Tetrapod Zoology Podcast - Tetrapod Zoology: Recent Episodes
John Conway & Darren Naish
In this bumper episode, Darren has lots of news from the world of Darren (but sadly no fat-bottomed rodents), TetZooCon, and Mosasaurs!
Our long-awaited second episode on Mesozoic marine reptiles — the saga continues with Triassic Weirdos, which is a term you shouldn’t use.
Also with some ranting about certain birds are dinosaurs deniers (again).
Crocs, crocodiles, crocodyles, crocodylomorphs, crocodylomorphoformes,and non-crocodylilian crocodylomorphoformes!
… of getting through all the Mesozoic marine reptiles in less than an hour. Tune in to the next episode for the thrilling conclusion… possibly.
In this episode, spinosaur brains, ankylosaur throats, and scythes or reapers or claws or something.
This week on the podcats, we talk about wild cats, specifically big cats and small big cats in urban and suburban areas.
Darren and John return! … to discuss the books Mesozoic Art, A History of Painting (With Dinosaurs) and bringing back the Dodo.
Recent excavations in the vicinity of John’s hard disk have yielded a fossilised podcast from the Late 2021 period. Enjoy the retro stylings!
In this episode, fossils of the Kimmeridge clay, naughty fossils from Brazil, Ubirajara, Darren's new book, Dinopedia. Cladistics (sigh), domed-headed nose-pickers, and how they use them, a New Whale™, G̡͉̼̱̳͖͕̱̦͊r̼͕̺̃̾͑ͩ̕e̴̻͙͕͍̺͔͒n͙͍̭̘̲̭͔̆̍͑͢ͅd̛͕̪̠̞̩̰ͦͯe̘̣̖̮͒͢ͅl̴̫͖͉͎̃ͣ͊̐i̶͇͇͓̭̳͚̹͒͑̇u̧͍͉̺̠̅̎ş̖̞̬̦̻̺̼ͭ ̨̜̤̃͗̑̚ͅmͯ͏͎̪͍̙͇̮͖̤o̹͇͙̺ͧ̉̒̽͞r̡̬͍̺̹̰̘͙ͦd͈͖͕̦̦̓̓̕ã̧̞̳x̘̪̱̝͍͌̋ͩ͜, and cladistics headaches again. Oh my.
In this rapid-fire episode, TetZoom Con, Alien Worlds, John's 3Dish T. rex heads and the state of their lips, a discussion on eyes and taphonomy, science writing and stupid rules (never use black, kids!), Freddie the seal and free-running dogs. And finally a main event: Thylacine persistence.
In the eight-oh, FU on Romancing the Stone and Carnotaurus, John's art, Greg Paul again, and Alien Worlds. And for the main event: the Scansoriopterygidae - dead ends that sucked at the evolutionary goal of flying, or, you know, animals adapted to their environment? You decide!
TetZoo(m)Con is at on the 12th of December, save the date.
In this triple-A episode, abelisaurians, including Carnotaurus, and long discussion on soft tissue preservation. We also discuss the topic of a book Darren is writing, the grey popular and semi-technical literature on dinosaurs, and its impact on dinosaur science.
In this episode, Alan Feduccia’s “Romancing the Birds and Dinosaurs: Forays in Postmodern Paleontology“ (no, we don’t get the title either), painting sauropods, reminiscing on Dinosaurs Past and Present (again). Monsters of the Deep and cryptozoology hoaxes. And finally, what we’ve all been waiting for: naked pterosaurs!
In this episode, FU from our listeners, also, news from world of Darren and John: 'how to be a science writer', Goldenose, Darren’s ZSL talk, SuperDinosaur. I News from World of News: Persiophis, bats vs birds, tails of Spinosaurus, and our main event: there are not too many sauropod dinosaurs, fool!
For years we’ve been threatening to release transcripts of the podcast episodes. Today, that project reaches the start of what might be seen as what could be the seed of the spark that starts this possibility becoming an eventuality one day. Yes, here’s a TRANSCRIPT FOR EPISODE ONE OF THE TETZOO PODCAST, originally released in February 2013. It was very kindly transcribed by Mark The Fish (if that is his real name)… kidding, he’s called Mark E. Evans… and we owe him a huge dept of gratitude. So here it is…
In this almost brand-new episode: News from the World of News, Asteriornis the wonderchicken, Dineobellator the velociraptorine, and a stem-anthropoid from Peru. In News from World of Darren and John, Monsters of the Deep, photoluminescence paper, and TetZooCon 2020. What’s New at TetZoo covers Occuludentavis, the passing of Clack and Carroll, and the fact that there are not too many sauropods. And finally, Leakey's aposematic hypothesis, and non-standard takes on hominin evolution.
Enter the Time Machine to a time when Darren and John discuss topics from, like a billion years ago in News From the World of News. Topics include Nessie eDNA, a scathing book review, and PopPalaeo.
We’re back! In our stunning return, in which we clearly still know how to podcast good and do other stuff good too, we discuss The Summer of The Gulls, the silk road and the rodents therein, TetZooCon and The Dark Crystal.
Episode 73, some news about tyrannosaurs (YAWN) and then eggses and eggses and eggses. I hope you like eggs.
NEWs from world of news: pterosaur 'feathers', Sobrarbesiren, scavenging snowshoe hares, and whatever happened to the Kabomani tapir?
NEWs from the world of Darren and John: TetZooCon 2018, Crystal Palace, ZSL book event, ARC-BHS meeting, PopPalaeo Dec 2018, and Darren in China
NEW at TetZoo: sungrebe pouches, tetrapteryx, and sauropod life appearance.
In this zombie episode from September: the formidability of cape buffalo, plesiosaur necks, and the domesticability of dinosaurs.
In this less farty episode, FU, white-eyes (again) and Jinfengopteryx. News World o' News: Junzi the gibbon, Chinese hominins at 2.2 Ma, and books books books. A Cash 4 Question (no we don't do those anymore) on bovids and domestication.
And our main event: Speculative Zoology.
We have a new enemy, the SquaMates Podcast. News from Darren and John: John's new superhero/Pokemon crossover fanart, BTCon2018, the Eotyrannus monograph, TetZooCon. News from World of News includes, Loch Ness eDNA, Foro is a touraco, Summerside, Kram, and Ahmed human gait study, leading to a discussion of variation within humans.
In this ramshackle episode, FU: how to pronounce generic names for cheetahs. News from World of Darren and John: Darren needs to leave SciAm (give hime money!), Jurassic World and Lego, trees, magpies, and abstract expressionist dinosaurs (yes you need them).
News from World of News (da da dah!): Rashid et al. pygostyle paper, Electrorana a stupid successful frog, which wasn't even actually electric. Also, pterosaurs in amber... or art they? No they're not... unless...
Popular tat: 25 years of Jurassic Park, and John has been made to see Jurassic World 2 against his will. Spoiler - he didn't like it.
John: ★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
In this episode, FU on white-eyes, liberal left and anti-vaxxers, CTO not TCO or was the TCO not CTO? News from the World of "Science and Books": After Man new edition, is the giant cheetah really a cheetah, and sweaty wolverines. News from World John and Darren: sexual selection conference, Ford vs Naish, Dinosaurs HTLE 2nd edition cover. A long-lost (and still lost but remembered) Cash for Question!
A new segment: Darren Summarises TV and Film, including Lost in Space, Cloverfield Paradox, and Infinity War (more like Infinity BORE amirite?).
In this episode, John finds his mute switch, News from World of News: giant Rhaetian ichthyosaurs, Dracula pterosaur, Art Bell, and the final (maybe?) Cash for Questions; Aurochs, glands, and finding things.
In this episode, Darren meta-review and actual review of God's Word or Human Reason,News from World of News: Occultonectia and polycotylids, seafloor ziphiid fossils, and Chilesaurus AGAIN. Cash for Questions too.
Popular Tat, we've both seen Annihilation, and... we agree!
Darren: ★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆
John: ★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆
In this episode, FU listeners! with glowbones, enantiornithine, Beelzebufo, pterosaurs. Also NEWS FROM THE WORLD OF NEWS Chendytes, Penkalski ankylosaurids, and pterosaurs. More cash for questions and no popular tat (no time!).
The podcats is back for reals, and bigger than ever. In this episode fluorescence in chameleons, bite force in frogs, Neanderthal cave art, and cash for questions. Also, a good deal of popular tat, and very special reading, by Darren Naish.
Episode 61, which has laid dormant for eight months, is here! I don't remember what's in it. Enjoy!
In this Cash for Questions!-filled episode, cats, dogs, toads, wolverines, hominids, caseids, tortoises, stupid ratites, nasty honey badgers, and not everything you wanted to know about turtles. Also phylogenetic trees.
In this shamefully delayed, but convincingly long episode: Ornithoscelida, the faces of Tyrannosaurs, and quite the rant on Arrival:
Darren: ★★★★★★☆☆☆☆
John: ★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
In the brand-spankin' new episode, Darren and John let chaos reign while still trying to say some stuff. Cash for Questions! includes vampires big and small, and a chemistry question which gets a predictably well thought out, knowledgeable and precise answer not read form Wikipedia. Also geology.
Popular Tat is Westworld.
The much-anticipated Episode 56 is here. Darren and John discuss the the dinosaur controv-ersy or contra-versy (it controversial) of dinosaur soft tissue, the origin or affinities of Jar Jar Binks, and what we know about dinosaur eyes. Also, Darren's and Mark (Witton - take a drink)'s new azhdarchid paper is out.
Finally, Rogue One, which - in a shocking twist - we agree on:
Darren: ★★★★★★☆☆☆☆
John: ★★★★★★☆☆☆☆
For the third time... no, I can't be bothered. News from the World of News, Cash for Questions! etc.
Download here.
In this thrilling episode, Darren and John discuss, unsurprising phylogenetic studies, why birds won't get in the water and frogs won't get out, the patheticness of viverrids, and whether other animals go to war intentionally (if, indeed, humans do). Also what we think of the Walking With [...] series.
Download here.
In this episode, Darren and John discuss Darren's new book, Hunting Monsters: Cryptozoology and the Reality Behind the Myths. Lots of of discussion of cryptozoology, and some terrible popular tat.
Buy Darren's book here!
Download here.
In this long-awaired episode, remedies for epidemics, the mystery of Eshanosaurus, and xenarthran origins. Probably other things too, but we've recorded so many in the last couple of days I've forgotten (also I have no memory).
Download here.
In this episode, tool use in not-avian dinosaurs, tetrapods riding tetrapods, and Darren and John give career advice* (yes, really). Then, discussion of Star Wars VII, the first film since the abysmal Lucy John rates higher than Darren.
Darren: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆
John: ★★★★★★★★☆☆
*Advice not sound, do not use for any purpose
In this very special episode of the The Tetrapood Zoology Procarts, big cat books, plesiosaur papers, and Cash for Questions! on Amargasaurus spines, and speculation on the replacements for amphibians. Also, discussion of Star Wars the original series, and a bit of prequel bashing, before moving on to the SPECIAL EVENT.
In this episode, Darren and John get progressively less serious. Starting White Nose Syndrome in bats and the history of such events, giant herbivores of the Permian, and tool use in snakes, discussion concludes with a chaotic rundown of the merits of Jurassic Hunters AKA Cowboys vs Dinosaurs. Conclusion: better than Jurassic World.
Darren: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆
John: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆
Download here.
In this much delayed episode, the value of hybridisation in conservation, the proportions of large pterosaurs, evolving flight from gliding animals, and our choice of the best fossil taxon to find with soft tissue preservation.
Download here.
In this episode, many Cash for Questions!: the advantage of sabre teeth, our favourite speculative worlds, the latest fads among deer, flightless pterosaurs and Dong Tao chicken feet.
Download here.
In this question-tastic episode, Darren and John are back with amphibians (or lissamphibians?), the birthing habits of metriorhynchids, melanosomes in birdy dinosaurs, sperm whales, and small dinosaurs (or lack thereof).
Download here.
In this extinction-filled episode, Nanotyrannus, Schmanotyrannus,the frog problem, the survival of non-avian dinosaurs past the M/C extinction time, and Darren and John's dinosaur movies plots.
Also, TetZooCon 2015 - get your tickets here.
Download here.
John and Darren discuss Jurassic World. Spoilers! It's no good.
Darren: ★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
John: ★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
Download here.
In this late episode, Darren and John discuss the Romanian find of century, dinosaur premaxillary genetics, and Yee chee, or Yee kwee, or something. Also, Cash for Questions!: is Canine Transmissible Venereal Tumour a tetrapod? and Africa as a Pleistocene remnant.
Download here.
In this crazy mixed up episode Darren leaves out all the juicy bits from his trip to Romania, pterosaurs landing, domesticated horses in sub-saharan Africa, and the evolution of beaks in dinosaurs. Also the return of Brontosaurus, and the return of paraphyletic taxonomy. Trailers are discussed by Darren, scoffed at by John.
Also, Age of Voltron.
Download here.
Brace yourselves listeners, as we MOVE THE SEGMENTS AROUND. First up is Cash for Questions! with the gait of synapsids, the homology of scales, and Myotragus and the giant Minorcan lagomorphs.
News From World of Darren & John includes the new short-necked azhdarchid and News From World of News include a new tapir, a (not new) albino tapir, theropod neoflightlessness from Feduccia & Czerkas, and Carnufex.
Download here.
It’s the big four-oh, and FU is a complete mess: Red Letter Media guy, Rio 2, How Big is Texas (bigger or smaller than France !), Spotted owlet. News from World of Darren & John includes the news from The Scholarly Research of the Anomalous Conference, and John's new Twitter handle (@thejohnconway).
News from World of News includes, Eotaria, Purussaurus bite strength, diverse docodonts, BD in Madagascar, and the the passing of Stephen Czerkas, Vladimir Krb, Eugenie Clark, and Leonard Nimoy.
Cash for Questions! include aquatic sloths, the musical ability of tetrapods, and how to respond to cranks (with a nice little excursion into x-came-first hypotheses).
Darren and John now both have Patreon rewards that include free Cash for Questions! Support Darren here, and John here.
Download here.
In this #batfacts episode, FU Darren, Rio stars a cockatoo, more #Batfacts and other #hashtags: #BuildaBetterFakeTheropod and #TetZooNameGame. News From World of News includes #SaveDippy, Finding Bigfoot UK, Jurassic snakes, Hume’s owl revelation, and shock of the century, a new tapir! Cash for questions include whether Godzilla should have feathers, archaeocryptozoology and parthenogenesis.
This episode's Popular Tat is the film Lucy, which was not popular with us (especially not Darren):
Darren: ★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
John: ★★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆
Download here.
In this not to shabby episode, FU on Planet of the Apes, Darren talks to school kids, Scholarly Research of the Anomalous Conference, FROGS, Tet Zoo 9th birthday. News from world of news is Darren's take on Conquest of the Skies David Attenborough series (not too shabby).
Cash for Questions! include why archosaur replaced synapsids in the Triassic, what the adaptive advantage is of being able to regenerate limbs, and Darren's opinion on the film Rio (terrible).
Download here.
In this Best Dinosaur episode, FU includes cassowaries, ‘Labrodon’, liberal Hollywood, and gull feet. News from Darren & John includes Darren the cruisemeister, Big Book, what’s at Tet Zoo, FROGS, Tet Zoo's birthday, and no news from John. News from World of News whips by with the two minute rule in effect, with Rue Pei et al. new Microraptor, bird phylogeny papers, Koschowitz et al. vs Mayr on feathers, Aquilops, dwarf elephant, no polar bear in yeti DNA.
Cash for questions include what the best dinosaur is, the social structure of dinosaurian groups, and the rights and wrongs of keeping whales and reptiles in captivity.
For Popular tat: Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
Darren: ★★★★★★☆☆☆☆
John: ★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
(Surprise.)
Download here.
In this time-dilated episode, FU on hyenas, new in cassowaries, seals vs porpoises, Alanqa jaws, and giant Chinese nothosaurs. Cash for Questions! include the fossil bias of unusual specimens, and why gulls stare at their feet.
Our Popular Tat section is on Jurassic World, and Interstellar; and in a shock outcome, Darren rates it lower than John.
Download here.
In this shockingly normal-length episode, we have more FU on freediving, how to Patreonise Darren, Archelosauria, Vintana the gondwanathere, and Cartorhynchus. Our C4Q this episode is about the possible switcheroo of hyenas and dogs in their cursorial and borophagian ways. Also fairy tales, including a discussion on Maleficent.
All wrapped up with an anecdote from Uncle Darren. Yay.
Download here.
In this thrilling and unbelievably long episode, FU dumbass Darren! Lungs & diving, Star Wars screwup again, re-wilding & ecotourism, and a plethora of other things Darren got wrong. News from World of Darren & John includes the Shanklin croc, multituberculates, and the Tet Zoo wiki.
Cash for Questions! include "what the hell is going on over there?", and what the deal is with sail-backed animals.
Download here.
John and Darren launch into followup, which is mostly about how big legs are or aren't. News of the world of Darren and John and also News include our palaeoart article, Darren’s lament, kangaroos that didn't hop or did, podcats reviewed at Li’L Box Big Universe, and the Chickensaurus Event (#chickensaurus).
Cash for Questions include our options on rewilding, and why mammals ain't got no no legs.
Stay tuned at the end for a special treat: Uncle Darren's Anecdotes, a new segment of Uncle Darren's witty and charming stories that are sure to delight you and the whole family.
Download here.
So, I'm uploading this from an internet cafe in Malta, so I can't listen, and I can't for the life of me remember what's in this episode. Safe bet: some dinosaurs, pterosaurs, Cash for Questions! and some terrible movie. Am I close?
Download here.
After a month long hiatus, Darren and John return, with this overlong, self-important, dull and portentous episode. News from the World of News includes the best and worst of teeth at the SVPCA, deer-cow hybrids (or as we call them "cows"), Transylvanian pturtles, some expert FU on antlers.
Cash for Questions includes the sauropod respiratory system, and a spinoff discussion on size, (we're still not sure which) Planet of the Apes, the ever-changing head of Quetzalcoatlus, and another round on tyrannosaur arms.
Finally, an extended rant on one of the worst films we've ever seen, Noah (2013). Surprising verdict: they should have stuck closer to the Bible. The best review is here. Darren: 3/10, John: 1/10.
Download here.
Live Google Hangouts are hard. Too hard for us. After the technical collapse of the Google Hangout, we decided to record locally and put up what we had. Recording locally is hard too (apparently), and much of it was lost. Finally, the batteries in our laptops died, and that was that.
However, we did manage to record some followup (antlers), the ethics of killing animals because you're interested in them, Darren and Memo's talks at LonCon 3, and finally, a pseudo cash for question from new listener John Conway, what is the most boring Tetrapod?
We will be returning to normal format for episode 31, with proper followup and all you Cash for Questions!
Download here.
In a few hours, we will be recording Episode 30 of the podcats in The Old Ship, W6. You can watch the proceeding in a live Goole Hangout here.
We will be answering live questions, and playing the patented Nicklin/Keesey Drinking Game. The rules are as follows:
1: Darren gets the show number wrong - finish the drink.
2: Darren gets his name wrong - 1 shot.
3: A new tapir is discussed - 1 sip.
4: Darren gets a new paper out - 1 shot.
5: Darren and John get side tracked into a discussion of fish - 1 shot.
6: Darren raises a TV show/film that John hasn't seen - 1 sip.
7: John has major issues with the film Darren raises - 1 sip.
8: Darren and John have to spend time clarifying which reboot/sequel/prequel they are discussing - 1 shot
9: John offers opinion on film he hasn't seen - 1 shot.
10: .....and it's positive - finish the drink.
11: Question is ultimately answered "we don't know" - 1 shot
12: Genetics get referred to in a confused way - 1 shot.
13: Genetics get referred to in a coherent and intelligent way - finish the drink.
14: "Take that Keesey" - 1 shot.
15: Darren and/or John mispronounce someone's name - 1 sip.
16: David Peters is referenced - a cry of "Boo" must be uttered and a shot taken to expunge the memory.
17: Darren locks himself in/gets pestered by a pet/rung up/answers door - 1 shot.
18: John gets a delivery - 1 shot.
19: Apologies are made for/discussion of a technical fault - 1 shot.
20: Permian Bears! - finish the drink.
21: Darren makes an arithmetical error - 1 shot.
22: John says "maybe it's..." - 1 shot.
23: Any mention of episode 13 - 3 shots.
24: Episode 13 is released - finish the shelf.
25: Any species known to have been shot by Teddy Roosevelt is mentioned - 1 shot.
26: Debate of species concept - all groan "not again", and take 2 shots.
27: MC extinction time - everybody stop, and take 1 sip.
28: Permian/Triassic extinction - finish the drink.
29: Feathers on dinosaurs in art/bunny hands - 1 sip.
30: The infamous croc skulls are finally identified anywhere in the Tetzooniverse - finish the drink.
31: Darren makes reference to an unpublished yet earth-shattering result - 1 shot.
32: Heine the unprovable hypothesis Yeti becomes a meme and is referenced - 1 shot.
33: John hurries Darren along on time - 1 shot.
34: Darren hurries John - 3 shots.
35: David Marjanovic is mentioned - 3 shots.
36: Adventure time is referenced - 1 shot.
37: A guest is asked "do you lek breed"?
Drink "responsibly" - by Anglo-Australian definitions of the term.
Episode 29 includes, are new tapirs really new?, a TetZooCon round up, a quick discussion of and many a cash for question. Questions include the usefulness to eve-devo to palaeontology, the advantage of antlerage, why pterosaurs are better than birds, and the confusing mess of ratite biogeography.
John make a valiant attempt to get Darren to stop droning on and on about superheroes, but he can't be stopped. So take that, podcats listeners.
Download here.
Darren and John cover some followup, including the usual unbelievably stupid mistakes Darren makes about little ratty things, and John's bungling at TetZoo Tech leading to everyone's email not being read over the last couple of months.
We then whip through some News from the World of News including nothosaur tracks, Australian newts, and some News from the World of Darren and John: the last chance to book TetZooCon.
This episode is rolling in Cash (for Questions!), including two questions on theropod forelimbs (why they are so awkward and small?) and two questions on the Squamozoic.
Download here.
Darren and John discuss a Sussex big cat, the eating of a great white shark, punching in the face, Deinocheirus, and the Angeac dinosaur. Such pointless banter stops for the main event: GODZILLA. Thoughts and spoilers on three Godzilla films (1954, 1998, 2014). Surprise! Darren and John disagree.
Darren
Godzilla (1954) ★★★★★
Godzilla (1998) ★
Godzilla (2014) ★★★★
John
Godzilla (1954) ★★★★★
Godzilla (1998) ★★★
Godzilla (2014) ★★
Download here.
Episode 26 is here, beamed direct from TetZoo Tech to your brain. Tetrapodcats Dr. Darren and JC.co lay down some News from the World of News, with tapirs, ratites, Amazonian dromomerycines, and more. Listeners drop some Cash for Questions!, with spec zoo classic mashups, and why cats just can't get into the groove.
Don't forget to book your tickets for TetZooCon, guest list only, doors open at 9.
Download here.
In episode 25, Darren and John discuss news from the world of TetZoo, TetZooCon, Gagagon, Crash bandicoot (if that is its real name), the new tyrannosaur, and Aplestosuchus. Cash for Questions! are on the Pleistocene extinction, and non-mammalian synapsids – so many, so mysterious.
Tickets for TetZooCon can be booked here.
Download here.
In this thrilling episode: John was taken in by an obvious shoop of a president on a moose, Darren's new bird paper, Alligators, plesiosaur snouts, new hupehsuchians and tapirs, and chickens. Cash for Questions! include a confused followup on Toxoplasma, the point of tails or lack thereof, survivors of the M/C Extinction (fine, Dr. Holtz, the K/Pg Extinction, urch), and the ecological niches of fossil tetrapods.
Download here.
In this endless (droning) episode, Darren and John stick to the outline. Much follow up, the intelligence of moose, many Cash for Questions!, including our confused ramblings on Toxoplasma, the best bit of evolution - when we stopped all being fish, and the decline (or not) of pterosaurs. Such Shaun of the Dead, and other zombie films, wow.
Download here.
In this annoying episode, Darren speaks to us from underwater to tell us about the new tapir and theropods, and John gets annoyed with Bergmann's Rule. Cash for Questions! includes flightless bats, and the cuteness of babies that are not your own species.
Apologies for the audio quality in this episode, Darren's new laptop doesn't work with his old and broken headset, so so he had to record on the laptop microphone. We've ordered snazzy new headsets (thanks donators, C4Q!ers and TetZoo shoppers), so hopefully the sound quality will be supoib for next episode.
Download here.
In this highly untelligent episode, John and Darren discuss MC Hammer (Extinction Time), the intelligence of amphibians, the stupidest tetrapod, the stupidest movie (Walking With Dinosaurs), and also, less fitting with the theme, mosasaurs.
Download here.
In this all-singing, all question-answering episode, Darren and John discuss baby-saving birds (photos), the sociability of varanids, whether other tetrapods could have evolved to fill our niche, whether four limbs make you a tetrapod, and, of course, the most flammable tetrapods. Also, the new Godzilla trailer, why Darren is locked in his house, and Darren's heartfelt and powerful rendition of the TetZoo Time theme tune.
Thanks to all those who provided Cash for Questions!, donations and bought our stuff. A couple of C4Q!s were kicked into next episode, so stay tuned for those.
Download here.
Darren and John do some followup, and then move on to so many Cash for Questions!, including: why there aren't primates in North America or Europe, no ground sloths in the Old World and woolly rhinos in the new, the taxonomic status of Pristichampsus, predatory mimicry, and the new big sillysaurid.
A big thank you to people that donated, especially recurrurs, and those that bribed us to answer their questions.
Download here.
Tetrapodcats turns one today! Darren and John largely fail to remember anything about the year of podcatsing past, instead relentlessly chase down tangent after tangent. The sad case of the axolotl leads to a long tangent on conservation, and a bunch of other things which are difficult to recall right now. Our Cash for Question(s)! is on speciation, which of course leads to discussion of how attractive donkeys find horses. More listener questions and then plaintive pleas for recurring donations.
Download here.
Darren and John discuss the 8th birthday of TetZoo, fish (why?), and Darren's new paper on fossil bird behaviour before moving on to Cash for Questions!, which include why female asian elephants lack tusks, why mammals did so well after the K/Pg extinction, and what the deal is with archosaur integument. The questions are discussed at length but none are answered satisfactorily.*
Also, Tetrapod Zoology Podcast t-shirts, and TetZoo Time!
Download here.
*No refunds, all answers are final.
Darren and John fail to introduce Episode 16, in which they discuss conjoined whales, ramble in an uninformed way about genetic chimera, and discuss whether new tapirs are interesting (Darren says YES). Also Bigfoot (again) the Minnesota Ice Man, and much discussion of the work of Weta, the workshop behind the creatures in many a Peter Jackson film.
The making of the Weta Workshop eagles is here.
We are introducing a new scheme: Cash for Questions! Send us a donation and we will cover a topic of your choice, guaranteed. (Terms and conditions apply, not a guarantee.)
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In this very special episode of Tetrapodcats, John and Darren are joined by Memo Kosemen, co-author and artist of Cryptozoologicon to talk about, well, Cryptozoologicon.Also, Notoungulates, and other listener requests.
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In this episode, Darren and John reminisce about the lost glory of Episode 13. Also, woolly rhinos, not very much on woolly horses (who cares about them?), the Hook Island Monster, listener questions, and more on Cryptozoologicon - (if you live in the London area, come to the launch - book tickets here).
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Due to technical problems, episode 13 (the best episode EVER), was lost. So much classic TetZoo podcasting that no one will ever hear.
Darren and John knowledgeably discuss the aerodynamics of Microraptor, the new tail of Jeholornis, a little about crocodyliform crocodylomorphs, and Eoraptor. The film this week is Dudzilla, which John excitingly vaguely recalls wasn't all that bad - Darren disagrees.
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Darren and John discuss John's excuse for being late to the podcast, talks at the SVPCA (Symposium of Vertebrate Palaeontology and Comparative Anatomy), fossil collecting, and many listener questions.
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In the big ten-oh, Darren and John discuss the Loch Ness Monster, the NHM Extinction exhibition, and then Pacific Rim (again).
Also check out Darren's Tet Zoo Guide to Pacific Rim.
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Listener Evan Boucher sent in this very cool, very literal interpretation of Tetrapodcats. Check out Evan's awesome work here.
Darren and John discuss Night Parrots, mesosaurs and aquatic tetrapods, then John rants about Pacific Rim (despite not having seen it!) for what seems like days. Darren disagrees.
All the nuclear tests from 1945 to 1998, in one terrifying movie.
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In this, the shortest ever Tetrapodcat, Darren watches birds while John mulls over the state of underwear in superheroes. We talk about bird behaviour, bird gut evolution, and Superman, a film neither of us has actually seen. Also, annoying hints at our top secret book.
Links:
Mark Witton's "What Daleks, xenomorphs and slasher movies tell us about palaeoart"
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Darren and John are joined by special guest podcat Blake Smith, sceptic of note and co-host of the Monster Talk podcast. We discuss the best of Rios and the worst of Rios, cryptozoology, cartoons, and Cloverfield.
Why you should ignore Dave Peters ReptileEvolution.com.
The charming snake handler Raymond Hoser "training" young women in... err, something (again, and again, and again) . He also had his 10 year-old daughter bitten by a snake to prove a point. Nice fella, please ignore his taxonomy.
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Darren and John discuss Rooks, Avatar (again), and colouration in animals - which turns out to be a bit of a mystery. Download it here.
Darren and John discuss sexual selection in dinosaurs, the morality of The Thing and the perpetual debate on what is canon. Live Twitter (hashtag #tetrapodcats, typo deliberate) questions include a very serious question from Mark Witton and invasive species during the Cretaceous. Thanks to all those who donated, and put the podcast in profit, we're going to Vegas! (No, we're not.)
In this shambolic episode Darren and John do a little Bigfoot followup, and then ramble on about movies. Surprisingly, there's some good podcastin' on Jurassic Park in here, as Darren picks it apart, piece by tiny piece. Also a live listener question on Alien.
Daniel Loxton and Donald Prothero's Abominable Science!: Origins of the Yeti, Nessie, and Other Famous Cryptids.
Sharon Hill's discussion of our Bigfoot episode on IDoubtIt.
Sorry to all those who rely on us keeping a regular schedule to set their atomic clocks by, but the 4th episode of the podcast will be delayed for a couple of weeks. This is due to Darren having a cough, and then being away. Obviously, this is a little frustrating because the last episode was delayed due to me (John) having the flu. Blame this endless winter.
In the future, I'm thinking about ways to get the show on a reliable regular schedule. Probably the best thing to do is record several episodes in one sitting, when we both have the chance. Obviously, this would reduce the topicality of the show, but I suspect that's not why people listen anyway.
So, we'll have an episode for you shortly after Darren returns on the 14th. We'll be discussing follow up to the Bigfoot show, so, if you have any questions or comments you'd like us to cover, let us know!
After a long delay for illness, a silly delay in post-production, and another delay for top secret reasons, the Tetrapod Zoology Podcast Bigfoot Special is finally here. To make up for it being so late, it's a whopper. Links:
A complete list of Matt Crowley's research into Bigfoot evidence, including his experimental ridge flow patternAnton Wroblewski points out the Skookum cask is consistent with an elk lay. Another page with pictures.
The stabilised Patterson-Gimlin footage.
In this violence-filled episode, Darren and John discuss crocodiles attacking elephants, murderous tits, tubenosed seabirds, listener question Andrewsarchus vs. Arctodus, and finally manage to talk about the same version of Little Shop of Horrors.
In the the very first episode of the Tetrapod Zoology Podcast, Darren and I discuss azhdarchid pterosaurs,plesiosaur phylogeny, peafowl, glassfrogs, Prometheus, and the sorry state of prequels.