Palaeontology staff directory

Research interests

• Species radiations in molluscs.
  • Morphology, evolution and speciation in the marine tropical American gastropod: genus Polystira and the effects of isthmian uplift.
  • Evolution within a gastropod species flock: taxonomy, systematics and ecology of Lavigeria, a Lake Tanganyika endemic.
• Evolutionary and ecological effects of the separation of Atlantic and Pacific Oceans by the Isthmus of Panama: the molluscan signal.
• Homology assessment and character coding of accretionary skeletons.
• Bioimmuration: patterns and processes, taphonomy, and diagenesis.
• Morphology, phylogenetic relationships and classification of ‘ctenostome’ Bryozoa.

Current activities

I specialize in benthic molluscs (mostly post-Cretaceous), especially from the temperate and tropical Atlantic, and ctenostome bryozoans (including bioimmured fossils). I am also interested in fossil molluscan shell episymbionts and other hard substrate encrusting and boring organisms.

Much of my research on molluscs forms part of the Panama Paleontology Project and is in collaboration with the following scientists: Dr Anthony G. Coates (Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Republic of Panama), Prof. Ann Budd (University of Iowa, USA), Prof. Jeremy Jackson (Scripps Oceanographic Institution, La Jolla, USA), Dr. Peter Jung and Dr. Dan Miller (both Naturhistorisches Museum Basel, Basel, Switzerland).

Research on ctenostome bryozoans includes work on their phylogeny and preservation as fossils, some in conjunction with Dr Paul Taylor (Natural History Museum) and Dr Mark Wilson (College of Wooster, Ohio).

Higher education

1985	University of London - B.Sc. (Biology and Geology)
1993	University of Wales, Aberystwyth - Ph.D. (Geology) - ‘Bioimmuration’ - NERC/CASE funded, supervised by Drs T.J. Palmer (Aberystwyth) & P.D. Taylor (NHM)

Web links

• The Nyanza Project - This is an interdisciplinary educational and research–training course in tropical lake studies at Lake Tanganyika. Sponsored by the US NSF Paleoclimates Program.
• NMiTA (Neogene Marine Biota of Tropical America) - This is an online biotic database containing images and data for taxa used in analyses of Tropical American biodiversity over the past 25 million years. I am chief contributor to the gastropod and bivalve sections.
• PPP molluscan data - Research data: PPP molluscan data analyzed in Jackson, J. B. C., Todd, J. A., Fortunato, H. M. & Jung, P. 1999. Diversity and assemblages of Neogene Caribbean Mollusca of Lower Central America. 193-230. In Collins, L.S. and Coates, A.G. (eds), A Paleobiotic Survey of Caribbean Faunas from the Neogene of the Isthmus of Panama. Bulletins of American Paleontology.
• Extinctions after the cause - Popular research summary
• Origin of modern Caribbean marine fauna - Popular research summary. Check interactive map for details.
• Evolution and ecology in ‘aquatic islands’ - Popular research summary. Check interactive map for details.

Publications

Genner, M. J., Michel, E. & TODD, J. A . in press. Resistance of an invasive gastropod to an indigenous trematode parasite in Lake Malawi. Biological Invasions.

Allen, J. R. L., Fulford, M. G. & TODD, J. A . in press. Burnt Kimmeridgian shale at early Roman Silchester, southeast England, and the Roman Poole-Purbeck complex-agglomerated geomaterials industry. Oxford Journal of Archaeology .

O'Dea, A., Jackson, J. B. C., Fortunato, H., Smith, J. T., D'Croz, L., Johnson, K. G. & TODD, J. A . 2007. Environmental change preceded Caribbean mass extinction by 2 million years. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA, 104(13), 5501-5506. Environmental change... PDF (1.1 MB), Environmental change...Table 2 PDF (1.7 MB)

Johnson, K. G., TODD, J. A. & Jackson, J. B. C. 2007. Coral reef development drives molluscan diversity increase at local and regional scales in the late Neogene and Quaternary of the southwestern Caribbean. Paleobiology, 33(1), 24-52.

Genner, M. J., TODD, J. A., Michel, E., Erpenbeck, D., Jimoh, A., Joyce, D. A., Piechocki, A. & Pointier, J.-P. 2007. Amassing diversity in an ancient lake: evolution of a morphologically diverse parthenogenetic gastropod assemblage in Lake Malawi. Molecular Ecology, 16, 517-530.

Vanhaeren, M., d’Errico, F., Stringer, C., James, S. L., TODD, J. A. & Mienis, H. 2006. Middle Paleolithic Shell Beads in Israel and Algeria. Science, 312, 1785-1788.

TODD, J. A. & Collins, J. S. H. 2006. Neogene and Quaternary crabs (Crustacea, Decapoda) collected from Costa Rica and Panama by members of the Panama Paleontology Project. Bulletin of the Mizunami Fossil Museum, 32, 53-85, 4 pls. Neogene and Quaternary crabs... PDF (451.4 KB)

Gill, F. L., Harding, I. C., Little, C. T. S. & TODD, J. A. 2005. Palaeogene and Neogene cold seep communities in Barbados, Trinidad and Venezuela: An overview. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 227, 191-209.

Feng, W., TODD, J. A., Lan, X. & Cai, H. 2005. Micromollusk response to the Late Holocene rapid climatic variability in the Yongshu Reef, South China Sea. Acta Micropalaeontologica Sinica, 22(1), 39-46.

TODD, J. A. 2004. Comment on the proposed precedence of Ovula gisortianaPassy, 1859 over Cypraea coombiiJ. de C. Sowerby in Dixon, 1850 (Mollusca, Gastropoda). (Case 3220; see BZN 59: 173-175; 60: 218-220; 61: 40-42). Bulletin of Zoological Nomenclature, 61(2), 104-106.

TODD, J. A. & Morris, N. J. 2004. Palaeontological Note. 34-35. In Allen, J. R. L. and Fulford, M. G. Early Roman mosaic materials in Southern Britain, with particular reference to Silchester (Calleva Atrebatum): a regional geological perspective. Britannia, 35, 9-38.

Michel, E., TODD, J. A., Cleary, D. F. R., Kingma, I., Cohen, A. S. & Genner, M. J. 2004. Scales of endemism: challenges for conservation and incentives for evolutionary studies in a gastropod species flock from Lake Tanganyika. Journal of Conchology, Special Publication, 3, 155-172.

Papadopoulos, L., TODD, J. A. & Michel, E. 2004. Adulthood and phylogenetic analysis in gastropods: Character recognition and coding in shells of Lavigeria (Cerithioidea, Thiaridae) from Lake Tanganyika. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 140, 223-240.

TODD, J. A. 2003e. Comment on the proposed precedence of Ovula gisortiana Passy, 1859 over Cypraea coombii J. de C. Sowerby in Dixon, 1850. Bulletin of Zoological Nomenclature, 60(3), 218-219.

TODD, J. A. 2003d. Bivalves. In MacLeod, N. (compiler, ed.), Paleobase CD-ROM 2, Mollusca. Blackwell Scientific, Oxford.

TODD, J. A. 2003c. Scaphopods. In MacLeod, N. (compiler, ed.), Paleobase CD-ROM 2, Mollusca. Blackwell Scientific, Oxford.

TODD, J. A. 2003b. Bellerophonts. In MacLeod, N. (compiler, ed.), Paleobase CD-ROM 2, Mollusca. Blackwell Scientific, Oxford.

TODD, J. A. 2003a. Rostroconch section In MacLeod, N. (compiler, ed.), Paleobase CD-ROM 2, Mollusca. Blackwell Scientific, Oxford.

West, K., Michel, E., TODD, J.A., Brown, D. & Clabaugh, J. 2003d. The Gastropods of Lake Tanganyika: Diagnostic key, classification and notes on the fauna. (Occasional Publications, International Association of Theoretical and Applied Limnology [Societas Internationalis Limnologiae, SIL.]), 2, 130 pp.

Michel, E. & TODD, J. A. 2003c. Genus Hirthia Ancey, 1898. 31-32. In West, K., Michel, E., TODD, J.A., Brown, D. and Clabaugh, J. The Gastropods of Lake Tanganyika: Diagnostic key, classification and notes on the fauna. (Occasional Publications, International Association of Theoretical and Applied Limnology [Societas Internationalis Limnologiae, SIL.]), 2, 130 pp.

Michel, E. & TODD, J. A. 2003b. Genus Lavigeria Bourguignat, 1888. 33-57. In West, K., Michel, E., TODD, J.A., Brown, D. and Clabaugh, J. The Gastropods of Lake Tanganyika: Diagnostic key, classification and notes on the fauna. (Occasional Publications, International Association of Theoretical and Applied Limnology [Societas Internationalis Limnologiae, SIL.]), 2, 130 pp.

Michel, E. & TODD, J. A. 2003a. Genus Vinundu Michel, in press. 76-77. In West, K., Michel, E., TODD, J.A., Brown, D. and Clabaugh, J. The Gastropods of Lake Tanganyika: Diagnostic key, classification and notes on the fauna. (Occasional Publications, International Association of Theoretical and Applied Limnology [Societas Internationalis Limnologiae, SIL.]), 2, 130 pp.

TODD, J. A., Jackson, J. B. C., Johnson, K., Fortunato, H. M., Heitz, A., Alvarez, M. & Jung, P. 2002. The ecology of extinction: molluscan feeding and faunal turnover in the Caribbean Neogene. Proceedings of the Royal Society, Biological Sciences, 269, 571-577.

TODD, J. A. & Palmer, T. J. 2002b. Pattern versus process or informative versus uninformative ichnotaxonomy: Comments on Nielsen and Nielsen, 2001. Ichnos, 9, 81-82.

TODD, J. A. & Palmer, T. J. 2002a. The Jurassic bivalve Placunopsis: new evidence on anatomy and affinities. Palaeontology, 45(3), 487-510.

Taylor, P.D, & TODD, J. A. 2001. Bioimmuration. 285-289. In Briggs, D. E. G. and Crowther, P. R. (eds), Palaeobiology II. Blackwell Science, Oxford.

TODD, J. A. 2000. The central role of ctenostomes in bryozoan phylogeny. 104-135. In Herrera, A. and Jackson, J. B. C. (eds), Proceedings of the 11th International Bryozoology Association Conference, 1999. Allen Press, Lawrence, Kansas.

Jackson, J. B. C., TODD, J. A., Fortunato, H. M. & Jung, P. 1999. Diversity and assemblages of Neogene Caribbean Mollusca of Lower Central America. 193-230. In Collins, L. S. and Coates, A. G. (eds), A Paleobiotic Survey of Caribbean Faunas from the Neogene of the Isthmus of Panama. Bulletins of American Paleontology, 357.

Morris, N., Palmer, P., TODD, J. & Cooper, J. 1999. Gastropods. 236-247. In Bishop, A. C., Woolley, A. R. and Hamilton, W. R., Philip’s Minerals Rocks and Fossils. Revised and expanded (2^nd) edition. George Philip Ltd. in assoc. with NHM, London. 336 pp.

Morris, N., Palmer, P., Cooper, J., TODD, J. & Gale, A. 1999. Bivalves. 260-269. In Bishop, A. C., Woolley, A. R. and Hamilton, W. R., Philip’s Minerals Rocks and Fossils. Revised and expanded (2^nd) edition. George Philip Ltd. in assoc. with NHM, London. 336 pp.

TODD, J. A. & Taylor, P. D. & Favorskaya, T. A. 1997. A bioimmured ctenostome bryozoan from the Early Cretaceous of the Crimea and the new genus Simplicidium. Geobios, 30, 205-213.

Evans, S. & TODD, J. A. 1997. Late Jurassic soft-bodied wood epibionts preserved by bioimmuration. Lethaia, 30, 185-189.

TODD, J. A. 1996. Buskia fowleri sp. nov. - a bioimmured ctenostome bryozoan from the Middle Eocene of southern England. Tertiary Research, 16, 213-222.

Tracey, S. & TODD, J. A. 1996. Nomenclatural changes for some Bracklesham Group gastropods. Tertiary Research, 16, 41-54.

Tracey, S., TODD, J. A., Le Renard, J., King, C. & Goodchild, M. 1996. Distribution of Mollusca in units S1 to S9 of the Selsey Formation (middle Lutetian), Selsey Peninsula, West Sussex. Tertiary Research, 16, 97-139.

Harper, E. M. & TODD, J. A. 1995. Preservation of the adductor muscle of an Upper Jurassic oyster. Paläontologische Zeitschrift, 69, 55-59.

TODD, J. A. 1994. The role of bioimmuration in the exceptional preservation of fossil ctenostomates, including a new Jurassic species of Buskia. 187-192. In Hayward, P. .J., Ryland, J. S. and Taylor, P. D. (eds), Biology and Palaeobiology of Bryozoans. Olsen & Olsen, Fredensborg, Denmark.

TODD, J. A. 1993. The bivalve shell as a preservation trap, as illustrated by the Late Jurassic gryphaeid, Deltoideum delta (Smith). Scripta Geologica, Special Issue, 2, 417-433.

TODD, J. A. & Hagdorn, H. 1993. First record of Muschelkalk Bryozoa: the earliest ctenostome body fossils. 286-287. In Hagdorn, H. and Seilacher, A. (eds), Muschelkalk. Schontaler Symposium. Goldschneck, Stuttgart.

Tracey, S., TODD, J. A. & Erwin, D. 1993. Gastropoda. 131-167. In Benton, M.J. (ed.), The Fossil Record 2, Chapman & Hall, London.

Palmer, T. J., Taylor, P. D. & TODD, J. A. 1993. Epibiont shadowing: a hitherto unrecognized way of preserving soft-bodied fossils. Terra Nova, 5, 568-572.

TODD, J. A. & Taylor, P. D. 1992. The first fossil entoproct. Naturwissenschaften, 79, 311-314.

TODD, J. A. 1991b. A forest-litter animal community from the Upper Carboniferous?: notes on the association of animal body fossils with plants and lithology in the Westphalian D Coal Measures at Writhlington, Avon. Proceedings of the Geologists’ Association, 102, 179-184.

TODD, J. A. 1991a. A new species of Crenella (Mytilidae, Bivalvia) from the Earnley Formation (Middle Eocene) of southern England. Tertiary Research, 12, 127-130.

Bone, D. A., TODD, J. A. & Tracey, S. 1991. Fossils from the Bracklesham Group exposed in the M27 Motorway excavations, Southampton, Hampshire. Tertiary Research, 12, 131-137.

TODD, J. A. 1990. The stratigraphy and correlation of the Selsey Formation and Barton Clay Formation (M. Eocene) of Studley Wood, Hampshire. Tertiary Research, 12, 37-50.

Taylor, P. D. & TODD, J. A. 1990. Sandwiched Fossils. Geology Today, 1990(5), 151-154.