Dimorphodon Facts and Figures

Dimorphodon Facts and Figures Name: Dimorphodon (Greek for two-formed tooth); pronounced die-MORE-foe-don Habitat: Shores of Europe and Central America Historical Period: Middle-late Jurassic (175-160 million years ago) Size and Weight: Wingspan of four feet and a few pounds Diet: Unknown; possibly insects rather than fish Distinguishing Characteristics: Large head; long tail; two different types of teeth in jaws About Dimorphodon Dimorphodon is one of those animals that looks like it was assembled wrong out of the box: its head was much bigger than that of other pterosaurs, even near-contemporaries like Pterodactylus, and seems to have been borrowed from a larger, terrestrial theropod dinosaur and planted on the end of its small, slender body. Of equal interest to paleontologists, this middle- to late Jurassic pterosaur had two types of teeth in its beaked jaws, longer ones in front (presumably intended for snagging its prey) and shorter, flatter ones in back (presumably for grinding this prey up into an easily swallowed mush)- hence its name, Greek for two shapes of tooth. Discovered relatively early in paleontological history- in early 19th century England by the amateur fossil-hunter Mary Anning- Dimorphodon has occasioned its share of controversy, since scientists didnt have a framework of evolution within which to understand it. For example, the famous (and notoriously cranky) English naturalist Richard Owen insisted that Dimorphodon was a terrestrial four-footed reptile, while his rival Harry Seeley was a bit closer to the mark, speculating that Dimorphodon might have run on two legs. It took years for scientists to realize that they were dealing with a winged reptile. Ironically, according to the latest research, it may be the case that Owen was right after all. The big-headed Dimorphodon simply doesnt appear to have been built for sustained flight; at most, it may have been capable of fluttering clumsily from tree to tree, or briefly flapping its wings to escape larger predators. This may have been an early case of secondary flightlessness, since a pterosaur that lived tens of millions of years before Dimorphodon, Preondactylus, was an accomplished flyer. Almost certainly, to judge by its anatomy, Dimorphodon was more accomplished at climbing trees than gliding through the air, which would make it the Jurassic equivalent of the contemporary flying squirrel. For this reason, many experts now believe that Dimorphodon subsisted on terrestrial insects, rather than being a pelagic (ocean-flying) hunter of small fish.

4 Tips to Sneak Soft Skills in Your Resume

4 Tips to Sneak Soft Skills in Your Resume What should your resume looks like? There are plenty of standard resume tips and resume best practices  out there, but only a few provides actionable tips.  Here are some savvy tips you can incorporate soft skills into your resume. It’s often easier to just list your last five positions than to think of creative ways to sell your personality, but consider these steps to include soft skills into your resume! 1. Use Soft Skills Mentioned in the Job PostingWhen in doubt, always harvest from the ad that told you the job was available! Odds are they’ll mention â€Å"detailsWhenever you’re stuck, think of the STAR method- â€Å"Situation, Task, Action, Result†- to back up what you did, how you did it, and why it matters.Situation:  Ã¢â‚¬Å"As the medical clinic’s head receptionist†¦Ã¢â‚¬ Tasks:  Ã¢â‚¬Å"†¦responsibilities included maintaining schedules, administering paperwork, filing appointment records†¦Ã¢â‚¬ Action:  Ã¢â‚¬Å"â € ¦.and developing a systematized approach to the coordination of care between offices.†Result:  Ã¢â‚¬Å"This coordinating system has now been adopted by all five clinics in the building and facilitates clearer communication and speedier medical care across the clinic.†4. Highlight Your Leadership QualitiesEmphasize the roles in which you’ve supervised others, developed flagship protocols or policies, or headlined important projects! Once again, make sure you have  specific examples to support each instance. If you make it to the interview, you’ll want to illustrate your claims  with quantitative experience.