RECENT PUBLICATIONS30.08.2005 Reisz, R. R., D. Scott, H-D. Sues, D. C. Evans, M. A. Raath (2005) Embryos of an Early Jurassic prosauropod dinosaur and their evolutionary significance. Science 309 (5735): 761-764.
This publication has received extensive worldwide news coverage, including a companion piece by Erik Stockstad in the same issue of Science, pg 679.
RECENT PUBLICATIONS-27.07.2004 Reisz, R. R. and Laurin, M. (2004) A reevaluation of the enigmatic Permian synapsid Watongia and of its stratigraphic significance. Canadain Journal of Earth Sciences 41: 377-386.
This publication has received some news coverage, including an interview on Quirks and Quarks (CBC
Radio).
RECENT PUBLICATIONS-20.05.2004 Reisz, R. R. and Mueller, J. (2004) Molecular timescales and the fossil record: a paleontological perspective. Trends in Genetics. 20 (5): 237-241
This has been followed up with a rebuttal letter in the same journal.
RECENT PUBLICATIONS-05.05.2004 Anderson, J.S. and Reisz, R.R. (2004) Pyozia mesenensis, a new, small varanopid (Synapsida, Eupelycosauria) from Russia. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 24:173-179.
Lab Personnel
Robert R. Reisz
B.Sc., M.Sc., Ph.D.
I first became interested in fossils during my third year of studies at McGill University, when I took a course with Dr. Robert Carroll on Vertebrate Paleontology. Since I did not grow up being fascinated by dinosaurs, I became interested instead in the early stages of terrestrial vertebrate evolution. Since the oldest known amniotes have been recovered from Palaeozoic sediments in Nova Scotia, Canada, this field of study appeared quite appropriate. Palaeozoic amniotes represent the first successful adaptation of vertebrates to a fully terrestrial mode of life. They are at the base of subsequent adaptive radiations that eventually gave rise to modern reptiles, birds and mammals. Their fossil remains therefore provide a unique opportunity for studies of the origin and adaptive radiation of all amniotes.
Like most vertebrate paleontologists, I am very fond of fossils, and greatly enjoy the field aspect of my specialty. This has taken me to various regions of the world, including numerous sites in Canada, the USA, Russia, and South Africa.
Although the main focus of research is on Palaeozoic synapsids, I continue to be interested in both anamniotes and amniotes of the Palaeozoic. Recently, I have been pulled "downward" into a number of projects on Devonian lungfishes (especially because of their peculiar pattern of dental development), and "upward" into some projects on dinosaurs (projects on Massospondylus and Coelophysis).
For more information on current research in my lab, see the Research Page.
For a complete list of my scientific papers, see the Publications Page
I can be reached at robert.reisz _at_utoronto.ca (replace _at_ with @).
For information about undergraduate study in Biology at the University of Toronto Mississauga, click here.
For information about graduate studies in Ecology & Evolutionary Biology at the University of Toronto, click here.
Diane Scott
Research Associate Extraordinaire
With over 25 years experience in this lab, Diane remains fairly sane. Apart from arguing all the facts, she also does such tasks as: preparing and analyzing fossils, drawing and reconstructing specimens, as well as photography and computer graphics. These techniques are also passed on to any student who willingly enters the lab. Currently involved in who knows how many projects, she hopes to have them completed before she retires or fossilizes.
Jason Head
Assistant Professor
Jason is an Assistant Professor in the Biology Department at the University of Toronto Mississauga and a research associate in the Department of Natural History, Royal Ontario Museum. He works closely with members of the Reisz Lab.
Jessica Hawthorn
Graduate Student
Jessica completed her B.Sc. in Paleontology and M.Sc. in Systematics and
Evolution at the University of Alberta. Her undergraduate honors
thesis, supervised by Dr. Michael Caldwell, dealt with the anatomy and
systematics of the Jurassic squamates Eichstaettisaurus and
Ardeosaurus. Jessica's M.Sc. research was completed in Dr. Mark Wilson's
lab, and her thesis addressed the classification, phylogeny, and
distribution of poraspidine heterostracans. She also spent some of her
time in the Wilson lab working on growth in osteostracans. Jessica's
Ph.D. research topic will be the phylogenetics and ecology of
ophiacodontid eupelycosaurs.
Kirstin Brink
Graduate Student
Kirstin completed her B.Sc. in Biology and Earth Sciences at the University of Alberta in 2006. Her undergraduate research projects included work on fossil conifers from Vancouver Island (Cunninghamia hornbyensis) and fossil isopods from Morocco. Following her B.Sc. Kirstin worked at the Royal Tyrrell Museum as a technician before obtaining her M.Sc. at the University of Calgary with Dr. Darla Zelenitsky on growth of the crest of the lambeosaurine dinosaur Hypacrosaurus stebingeri. Her Ph.D. research will investigate the growth and systematics of sphenacodontid synapsids with a focus on Dimetrodon.
Nicolas Campione
Graduate Student
Nic received his B.Sc. from Carleton University in Ottawa, where he completed his Honours Thesis on the homologies of the syncervical in ceratopsid dinosaurs. Nic joined the Reisz lab in 2006 where he completed a Masters research project in 2008, re-describing a Permian varanopid synapsid from Texas, Varanops brevirostris. Nic has extended his stay in Toronto and is now working on a Ph.D. co-supervised by Dr. David Evans at the Royal Ontario Museum and Robert. His project regards the systematics and diversity of Late Cretaceous hadrosaurines, and the evolution of body size in ornithopod dinosaurs.
Caleb Brown
Graduate Student
Caleb earned both is Hon. B.Sc. in Zoology and M.Sc. in Vertebrate
Palaeontology from the University of Calgary under the supervision of
Dr. Anthony P. Russell. For his undergraduate research, Caleb
examined patterns of growth in the frill of centrosaurine (horned)
dinosaurs. His M.Sc thesis investigated the taxonomy and occurrence
of Thescelosaurus and other basal ornithopod dinosaurs from western
Canada. For his Ph.D research he is returning to centrosaurines to
explore aspects of their radiation and cranial ornamentation under the
supervision of both Dr. Robert Reisz and Dr. David Evans of the ROM.
Richard Kissel
Graduate Student
Richardo, a dedicated diadectomorph expert, is working on his Ph.D. on this group of fascinating, remarkable, rotund creatures, even though they are not spectacularly armored. He has neglected to write his own text here, so his supervisor decided to include something here, while he is away in Ithaca, NY at the Museum of the Earth. Hopefully, when he sees this, he will make time to send in his own description.
Nicola Wong Ken
Research Assistant
Niki is a former student of Sheridan College's Scientific and Technical Illustration program, and started at the Reisz lab on a Co-op. She now works on preparing, drawing, and reconstructing specimens, and will soon delve into the realm of 3D with CAT scan analysis. Niki also plays at being the surrogate Diane, when Diane is on well deserved vacations.
website: www.lifeinablender.ca
Farcical Version
Click here for the original version of this page, complete with farcical text and completely inappropriate clip-art representations of ourselves. Corwin tossed it together as a temporary "mock-up" of the eventual layout, but because everyone who sees it seems to get a kick out of it we decided to keep it around on a permanent basis.
Click Here to View PDF
