - The rise of grasses drastically changed the face of predominantly forested Earth, to that of vast 'grass lands' which co-evolved with grazing mammals. Grasses generally don't fossilise well and so are known mostly from fossilised pollen which is virtually indestructible and comes in myriad intricate shapes.
Australian paleobotany challenge day 21/30 - Otozamites feistmantelli - A member of the Bennettitales, often mistaken for cycads, but had flower like cones that separates them. Also, a beautiful Otozamites fossil I saw at the Tokyo National Museum of Nature and Science.
Australian paleobotany challenge day 15/30 - Agathis jurassica is remarkably similar to today's Kauri pine trees growing in small regions of tropical Queensland. Though during the Jurassic period tropical conditions were wide spread across Australia, at the time connected to the southern supercontinent Gondwana.
Australian paleobotany challenge day 14/30 - Thinnfeldia feistmantelli, a dicroidium seed fern, and the insect Clatrotitan andersoni are both known from early Triassic period fossils found in New South Wales. Here also is a beautiful Thinnfeldia fossil from Melbourne Museum.
Australian paleobotany challenge day 13/30 - Some ginkgos from the Triassic period known from Australian fossils. The genus name 'Ginkgo' is shortened to 'G.' for convenience when listening multiple species of the same genus.
Australian paleobotany challenge day 7/30 - During the Carboniferous period Australia was connected to the supercontinent Gondwana. The climate became colder in the South which saw the rise of cold resistant seed ferns, such as Rhacopteris ovata, in what is now New South Wales.
Australian Paleobotany challenge day 2/30. Cooksonia, one of the earliest land plants from the Silurian period over 400 million years ago. Named after Isabelle Clifton Cookson (1893-1973), an amazing Australian paleobotanist (someone who studies the history of plants from fossils).
Cladophlebis australis, a prehistoric Australian fern. I made a layering mistake on this one but I managed to carefully fix it, thanks to everyone who encouraged me to revive it! 🌿
Working on an ancient Australian ginkgo tree, Ginkgoites australis. Based on a fossil from Melbourne Museum that dates back 120 million years to the early Cretaceous Period. The continent of Australia was recognisable by that point, but was connected to Antarctica in the south.
I am researching prehistoric Australian plants, looking out especially for species which to my knowledge have not been illustrated before. This is Thinnfeldia feistmanteli, a dicroidium seed fern. Based on a fossil from Melbourne Museum dating back to the Triassic period around 250 million years ago when Australia was connected to the ancient continent Gondwana.
Work in progress, missed the submission date for the Waterhouse Natural Science Art Prize due to neck and shoulder issues. Decided it wasn't worth compromising my health to finish it in time! These are fossils of very early life on Earth from the Ediacara Hills of South Australia. Clockwise from left: Dickinsonia, Tribrachidium, Spriggina and Parvancorina.
Pearl is an expert on ancient sea life. She claims her great grandmother was a mermaid. 🐚
Detail of my entry for the Waterhouse Natural Science art prize. These little shield shapes are fossils of Parvancorina, very early life forms discovered in the Ediacaran Hills of South Australia.