UCL RESEARCH DEPARTMENT OF
CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY

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Dr Paul M Barrett


Paul Barrett is an honorary member of the Evans lab but is otherwise based at the Natural History Museum where he is a researcher of dinosaurs and other fossil reptiles.

 
 P.Barrett@nhm.ac.uk  
Fax: +44 (0)20 7942 5546  

Address:
Department of Palaeontology, The Natural History Museum Cromwell Road, London, SW7 5BD, UK


NHM webstite:
Click here


Profile:
1993 BA (Hons) Natural Sciences, Zoology (University of Cambridge)
1998 PhD, Earth Sciences (University of Cambridge).
1996-1999 Junior Research Fellow. (Trinity College, University of Cambridge).
1999-2003 Lecturer in Animal Diversity (University of Oxford).
2003-present Researcher - dinosaurs and fossil reptiles (The Natural History Museum, London).

Research  

My research is centred on the taxonomy, systematics, functional morphology and macroevolution of dinosaurs and other extinct amniotes. Research is concentrated in three main areas:

  • Pattern and process in macroevolution. Controls on dinosaur and pterosaur diversity through time and space, including the influence of the rock record on modelled diversity patterns; multidisciplinary testing of plant–dinosaur co-evolutionary scenarios (using a novel application of Geographical Information Systems); clade-clade interactions through time; correlated progression; and the possible effects of changing atmospheric CO2 concentrations on the evolution of Mesozoic terrestrial ecosystems.
  • Functional morphology, palaeobiology and palaeoecology of sauropodomorph and ornithischian dinosaurs, relating primarily to feeding mechanisms. A second project that is currently underway, in conjunction with Dr Susannah Maidment, involves evaluating why some ornithischians become secondarily quadrupedal.
  • Taxonomic, systematic and faunal revisions of dinosaurs from the Middle Jurassic and Early Cretaceous of the UK, the Lower Jurassic and Early Cretaceous of the People’s Republic of China, the Lower Cretaceous of Australia and the Lower Jurassic of South Africa and Lesotho. In addition, other projects that I am involved in concern varanid lizards from the Pleistocene of Australia, a stem turtle from the Isle of Skye and marine reptiles from the British Lower Cretaceous.

Current non-NHM collaborators:
Dr Matthew Carrano (Smithsonian Institution), Prof. Susan Evans (UCL), Dr Jason Head (Univ. Toronto), Dr Ben Kear (La Trobe Univ., Melbourne), Prof. Geoff Manley (Technical Univ., Munich), Dr David Norman (Univ. Cambridge), Dr Tomoyuki Ohashi (Univ. Tokyo), Dr Mark Purnell (Univ. Leicester), Dr Oliver Rauhut (BSPG, Munich), Dr Emily Rayfield (Univ. Bristol), Dr Paul Upchurch (UCL), Prof. Wang Xiao-Lin (IVPP, Beijing), Dr Matthew Wills (Univ. Bath), Dr Jeffery Wilson (Univ. Michigan), Prof. Larry Witmer (Univ. Ohio), Prof. Xu Xing (IVPP, Beijing), Dr Adam Yates (BPI, Johannesburg) and Zhou Xiao-Dan (MGSJ, Nanjing).

Current and recent postdocs:
Dr Richard Butler (2006-2008, dinosaur plant co-evolution: NERC funded).
Dr Stig Walsh (2007-2008, reptile and bird inner ear morphology: NERC funded).
Dr Richard Butler (2008-2009, evolution of archosaur postcranial pneumaticity: NERC funded).
Dr Susannah Maidment (2009-, evolution of ornithischian quadrupedality, NERC funded).

Current postgraduate students: Debi Linton (UCL, ornithischian morphological evolution: NERC CASE, with Dr P Upchurch), Vince Williams (Univ. Leicester, dinosaur dental microwear: self-funded, with Dr M Purnell), Phil Mannion (UCL, sauropod fossil record: NERC); and Rosie Barnes (UCL, titanosaur phylogeny: NERC CASE, with Dr P Upchurch).

Recently completed postgraduate students: Roger Benson (Univ. Cambridge, Jurassic UK theropods: NERC CASE, with Dr D Norman), Jolyon Parish (DPhil, Univ. Oxford, ankylosaur phylogeny), Rudyard Sadleir (MSc, Univ. Oxford, the theropod Eustreptospondylus), Julia Heathcote (MRes, Imperial College London, dinosaur fossil record), Susannah Maidment (PhD, Univ. Cambridge, stegosaur phylogeny), Mark Young (Univ. Bristol, Finite Element Analysis of sauropod skulls: NERC CASE, with Drs E Rayfield, P Upchurch and L Witmer); Jérémy Anquetin (UCL, stem turtle phylogeny: NHM Studentship, with Prof. S Evans and Dr M Wilkinson).


Selected publications

  • Müller J, Scheyer TM, Head JJ, Barrett PM, Werneburg I, Ericson PGP, Pol D, Sánchez-Villagra M R. 2010. Homeotic effects, somitogenesis and the evolution of vertebral numbers in recent and fossil amniotes. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA 107, 2118­2123. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0912622107
  • Manning PL, Margetts L, Johnson MR, Withers PJ, Sellers WI, Falkingham PL, Mummery PM, Barrett PM, Raymont DR. 2009. Biomechanics of dromaeosaurid dinosaur claws: application of X-Ray microtomography, nanoindentation, and finite element analysis. Anatomical Record 291:1397–1405. Weblink
  • Barrett PM. 2009. The affinities of the enigmatic dinosaur Eshanosaurus deguchiianus from the Early Jurassic of Yunnan Province, People's Republic of China. Palaeontology 52: 681­688. DOI 10.1111/j.1475-4983.2009.00887
  • Barrett PM, Han F-L. 2009. Cranial anatomy of Jeholosaurus shangyuanensis (Dinosauria: Ornithischia) from the Early Cretaceous of China. Zootaxa 2072: 31­55. Weblink
  • Barrett PM, McGowan AJ, Page V. 2009. Dinosaur diversity and the rock record. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, Series B 276: 2667­2674. DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2009.0352
  • Butler RJ, Barrett PM, Gower DJ. 2009. Postcranial pneumaticity and bird-like air-sacs in the earliest pterosaurs. Biology Letters 5: 557­560. DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2009.0139
  • Butler RJ, Barrett PM, Kenrick P, Penn MG. 2009. Testing co-evolutionary hypotheses over geological timescales: interactions between Mesozoic non-avian dinosaurs and cycads. Biological Reviews 84: 73­89. DOI 10.1111/j.1469-185X.2008.00065.x
  • Butler RJ, Barrett PM, Kenrick P, Penn MG. 2009. Diversity patterns amongst herbivorous dinosaurs and plants during the Cretaceous: implications for hypotheses of dinosaur/angiosperm co-evolution. Journal of Evolutionary Biology 22: 446­459. DOI 10.1111/j.1420-9101.2008.01680.x
  • Butler RJ, Barrett PM, Nowbath S, Upchurch P. In press.Estimating the effects of the rock record on pterosaur diversity patterns: implications for hypotheses of bird/pterosaur competitive replacement. Paleobiology 35: 432-446. Weblink
  • Rayfield EJ, Barrett PM, Milner AR. 2009. Utility and validity of Middle and Late Triassic 'Land Vertebrate Faunachrons'. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 29: 80­87. DOI: 10.1671/039.029.0132
  • Williams VS, Barrett PM, Purnell MA. 2009. Quantitative analysis of dental microwear in hadrosaurid dinosaurs, and the implications for hypotheses of jaw mechanics and feeding. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA 106: 11194­11199. Weblink
  • Head JJ, Barrett PM, Rayfield EJ. 2009. Neurocranial osteology and systematic relationships of Varanus (Megalania) prisca Owen, 1859 (Squamata: Varanidae). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 155: 445–457. DOI: 10.1111/j.1096-3642.2008.00448.x
  • Barrett PM, Butler RJ, Xiao-Lin W, Xing X. 2009. Cranial anatomy of the iguanodontoid ornithopod Jinzhousaurus yangi from the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation of China. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 54: 35–-48. http://www.app.pan.pl/article/item/app54-035.html
  • Walsh, S. A., Barrett, P. M., Milner, A. C., Manley, G., Witmer L. M. 2009. Inner ear anatomy is a proxy for deducing auditory capability and behaviour in reptiles and birds. Proceedings of the Royal Society B DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2008.1390
  • Anquetin J, Barrett PM, Jones MEH, Moore-Fay S, Evans SE. 2009. A new stem turtle from the Middle Jurassic of Scotland: new insights into the evolution and palaeoecology of basal turtles. Proceedings of the Royal Society B 276: 879–886. DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2008.1429
  • Barrett, P. M., Butler, R. J., Novas, F. E., Moore-Fay, S., Moody, J. M., Clark, J. M. & Sánchez-Villagra, M. R. 2008. Dinosaur remains from the La Quinta Formation (Lower or Middle Jurassic) of the Venezuelan Andes. Paläontologische Zeitschrift 82: 163­177.
  • Butler, R. J. & Barrett, P. M. 2008. Palaeoenvironmental controls on the distribution of Cretaceous herbivorous dinosaurs. Naturwissenschaften 95: 1027­1032.
  • Maidment, S. C. R., Norman, D. B., Barrett, P. M. & Upchurch, P. 2008. Systematics and phylogeny of Stegosauria (Dinosauria: Ornithischia). Journal of Systematic Palaeontology 6: 367­407. DOI: 10.1017/S1477201908002459
  • Wills, M. A., Barrett, P. M. & Heathcote, J. F. 2008. The stratigraphic congruence of dinosaur phylogenies and the Modified Gap Excess Ration (GER*). Systematic Biology 57: 891­904.
  • Sadleir, R. W., Barrett, P. M. & Powell, H. P. 2008. The anatomy and systematics of Eustreptospondylus oxoniensis, a theropod dinosaur from the Middle Jurassic of Oxfordshire, England. Palaeontographical Society Monographs 160 (number 627): 1–82 + 20 pls.
  • Barrett, P. M. & Batten, D. J. (eds) 2007. Evolution and palaeobiology of early sauropodomorph dinosaurs. Special Papers in Palaeontology, 77, 289 pp.
  • Barrett, P. M. and Upchurch, P. 2007. The evolution of herbivory in sauropodomorph dinosaurs. 91–112. In (Barrett, P. M. & Batten D. J., eds). Evolution and palaeobiology of early sauropodomorph dinosaurs. Special Papers in Palaeontology, 77.
  • Upchurch, P., Barrett, P. M. & Galton, P. M. 2007. A phylogenetic analysis of basal sauropodomorph relationships: implications for the origin of sauropod dinosaurs. 57-90. In (Barrett, P. M. & Batten D. J., eds). Evolution and palaeobiology of early sauropodomorph dinosaurs. Special Papers in Palaeontology, 77.
  • Upchurch, P., Barrett, P. M., Zhao, X.-J. & Xu, X. 2007. A re-evaluation of Chinshakiangosaurus chunghoensis Ye vide Dong 1992 (Dinosauria, Sauropodomorpha): implications for cranial evolution in basal sauropod dinosaurs. Geological Magazine 144: 247–262. DOI: 10.1017/S0016756806003062
  • Zhao, Q., Barrett, P. M. & Eberth, D. A. 2007. Social behaviour and mass mortality in the basal ceratopsian dinosaur Psittacosaurus (Early Cretaceous, People’s Republic of China). Palaeontology 50: 1023–1029. Ingenta web link
  • Barrett, P. M. 2006. A sauropod dinosaur tooth from the Middle Jurassic of Skye, Scotland. Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (Earth Sciences), 97, 25-29. Cambridge Journals Link
  • Barrett, P. M. & Evans, S. E. (eds) 2006. Ninth International Symposium on Mesozoic Terrestrial Ecosystems and Biota. The Natural History Museum, London. 187 pp.
  • Barrett, P. M. & Hilton, J. 2006. The Jehol Biota (Lower Cretaceous, China): new discoveries and future prospects. Integrative Zoology, 1, 15-17.
  • Barrett, P. M. & Rayfield, E. J. 2006. Dinosaur feeding: recent advances and evolutionary implications. Trends in Ecology and Evolution, 21, 217-224. DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2006.01.002
  • Barrett, P. M. & Yates, A. M. 2006. New information on the palate and lower jaw of Massospondylus (Dinosauria: Sauropodomorpha). Palaeontologia Africana, 41, 123-130.
  • Evans, S. E., Barrett, P. M., Hilton, J., Butler, R. J., Jones, M. E. H., Liang, M.-M., Parish, J. C., Rayfield, E. J., Sigogneau-Russell, D. & Underwood, C. J. 2006. The Middle Jurassic vertebrate assemblage of Skye, Scotland. 36–39. In (Barrett, P. M. and Evans, S. E., eds). Ninth International Symposium on Mesozoic Terrestrial Ecosystems and Biotas. Natural History Museum, London, 187 pp. Full chapter [pdf: 5334kb]
  • Manning, P. L., Payne, D., Pennicott, J., Barrett, P. M. & Ennos, R. 2006. Dinosaur killer claws or climbing crampons? Biology Letters, 2, 110-112. DOI 10.1098/rsbl.2005.0395
  • Barrett, P. M. 2005. The diets of ostrich dinosaurs (Theropoda: Ornithomimosauria). Palaeontology, 48, 347–358. DOI: 10.1111/j.1475-4983.2005.00448.x
  • Barrett, P. M. & Upchurch, P. 2005. Sauropod diversity through time: possible macroevolutionary and palaeoecological implications. 125-156. In Curry-Rogers, K. A. and Wilson, J. A. (eds). The Sauropods: evolution and paleobiology. University of California Press, Berkeley, 349 pp.
  • Barrett, P. M. & Xu, X. 2005. A re-assessment of Dianchungosaurus lufengensis Yang, 1982, an enigmatic reptile from the Lower Lufeng Formation (Lower Jurassic) of Yunnan Province, People’s Republic of China. Journal of Paleontology, 79, 981–986. Bioone web link
  • Barrett, P. M., Butler, R. J. & Knoll, F. 2005. Small-bodied ornithischian dinosaurs from the Middle Jurassic of Sichuan, China. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, 25, 823-834. DOI: 10.1671/0272-4634(2005)025[0823:SODFTM]2.0.CO;2
  • Barrett, P. M., Upchurch, P. & Wang, X.-L. 2005. Cranial osteology of Lufengosaurus huenei Young (Dinosauria: Prosauropoda) from the Lower Jurassic of Yunnan, People’s Republic of China. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, 25, 806-822. DOI: 10.1671/0272-4634(2005)025[0806:COOLHY]2.0.CO;2
  • Isaji, S., Okazaki, H., Hirayama, Matsuoka, H., Barrett, P. M., Tsubamoto, T., Yamaguchi, M., Yamaguchi, I. & Sakumoto, T. 2005. Depositional environments and taphonomy of the bone-bearing beds of the Lower Cretaceous Kuwajima Formation, Tetori Group, Japan. Bulletin of the Kitakyushu Museum of Natural History and Human History, Series A (Natural History), 3, 123-133.
  • Rayfield, E. J., Barrett, P. M., McDonnell, R. A. & Willis, K. J. 2005. A Geographical Information Systems (GIS) study of Triassic vertebrate biochronology. Geological Magazine, 142, 327-354. DOI: 10.1017/S001675680500083X Supplementary information relating to this publication, including spreadsheets on Triassic tetrapod occurrences, can be downloaded by clicking here
  • Upchurch, P. & Barrett, P. M. 2005. A phylogenetic perspective on sauropod diversity. 104-124. In Curry-Rogers, K. A. and Wilson, J. A. (eds). The Sauropods: evolution and paleobiology. University of California Press, Berkeley, 349 pp.
  • Barrett, P. M. 2004. Sauropodomorph dinosaur diversity in the upper Elliot Formation (Massospondylus range zone: Lower Jurassic) of South Africa. South African Journal of Science, 100, 501-503.
  • Day, J. J. & Barrett, P. M. 2004. Material referred to Megalosaurus (Dinosauria: Theropoda) from the Middle Jurassic of Stonesfield, Oxfordshire, England: one taxon or two? Proceedings of the Geologists’ Association, 115, 359-366. Ingenta weblink
  • Evans, S. E., Barrett, P. M. & Ward, D. J. 2004. The first record of amphibians and reptiles from the Wessex Formation (Lower Cretaceous: Barremian) of the Isle of Wight, England. Proceedings of the Geologists’ Association, 115, 239-247. Ingenta web link
  • Ketchum. H. F. & Barrett, P. M. 2004. New reptile material from the Lower Triassic of Madagascar: implications for the P/T extinction event. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences, 41, 1-8.
  • Parish, J. C. & Barrett, P. M. 2004. A reappraisal of the ornithischian dinosaur ‘Amtosaurus magnus’ Kurzanov and Tumanova 1978, with comments on the status of ‘A’. archibaldi Averianov 2002. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences, 41, 299-306.
  • Upchurch, P., Barrett, P. M. & Dodson, P. 2004. Sauropoda. 259-322. In Weishampel, D. B., Dodson, P. and Osmólska, H. (eds). The Dinosauria (Second Edition). University of California Press, Berkeley, 861 pp.
  • Upchurch, P., Tomida, Y. & Barrett, P. M. 2004. A new specimen of Apatosaurus ajax (Sauropoda: Diplodocidae) from the Morrison Formation (Upper Jurassic) of Wyoming, USA. National Science Museum Monographs, 26, 1-108 + 10 pls.
  • Weishampel, D. B., Barrett, P. M., Coria, R. A., Le Loeuff, J., Xu, X., Zhao, X-J., Sahni, A., Gomani, E. M. P. & Noto, C. R. 2004. Dinosaur Distribution. 517-606. In Weishampel, D. B., Dodson, P. and Osmólska, H. (eds). The Dinosauria (Second Edition). University of California Press, Berkeley, 861 pp.
  • Zhou, Z-H., Barrett, P. M. & Hilton, J. 2003. An exceptionally preserved Lower Cretaceous terrestrial ecosystem. Nature, 421, 807-814. DOI: 10.1038/nature01420





A photo of Paul siting on a petrified tree trunk (Araucarioxylon arizonicum)
in the Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona


A photo of Paul with Jason Hilton (University of Birmingham) on field work on Skye in Scotland, UK

 

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