Our research spans from field discovery and detailed anatomy of fossils, up to quantitative analysis of the large-scale patterns of evolution that have shaped biodiversity. It incorporates 3D morphometric and comparative study of both living and fossil species, phylogenetic palaeobiology, quantitative studies of form-function relationships, and classic elements of palaeontology/systematics.
My expertise is focused on Mesozoic and Late Palaeozoic groups including dinosaurs, marine reptiles, and early synapsids. My research group has addressed fundamental questions on the deep time evolutionary history of tetrapods more widely, including mammals, birds, crocodylians, turtles, lizards and their ancestors. It also finds links between the past and the present, using large datasets of extant species anatomy to test hypotheses of the ecology of extinct species such as dinosaurs.
Large-scale evolutionary patterns: Our research in this area brings deep time data to bear on questions of adaptive zone invasion and the radiation of important living and fossil groups. We have generated large, quantitative datasets of anatomical variation among species within major groups of vertebrates. These provide new insights into fundamental questions about the evolution of morphological diversity and species richness, illustrating the large-scale patterns of evolution on timescales exceeding 100 million years, during the evolutionary radiations that gave rise to most extant biodiversity.
Phylogenetics: My work on dinosaurs, marine reptiles, and stem-group mammals, and the work of my graduate students on turtles and early reptiles, has resolved many long-standing uncertainties on evolutionary relationships within these groups. The resulting evolutionary trees are central to understanding macroevolutionary pattern and process during vertebrate evolution. This includes major evolutionary transitions such as the origins of birds and mammals, and secondary adaptation to aquatic life in terrestrial tetrapods.
Life/Earth interactions: We have focused on characterising the statistical links between rock record biases, climatic parameters, and vertebrate diversity using multivariate statistical approaches from time series analysis, and sample-standardisation. These studies demonstrate that large-scale biases explain much of the apparent distribution of biodiversity in the fossil record. Variation in the geographic extent and location of the fossil record among intervals in particular is an important and generally overlooked problem. However, these problems can be accommodated statistically, revealing important associations between environmental change and long-term patterns of biodiversity.
Bird evolution!
Navalon G, Bjarnason A, Griffiths E, Benson RBJ. 2022. Environmental structure in the evolutionary differentiation of bird skeletons. Nature doi: 10.1038/s41586-022-05372-y
New fossil sheds light on lizard origins!
Talanda M, Fernandez V, Panciroli E, Evans SE, Benson RBJ. 2022. Synchrotron tomography of a stem-lizard elucidates early squamate anatomy. Nature doi: 10.1038/s41586-022-05332-6
Biodiversity across space and time!
Benson RBJ, Butler RJ, Close RA, Saupe E, Rabosky DL. Biodiversity across space and time in the fossil record. Current Biology 31, R1225-R1236.
Swimming dinosaurs!
Fabbri M, Navalón G, Benson RBJ [co-corresponding author], (18 authors). 2022. Subaqueous foraging and wading behaviour among giant predatory dinosaurs. Nature. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-022-04528-0
University of Oxford news article
Nocturnal dinosaurs!
Choiniere JN, Neenan JM, (13 authors), Benson RBJ. 2021. Evolution of vision and hearing modalities in theropod dinosaurs. Science 372, 610-613.
Permo-Triassic extinction event on land!
Viglietti PA, Benson RBJ et al. (23 authors) … 2021. Evidence from South Africa for a protracted end-Permian extinction on land. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA 118, e2017045118.
Dinosaur evolution review paper!
Benson RBJ. 2018. Dinosaur macroevolution and macroecology. Annual Reviews of Ecology, Evolution and Systematics 49, 379-408.
[Please read the following text provided by the publisher:] I am pleased to provide you complimentary one-time access to my Annual Reviews article as a PDF file, for your own personal use. Any further/multiple distribution, publication, or commercial usage of this copyrighted material requires submission of a permission request addressed to the Copyright Clearance Center (http://www.copyright.com/).
View Selected Publications
Dinosaur ecomorphology
162. Fabbri M, Navalón G, Benson RBJ [co-corresponding author], (18 authors). 2022. Subaqueous foraging and wading behaviour among giant predatory dinosaurs. Nature. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-022-04528-0
148. Choiniere JN, Neenan JM, (13 authors), Benson RBJ. 2021. Evolution of vision and hearing modalities in theropod dinosaurs. Science 372, 610-613. [link to free version of article]
Trait evolution
166. Navalon G, Bjarnason A, Griffiths E, Benson RBJ. 2022. Environmental structure in the evolutionary differentiation of bird skeletons. Nature doi: 10.1038/s41586-022-05372-y
158. Brocklehurst N, Ford DP, Benson RBJ. 2022. Early origins of divergent macroevolutionary patterns on the mammal and reptile stem-lineages. Systematic Biology. https://doi.org/10.1093/sysbio/syac020
147. Davesne D, Friedman M, Schmitt AD, Fernandez V, Carnevale G, Ahlberg G, Sanchez S, Benson RBJ. 2021. Fossilized cell structured identify an ancient origin for the teleost whole genome duplication. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 118, e2101780118.
143. Orkney A, Bjarnason A, Tronrud BC, Benson RBJ. Patterns of skeletal integration in birds reveal that adaptation of element shapes enables coordinated evolution between anatomical modules. Nature Ecology and Evolution 5, 1250–1258.
Evolution of the biodiversity
149. Benson RBJ, Butler RJ, Close RA, Saupe E, Rabosky DL. Biodiversity across space and time in the fossil record. Current Biology 31, R1225-R1236.
145. Rabosky DL, Benson RBJ. 2021. Ecological and biogeographic drivers of biodiversity cannot be resolved using clade age-richness data. Nature Communications 12, 2945
137. Viglietti PA, Benson RBJ et al. (23 authors) … 2021. Evidence from South Africa for a protracted end-Permian extinction on land. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA 118, e2017045118.
132. Close RA, Benson RBJ, Saupe EE, Clapham ME, Butler RJ. 2020. The spatial structure of Phanerozoic marine animal diversity. Science 368, 420-424
81. Benson RBJ, Butler RJ, Alroy J, Mannion PD, Carrano MT, Lloyd GT. 2016. Near-stasis in the long-term diversification of Mesozoic tetrapods. PLOS Biology 14(1): e1002359.
Systematics and evolution
167. Talanda M, Fernandez V, Panciroli E, Evans SE, Benson RBJ. 2022. Synchrotron tomography of a stem-lizard elucidates early squamate anatomy. Nature doi: 10.1038/s41586-022-05332-6
131. MD Ezcurra, SJ Nesbitt, M Bronzati, FM Dalla Vecchia, FL Agnolin, Benson RBJ et al. (18 authors). 2020. Enigmatic dinosaur precursors bridge the gap to the origin of Pterosauria. Nature 588, 445-449.
130. Ford DP, Benson RBJ. 2020. The phylogeny of early amniotes and the affinities of Parareptilia and Varanopidae. Nature Ecology and Evolution 4, 57-65.
103. Evers S, Benson RBJ. 2018. A new phylogenetic hypothesis of turtles with implications for the timing and number of evolutionary transitions to marine lifestyles in the group. Palaeontology (doi.org/10.1111/pala.12384).
View Extended Publications
See my personal website or institutional repository for accepted manuscripts since 2015.
2022
167. Talanda M, Fernandez V, Panciroli E, Evans SE, Benson RBJ. 2022. Synchrotron tomography of a stem-lizard elucidates early squamate anatomy. Nature doi: 10.1038/s41586-022-05332-6
166. Navalon G, Bjarnason A, Griffiths E, Benson RBJ. 2022. Environmental structure in the evolutionary differentiation of bird skeletons. Nature doi: 10.1038/s41586-022-05372-y
165. Hu H, Wang Y, Fabbri M, O’Connor JK, McDonald PG, Wroe S, Yin X, Zheng X, Zhou Z, Benson RBJ. 2022. Cranial osteology and palaeobiology of the Early Cretaceous bird Jeholornis prima (Aves: Jeholornithiformes). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society.
164. Evers SW, Joyce WG, Choiniere JN, Fereira GS, Foth C, Hermanson G, Yi H, Johnson CM, Werneburg I, Benson RBJ. 2022. Independent origin of large labyrinth size in turtles. Nature Communications
163. Fischer V, Benson RBJ, Zvrkov NG, Arkhangelsky MS, Stenshin IM, Uspensky GN, Prilepskaya NE. In press. Anatomy and relationships of the bizarre Early Cretaceous pliosaurid Luskhan itilensis. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society.
162. Fabbri M, Navalón G, Benson RBJ [co-corresponding author], (18 authors). 2022. Subaqueous foraging among carnivorous dinosaurs. Nature 603, 852-857.
161. Jones MEH, Benson RBJ, Skutschas P, Hill L, Panciroli E, Schmitt A, Walsh S, Evans SE. 2022. Middle Jurassic fossils document and early stage in salamander evolution. PNAS 119, e2114100119.
160. Botha J, Choiniere JN, Benson RBJ. 2022. Rapid growth preceded gigantism in sauropodomorph evolution. Current Biology doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2022.08.031
159. Han H, Wang Y, McDonald PG, Wroe S, O’Conner JK, Bjarnason A, Bevitt JJ, Yin X, Zheng X, Zhou Z, Benson RBJ. 2022. Earliest evidence for fruit consumption and potential seed dispersal by birds. eLife e74751
158. Brocklehurst N, Ford DP, Benson RBJ. 2022. Early origins of divergent macroevolutionary patterns on the mammal and reptile stem-lineages. Systematic Biology 71, 1195–1209.
157. Benson RBJ, Brown CM, Campione NE, Cullen TM, Evans DC, Zanno LE. 2022. Comment on “The influence of juvenile dinosaurs on community structure and diversity”. Science 375, eabj5976.
156. David R, Bronzati M, Benson RBJ. In press. Comment on “The early origin of a birdlike inner ear and the evolution of dinosaurian movement and vocalization. Science 376, eabl6710
155. Hermanson G, Benson RBJ, Farina BM, Ferreira GS, Langer MC, Evers SW. 2022. Cranial ecomorphology of turtles and neck retraction as a possible trigger of ecological diversification. Evolution doi.org/10.1111/evo.14629
154. Ketchum HF, Benson RBJ. 2022. A new pliosaurid from the Oxford Clay Formation of Oxfordshire, UK. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 67, 297–315.
153. Steel EM, Nguyen JMT, Benson RBJ, Field DJ. 2022. Comparative anatomy of the passerine carpometacarpus helps illuminate the early fossil record of crown Passeriformes. Journal of Anatomy doi.org/10.1111/joa.13761
152. Benson RBJ, Godoy P, Bronzati M, Butler RJ, Gearty W. 2022. Reconstructed evolutionary patterns for crocodile-line archosaurs demonstrate impact of failure to log-transform body size data. Communications Biology 5, 1-4.
151. Marugán‐Lobón J, Nebreda SM, Navalón G, Benson RBJ. 2021. Beyond the beak: Brain size and allometry in avian craniofacial evolution. Journal of Anatomy doi:10.1111/joa.13555.
150. Panciroli E, Benson RBJ, Fernandez V, Humpage M, Martín-Serra A, Walsh S, Luo Z-X, Fraser NC. 2021. Postcrania of Borealestes (Mammaliformes, Docodonta) and the emergence of ecomorphological diversity in early mammals. Palaeontology doi.org/10.1111/pala.12577.
2021
149. Benson RBJ, Butler RJ, Close RA, Saupe E, Rabosky DL. 2021 Biodiversity across space and time in the fossil record. Current Biology 31, R1225-R1236.
148. Choiniere JN, Neenan JM, (13 authors), Benson RBJ. 2021. Evolution of vision and hearing modalities in theropod dinosaurs. Science 372, 610-613. [link to free version of article]
147. Davesne D, Friedman M, Schmitt AD, Fernandez V, Carnevale G, Ahlberg G, Sanchez S, Benson RBJ. 2021. Fossilized cell structured identify an ancient origin for the teleost whole genome duplication. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA 118, e2101780118.
146. Brocklehurst N, Benson RBJ. 2021. Multiple paths to morphological diversification during the origin of amniotes. Nature Ecology and Evolution 5, 1243–1249.
145. Rabosky DL, Benson RBJ. 2021. Ecological and biogeographic drivers of biodiversity cannot be resolved using clade age-richness data. Nature Communications 12, 2945
144. Brocklehurst N, Panciroli E, Benevento GL, Benson RBJ. 2021. Mammaliaform extinctions as a driver of the morphological radiation of Cenozoic mammals. Current Biology 31, 2955–2963.
143. Orkney A, Bjarnason A, Tronrud BC, Benson RBJ. 2021. Patterns of skeletal integration in birds reveal that adaptation of element shapes enables coordinated evolution between anatomical modules. Nature Ecology and Evolution 5, 1250–1258.
142. Figueirido B, Martín-Serra A, Pérez-Ramos A, Valsco D, Pastor FJ, Benson RBJ. 2021. Serial disparity in the carnivoran backbone unveils a complex adaptive role in metameric evolution. Communications Biology 4, 863.
141. Bronzati M, Benson RBJ [joint first authors] … (15 authors), Nesbitt SJ. 2021. Deep evolutionary diversification of semicircular canals in archosaurs. Current Biology 31, 2520–2529.
140. Ford DP, Evans SE, Choiniere JN, Fernanez V, Benson RBJ. 2021. A reassessment of the enigmatic diapsid Paliguana whitei and the early history of Lepidosauromorpha. Proceedings of the Royal Society B 288 (1957), 20211084.
139. Griffiths EF, Ford DP, Benson RBJ, Evans SE. 2021. New information on the Jurassic lepidosauromorph Marmoretta oxoniensis. Papers in Palaeontology 7, 2255-2278.
138. Lowi-Merri TM, Benson RBJ, Claramunt S, Evans DC. 2021. The relationship between sternum variation and mode of locomotion in birds. BMC Biology 19, 1–23.
137. Viglietti PA, Benson RBJ et al. (23 authors). 2021. Evidence from South Africa for a protracted end-Permian extinction on land. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA 118, e2017045118.
136. Navalón G, Nebreda SM, Bright JA, Fabbri M, Benson RBJ, Bhullar BA, Marugán-Lobón J, Rayfield EJ. 2021. Craniofacial development illuminates the evolution of nightbirds (Strisores). Proceedings of the Royal Society B 288 (1948), 20210181.
135. Marek RD, Falkingham PL, Benson RBJ, Gardiner JD, Maddox TW, Bates KT. 2021. Evolutionary versatility of the avian neck. Proceedings of the Royal Society B 288 (1946), 20203150.
134. Bjarnason A, Benson RBJ. 2021. A 3D geometric morphometric dataset quantifying skeletal variation in birds. MorphoMuseuM 7, doi:10.18563/journal.m3.125.
133. Panciroli E, Benson RBJ, Fernandez V, Butler RJ, Fraser NC, Luo ZX, Walsh S. 2021. New species of mammaliaform and the cranium of Borealestes (Mammaliformes: Docodonta) from the Middle Jurassic of the British Isles. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society , 192, 1323–1362.
2020
132. Close RA, Benson RBJ, Saupe EE, Clapham ME, Butler RJ. 2020. The spatial structure of Phanerozoic marine animal diversity. Science 368, 420-424
131. MD Ezcurra, SJ Nesbitt, M Bronzati, FM Dalla Vecchia, FL Agnolin, Benson RBJ et al. (18 authors). 2020. Enigmatic dinosaur precursors bridge the gap to the origin of Pterosauria. Nature 588, 445-449.
130. Ford DP, Benson RBJ. 2020. The phylogeny of early amniotes and the affinities of Parareptilia and Varanopidae. Nature Ecology and Evolution 4, 57-65.
129. Close RA, Benson RBJ, Alroy J, Carrano MT, Clearly T, Dunne E, Mannion PD, Uhen M, Butler RJ. 2020. The apparent exponential radiation of Phanerozoic land vertebrates is an artefact of spatial sampling biases. Proceedings of the Royal Society B 287, 20200372.
128. Hennekam JJ, Benson RBJ, Herridge VL, Jeffery N, Torres-Roig E, Alcover JA, Cox PG. 2020. Morphological divergence in giant fossil dormice. Proceedings of the Royal Society B 287 (1938), 20202085.
127. Fischer V, MacLaren JA, Soul LC, Bennion RF, Druckenmiller PS, Benson RBJ. 2020. The macroevolutionary landscape of short-necked plesiosaurians. Scientific reports 10 (1), 1-12
126. Panciroli E, Benson RBJ, Walsh S, Butler RJ, Castro TA, Jones MEH, Evans SE. 2020. Diverse vertebrate assemblage of the Kilmaluag Formation (Bathonian, Middle Jurassic) of Skye, Scotland. Earth and Environmental Science Transactions of The Royal Society of Edinburgh 111, 1-22.
125. Viglietti PA, McPhee BW, Bordy EM, Sciscio L, Barrett PM, Benson RBJ, Wills S, Tolchard F, Choiniere JN. 2020. Biostratigraphy of the Scalenodontoides Assemblage Zone (Stormberg Group, Karoo Supergroup), South Africa. South African Journal of Geology 123, 239-248.
124. Viglietti PA, McPhee BW, Bordy EM, Sciscio L, Barrett PM, Benson RBJ et al.(12 authors). 2020. Biostratigraphy of the Massospondylus Assemblage Zone (Stormberg Group, Karoo Supergroup), South Africa. South African Journal of Geology 123, 249-262.
123. Davesne D, Schmitt AD, Fernandez V, Benson RBJ, Sanchez S. 2020. Three‐dimensional characterization of osteocyte volumes at multiple scales, and its relationship with bone biology and genome evolution in ray‐finned fishes. Journal of Evolutionary Biology 33, 808-830.
122. Brocklehurst N, Kammerer CF, Benson RBJ. 2020. The origin of tetrapod herbivory: effects on local plant diversity. Proceedings of the Royal Society B 287 (1928), 20200124.
121. Martín-Serra A, Benson RBJ. 2020. Developmental constraints do not influence long-term phenotypic evolution of marsupial forelimbs as revealed by interspecific disparity and integration patterns. American Naturalist 195, 547-560.
120. Bordy EM Abrahams M, Sharman GR, Viglietti PA, Benson RBJ et al. (16 authors). 2020. A chronostratigraphic framework for the upper Stormberg Group: Implications for the Triassic-Jurassic boundary in southern Africa. Earth-Science Reviews 103120.
119. Clearly TJ, Benson RBJ, Holroyd PA, Barrett PM. 2020. Tracing the patterns of non-marine turtle richness from the Triassic to the Palaeogene: from origin to global spread. Palaeontology 63, 753-774.
118. Dai H, Benson RBJ, Hu X, Ma Q, Li N, Xiao M, Hu H, Zhou Y, Wei Z, Zhang F, Jiang S, Li D, Peng G, Yu Y, Xu X. 2020. A new possible megalosauroid theropod from the Middle Jurassic Xintiangou Formation of Chongqing, People’s Republic of China and its implication for early tetanuran evolution, Scientific Reports 10, 1-16.
117. Benson RBJ, Barrett PM. 2020. Evolution: the two faces of plant-eating dinosaurs. Current Biology 30, R14-R16 [commentary].
116. Foth C, Evers SW, Joyce WG, Volpato VS, Benson RBJ. 2020 Comparative analysis of the shape and size of the middle ear cavity of turtles reveals no correlation with habitat ecology. Journal of Anatomy 235, 1078-1097.
115. Chapelle KEF, Benson RBJ, Stiegler J, Otero A, Zhao Q, Choiniere JN. 2020. A quantitative method for inferring locomotory shifts in amniotes during ontogeny, its application to dinosaurs and its bearing on the evolution of posture. Palaeontology 63, 229-242.
2019
114. Evers SW, Neenan JM, Ferreira GS, Werneburg I, Barrett PM, Benson RBJ. 2019. Neurovascular anatomy of the protostegid turtle Rhinochelys pulchriceps and comparisons of membranous and endosseous labyrinth shape in an extant turtle. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 187, 800-828.
113. De la Parra F, Pinzon D, Rodriguez G, Bedoya O, Benson RBJ. 2019. Lacustrine systems in the Early Miocene of northern South America — evidence from the Upper Magdalena Valley, Colombia. Palaios 34, 490–505.
112. Chen A, White ND, Benson RBJ, Brain MJ, Field DJ. 2019. Total-evidence framework reveals complex morphological evolution in nightbirds (Strisores). Diversity 11, 143.
111. Godoy PL, Benson RBJ, Bronzati M, Butler RJ. 2019. The multi-peak adaptive landscape of crocodylomorph body size evolution. BMC Evolutionary Biology 19, 167.
110. Benson RBJ, Godoy PL. Much on the menu for ancient crocs. Current Biology 29, R683-685.
109. Panciroli E, Benson RBJ, Luo ZX. 2019. The mandible and dentition of Borealestes serendipitus (Docodonta) from the Middle Jurassic of Skye, Scotland. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology e1621884.
108. Evers SW, Barrett PM, Benson RBJ. 2019. Anatomy of Rhinochelys pulchriceps (Protostegidae) and marine adaptation during the early evolution of chelonioids. PeerJ 7, e6811.
107. Benevento GL, Benson RBJ, Friedman M. Patterns of mammalian jaw ecomorphological disparity during the Mesozoic/Cenozoic transition. Proceedings of the Royal Society B 286, 20190347.
106. Close RA, Benson RBJ, Alroy J, Behrensmeyer AK, Benito J, Carrano MT, Clearly TJ, Dunne EM, Mannion PD, Uhen MD, Butler RJ. 2019. Diversity dynamics of phanerozoic terrestrial tetrapods at the local-community scale. Nature Ecology and Evolution 3, 590-597.
105. Davesne D, Meunier FJ, Schmitt AD, Friedman M, Otero O, Benson RBJ. 2019. The phylogenetic origin and evolution of acellular bone in teleost fishes: insights into osteocyte function in bone metabolism. Biological Reviews.
104. Evers S, Neenan J, Ferreira GS, Werneburg I, Barrett PM, Benson RBJ. 2019. Neurovascular anatomy of the protostegid turtle Rhinochelys pulchriceps and comparisons of the membranous and endosseous labyrinth shape in an extant turtle. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society doi:10.1093/zoolinnean/zlz063
103. Evers S, Benson RBJ. 2019. A new phylogenetic hypothesis of turtles with implications for the timing and number of evolutionary transitions to marine lifestyles in the group. Palaeontology 62, 93-134
102. Zverkov NG, Fischer V, Madzia D, Benson RBJ. 2019. Increased pliosaurid dental disparity across the Jurassic–Cretaceous transition. Palaeontology 61, 825-846.
101. Ford D, Benson RBJ. 2019. A redescription of Orovenator mayorum (Sauropsida: Diapsida) using high-resolution μCT, and its consequences for early amniote phylogeny. Papers in Palaeontology 5, 197-239.
2018
100. Benson RBJ. 2018. Dinosaur macroevolution and macroecology. Annual Reviews of Ecology, Evolution and Systematics 49, 379-408.
[Please read the following text provided by the publisher:] I am pleased to provide you complimentary one-time access to my Annual Reviews article as a PDF file, for your own personal use. Any further/multiple distribution, publication, or commercial usage of this copyrighted material requires submission of a permission request addressed to the Copyright Clearance Center (http://www.copyright.com/).
99. McPhee BW, Benson RBJ, Botha-Brink J, Bordy EM, Choiniere JN. 2018. A giant dinosaur from the earliest Cretaceous of South Africa and the transition to quadrupedality in early sauropodomorphs. Current Biology 28, 3143-3151 (doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2018.07.063)
98. Xu X, Choiniere JN, Tan Q, Benson RBJ, Clark J, Sullivan C, Zhao Q, Han F, Ma Q, He Y, Wang S, Xing H, Tan L. 2018. Two Early Cretaceous fossils document transitional stages in alvarezsaurian dinosaur evolution. Current Biology 28, 2853–2860.
97. Davesne D, Meunier FJ, Friedman M, Benson RBJ, Otero O. Histology of the endothermi opah (Lampris sp.) suggests a new structure-function relationship in teleost fish bone. Biology Letters 14, 20180270.
96. Day MO, Benson RBJ, Kammerer CF, Rubidge BS. 2018. Evolutionary rates of mid-Permian tetrapods from South Africa and the role of temporal resolution in turnover reconstruction. Paleobiology 44, 347–367
95. Benson RBJ, Hunt G, Carrano MT, Campione N. 2018 Cope’s rule and the adaptive landscape of dinosaur body size evolution. Palaeontology 61, 13–48.
94. Clearly TJ, Benson RBJ, Evans SE, Barrett PM. 2018. Lepidosaurian diversity in the Mesozoic–Palaeogene: the potential roles of sampling biases. Royal Society Open Science 5, 171830.
93. Fischer V, Benson RBJ [joint 1st author], Druckenmiller PS, Ketchum HF, Bardet N. 2018. The evolutionary history of polycotylid plesiosaurians. Royal Society Open Science 5, 172177
92. Bronzati M, Benson RBJ, Rauhut OWM. 2018. Rapid transformation in the braincase of sauropod dinosaur: integrated evolution of the braincase and neck in early sauropods? Palaeontology 61, 289–302.
91. Panciroli E, Benson RBJ, Butler RJ. 2018. New partial dentaries of amphitheriid mammal Palaeoxonodon ooliticus from Scotland, and posterior dentary morphology in early cladotherians. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 63, 197-206.
2017
90. Neenan JM, Reich T, Evers SW, Druckenmiller PS, Voeten DFAE, Choiniere JN, Barrett PM, Pierce SE, Benson RBJ. 2017. Evolution of the sauropterygian inner ear with increasingly pelagic lifestyles. Current Biology 27, 3852–3858.
89. Benson RBJ, Starmer-Jones E [joint 1st author], Close RA, Walsh SA. 2017. Comparative analysis of vestibular ecomorphology in birds. Journal of Anatomy 231, 990–101
Morphosource data files for the above
88. Close RA, Benson RBJ, Upchurch P, Butler RJ. 2017. Controlling for the species-area effect supports constrained long-term Mesozoic terrestrial vertebrate diversification. Nature Communications 8: 15381.
87. Davies TG et al. (45 authors). Open data and digital morphology. Proceedings of the Royal Society B 284: 20170194.
86. Fischer V, Benson RBJ, Zverkov NG, Soul LC, Arkhangelsky MS. 2017. Plasticity and convergence in the evolution of short-necked plesiosaurs. Current Biology 27: 1667-1676.
85. Serratos DJ, Druckenmiller P, Benson RBJ. 2017. A new elasmosaurid (Sauropterygia, Plesiosauria) from the Bearpaw Shale (Late Cretaceous, Maastrichtian) of Montana demonstrates multiple evolutionary reductions of neck length within Elasmosauridae. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 37: e1278608.
84. Panciroli E, Benson RBJ, Walsh S. 2017. The dentary of Wareolestes rex (Megazostrodontidae): a new specimen from Scotland and implications for morganucodontan tooth replacement. Papers in Palaeontology 3: 373-386.
83. Soul LC, Benson RBJ. 2017. Developmental mechanisms of macroevolutionary change in the tetrapod axis: a case study of Sauropterygia. Evolution 71: 1164-1177.
82. Pierce SE, Williams M, Benson RBJ. 2017. Virtual reconstruction of the endocranial anatomy of the Early Jurassic marine crocodylomorph Pelagosaurus typus (Thalattosuchia). PeerJ 5: e3225.
2016
81. Benson RBJ, Butler RJ, Alroy J, Mannion PD, Carrano MT, Lloyd GT. 2016. Near-stasis in the long-term diversification of Mesozoic tetrapods. PLOS Biology 14(1): e1002359.
80. Fischer V, Bardet N, Benson RBJ, Arkhangelsky MS. Friedman M. 2016. Extinction of fish-shaped marine reptiles associated with reduced evolutionary rates and global environmental volatility. Nature Communications 7, 10825.
79. Close RA, Davis BM, Walsh S, Wolniewicz AS, Friedman M, Benson RBJ. 2016. A lower jaw of Palaeoxonodon from the Middle Jurassic of the Isle of Skye, Scotland, sheds new light on the diversity of British stem therians. Palaeontology 59: 155-169
2015
78. Watanabe A, Gold EL, Brusatte SL, Benson RBJ, Choiniere J, Davidson A, Norell MA. 2015. Vertebral pneumaticity in the ornithomimosaur Archaeornithomimus (Dinosauria: Theropoda) revealed by computed tomography imaging and reappraisal of axial pneumaticity in Ornithomimosauria. PLOS One 10(12): e0145168.
77. Fischer V, Arkhangelsky MS, Stenshin IM, Uspensky GN, Zverkov NG, Benson RBJ. 2015. Peculiar macrophagous adaptations in a new Cretaceous pliosaurid. Royal Society Open Science 2: 150552.
76. Mannion PD, Benson RBJ, Carrano MT, Tennant JP, Judd J, Butler RJ. 2015. Climate constrains the evolutionary history and biodiversity of crocodylians. Nature Communications 6: 8438.
75. Nicholson D, Holroyd P, Benson RBJ, Barrett PM. 2015. Climate mediated diversification of turtles in the Cretaceous. Nature Communications 6: 7848.
74. Close RA, Friedman M, Lloyd GT, Benson RBJ. 2015. Evidence for a mid-Jurassic adaptive radiation in mammals. Current Biology 25: 2137-2142.
73. Tschopp E, Mateus O, Benson RBJ. 2015. A specimen-level phylogenetic analysis and taxonomic revision of Diplodocidae (Dinosauria, Sauropoda). PeerJ 3: e857
72. Benson RBJ, Evans M, Taylor MA. 2015. The anatomy of Stratesaurus (Reptilia, Plesiosauria) from the lowermost Jurassic of Somerset, United Kingdom. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 35, e933739.
71. Benson RBJ, Zverkov NG, Arkhangelsky MS. 2015. Youngest occurrences of rhomaleosaurid plesiosaurs indicate survival of an archaic marine reptile clade at high palaeolatitudes. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 60: 769-780.
2014
70. Smith AS, Benson RBJ. 2014. Osteology of Rhomaleosaurus thorntoni (Sauropterygia: Rhomaleosauridae) from the Lower Jurassic (Toarcian) of Northamptonshire, England. Palaeontographical Society Monographs 168(642): 1–40 + plates 1–35.
69. Newham E, Benson RBJ, Upchurch P, Goswami A. 2014. Mesozoic mammaliaform diversity: the effect of sampling corrections on reconstructions of evolutionary dynamics. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 412: 32-44.
68. Benson RBJ, Bowdler T. 2014. Anatomy of Colymbosaurus (Reptilia, Plesiosauria) from the Kimmeridge Clay Formation of the U.K., and high diversity among Late Jurassic plesiosauroids. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 34(5), 1053-1071.
67. Benson RBJ, Campione NE, Carrano MT, Mannion PD, Sullivan C, Upchurch P, Evans DC. 2014. Rates of dinosaur body mass evolution indicate 170 million years of sustained ecological innovation on the avian stem lineage. PLOS Biology 12(5): e1001853.
66. Benson RBJ, Frigot RA, Goswami A, Andres B, Butler RJ. 2014. Competition and constraint drove Cope’s rule in the evolution of giant flying reptiles. Nature Communications 5: 3567.
2013
65. Benson RBJ. 2013. Marine Reptiles. Pp. 267–279 in Grzimek’s Animal Life Encyclopedia, Extinction (N MacLeod, JD Archibald, P Levin eds). Gale Cengage Learning, Farmington Hills, Michigan.
64. Mannon PD, Upchurch P, Benson RBJ, Goswami A. 2014. The latitudinal biodiversity gradient through deep time. Trends in Ecology and Evolution 29: 42-50.
63. D’Emic MD, Benson RBJ. 2013. Measurement, variation, and scaling of osteocyte lacunae: a case study in birds. Bone 57: 300–310.
62. Benson RBJ, Choiniere JN. 2013. Rates of dinosaur limb evolution provide evidence of exceptional radiation in Mesozoic birds. Proceedings of the Royal Society B 280(1768): 20131780.
61. D’Emic MD, Mannion PD, Upchurch P, Benson RBJ, Pang Q, Cheng Z. 2013. Osteology of Huabeisaurus allocotus (Sauropoda: Titanosauriformes) from the Upper Cretaceous of China. PLoS ONE 8(8): e69375.
60. White MA, Benson RBJ, Tischler TR, Hocknull SA, Cook AG, Barnes DG, Poropat SF, Wooldridge SJ, Sloan T, Sinapius GHK, Elliott DA. 2013 New Australovenator hind limb elements pertaining to the holotype reveal the most complete neovenatorid leg. PLoS ONE 8(7): e68649.
59. Benson RBJ, Fitzgerald EMG, Rich TH, Vickers-Rich P. 2013. Large freshwater plesiosaurian from the Cretaceous of Australia. Alcheringa.
58. Benson RBJ, Evans M, Smith AS, Sassoon J, Moore-Faye S, Ketchum HF, Forrest R. 2013. A giant pliosaurid skull from the Late Jurassic of England. PLoS ONE 8(5): e65989.
57. Goswami A, Prasad GVR, Verma O, Flynn JJ, Benson RBJ. 2013. A troodontid dinosaur from the latest Cretaceous of India. Nature Communications 4: 1703.
56. Benson RBJ, Druckenmiller PS. 2014. Faunal turnover of marine reptiles during the Jurassic–Cretaceous transition. Biological Reviews 89: 1-23.
55. Mannion PD, Benson RBJ, Butler RJ. 2013. Vertebrate palaeobiodiversity and the impact of sampling bias. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 372: 1-4.
54. Pearson MR, Benson RBJ, Upchurch P, Fröbisch J, Kammerer CF. 2013. Reconstructing the diversity of early terrestrial herbivorous tetrapods. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 372: 42-49.
53. Butler RJ, Benson RBJ, Barrett PM. 2013. Pterosaur diversity: untangling the influence of sampling biases: Lagerstätten, and genuine biodiversity signals. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 372: 78-87.
52. Benson RBJ, Mannion PD, Butler RJ, Goswami A, Evans SE. 2013. Cretaceous tetrapod fossil record sampling and faunal turnover: implications for biogeography and the rise of modern clades. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 372: 88-107.
51. Soul LC, Benson RBJ, Weisbecker V. 2013. Multiple regression modelling for estimating endocranial volume in extinct Mammalia. Paleobiology 39: 149-162.
50. Smith AS, Benson RBJ. 2013. Marine diversity in the geological record and its relationship to surviving bedrock area, lithofacies diversity, and original marine shelf area. Geology 41: 171-174.
49. Benson RBJ, Upchurch P. 2013. Diversity trends in the establishment of terrestrial vertebrate ecosystems: interactions between spatial and temporal sampling bases. Geology 41: 43-46..
48. Benson RBJ, Ketchum HF, Naish D, Turner LE. 2013. A new leptocleidid (Sauropterygia, Plesiosauria) from the Vectis Formation (Early Barremian-early Aptian; Early Cretaceous) of the Isle of Wight and the evolution of Leptocleididae, a controversial clade. Journal of Systematic Palaeontology 11, 233-250.
2012
47. Bates KT, Benson RBJ, Falkingham PL. 2012. A computational analysis of locomotor anatomy and body mass evolution in Allosauroidea (Dinosauria: Theropoda). Paleobiology 38: 486-507.
46. Benson RBJ. 2012. Interrelationships of basal synapsids: cranial and postcranial partitions suggest different topologies. Journal of Systematic Palaeontology 166: 601-624.
45. Benson RBJ, Rich TH, Vickers-Rich P, Hall M. 2012. Theropod fauna from southern Australia indicates high polar diversity and climate-driven dinosaur provinciality. PLoS ONE 7(5): e37122.
44. Carrano MT, Benson RBJ, Sampson SD. 2012. The phylogeny of Tetanurae (Dinosauria: Theropoda). Journal of Systematic Palaeontology 10: 211-300.
43. Sookias RB, Benson RBJ, Butler RJ. 2012. Biology, not environment, drives major patterns in maximum tetrapod body size through time. Biology Letters 8: 674-677.
42. Benson RBJ, Evans M, Druckenmiller PS. 2012. High diversity, low disparity and small body size in plesiosaurs (Reptilia, Sauropterygia) from the Triassic–Jurassic boundary. PLoS One 7(3): e31838.
41. Sookias RB, Butler RJ, Benson RBJ. 2012. Rise of dinosaur driven by passive processes of trait evolution. Proceedings of the Royal Society B 279: 2180-2187.
40. Mannion PD, Benson RBJ, Upchurch P, Butler RJ, Carrano MT, Barrett PM. 2012. A temperate palaeodiversity peak in Mesozoic dinosaurs and evidence for Late Cretaceous geographical partitioning. Global Ecology and Biogeography 21: 898-908.
39. Butler RJ, Brusatte SL, Andres B, Benson RBJ. 2012. How do geological sampling biases affect studies of morphological evolution in deep time? A case study of the Pterosauria (Reptilia: Archosauria). Evolution 66: 147-162.
38. Benson RBJ, Butler RJ, Carrano MT, O’Connor PM. 2012. Air-filled postcranial bones in theropod dinosaurs: physiological implications and the ‘reptile’-bird transition. Biological Reviews 87: 168-193.
37. Benson RBJ, Mannion PD. 2012. Multi-variate models are essential for understanding vertebrate diversification in deep time. Biology Letters 8: 127-130.
36. Vincent P, Benson RBJ. 2012. Anningasaura, a basal plesiosaurian (Reptilia, Plesiosauria) from the Lower Jurassic of Lyme Regis, United Kingdom. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 32: 1049-1063.
2011
35. Benson RBJ, Butler RJ. 2011. Uncovering the diversification history of marine tetrapods: ecology influences the effect of geological sampling biases. Special Publications of the Geological Society of London 358: 191-208 [PDF on request].
34. Upchurch P, Mannion PD, Benson RBJ, Butler RJ, Carrano MT. 2011. Geological and anthropogenic controls on the sampling of the terrestrial fossil record: a case study from the Dinosauria. Special Publications of the Geological Society of London 358: 209-240 [PDF on request].
33. Ketchum HF, Benson RBJ. 2011. A new pliosaurid (Sauropterygia, Plesiosauria) from the Oxford Clay Formation (Middle Jurassic, Callovian) of England: evidence for a gracile, longirostrine grade of Early Jurassic pliosaurids.Special Papers in Palaeontology 86: 109-129 [PDF on request].
32. Benson RBJ, Domokos G, Várkonyi PL, Reisz RR. 2011. Shell geometry and habitat determination in extinct and extant turtles. Paleobiology 37: 547-562.
31. Barrett PM, Benson RBJ, Rich TH, Vickers-Rich P. 2011. First spinosaurid dinosaur from Australia and the cosmopolitanism of Cretaceous dinosaur faunas. Biology Letters 7: 933-936.
30. Benson RBJ, Bates KT, Johnson MR, Withers PJ. 2011. Cranial anatomy of Thalassiodracon hawkinsii (Reptilia, Plesiosauria) from the Early Jurassic of Somerset, United Kingdom. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 31: 562-574.
29. Butler RJ, Benson RBJ, Carrano MT, Mannion PD, Upchurch P. 2011. Sea level, dinosaur diversity and sampling biases: investigating the ‘common cause’ hypothesis in the terrestrial realm. Proceedings of the Royal Society B 278: 1165-1170.
28. Benson RBJ, Ketchum, HF, Noè, LF, Gomez-Perez, M. 2011. New information on Hauffiosaurus (Reptilia, Plesiosauria) based on a new species from the Alum Shale Member (Lower Toarcian: Lower Jurassic) of Yorkshire, UK. Palaeontology 54: 547-571.
27. Ketchum HF, Benson RBJ. 2011. The cranial anatomy and taxonomy of Peloneustes philarchus (Sauropterygia, Pliosauridae) from the Peterborough Member (Callovian, Middle Jurassic) of the UK. Palaeontology 54: 639-665.
26. Brusatte SL, Benson RBJ, Xu X. 2012. A reassessment of Kelmayisaurus petrolicus, a large theropod dinosaur from the Early Cretaceous of China. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 57: 65-72.
2010
25. Brusatte SL, Benson RBJ, Xu X. 2010. The evolution of large-bodied theropod dinosaurs during the Mesozoic in Asia. Journal of Iberian Geology 36: 275-296.
24. Barrett PM, Benson RBJ, Upchurch P. 2010. Dinosaurs of Dorset: Part II, the sauropod dinosaurs (Saurischia, Sauropoda), with additional comments on the theropods. Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society 131: 113-126.
23. Benson RBJ, Barrett PM, Rich TH, Vickers-Rich P, Pickering D, Holland T. 2010. Response to comment on “A Southern Tyrant Reptile”. Science 329: 1013-d. [see 21. below]
22. Barrett PM, Kear BP, Benson RBJ. 2010. Opalized archosaur remains from the Bulldog Shale (Aptian: Lower Cretaceous) of South Australia. Alcheringa 34: 1-9.
21. Benson RBJ, Barrett PM, Rich TH, Vickers-Rich P. 2010. A southern tyrant reptile. Science 327: 1613.
20. Brusatte SL, Benson RBJ, Currie PJ, Zhao X-J. 2010. The skull of Monolophosaurus jiangi (Dinosauria: Theropoda) and its implications for early theropod phylogeny and evolution. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 158: 573-607.
19. Ketchum HF, Benson RBJ. 2010. Global interrelationships of Plesiosauria (Reptilia, Sauropterygia) and the pivotal role of taxon sampling in determining the outcome of phylogenetic analyses. Biological Reviews 85: 361-392.
18. Benson RBJ. 2010. The osteology of Magnosaurus nethercombensis (Dinosauria, Theropoda) from the Bajocian (Middle Jurassic) of the United Kingdom and a re-examination of the oldest records of tetanurans. Journal of Systematic Palaeontology 8: 131-146.
17. Benson RBJ. 2010. A description of Megalosaurus bucklandii (Dinosauria: Theropoda) from the Bathonian of the UK and the relationships of Middle Jurassic theropods. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society of London 158: 882-935.
16. Benson RBJ, Radley JD. 2010. A new large-bodied theropod dinosaur from the Middle Jurassic of Warwickshire, United Kingdom. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 55: 35-42.
15. Benson RBJ, Butler RJ, Lindgren J, Smith AS. 2010. Mesozoic marine tetrapod diversity: mass extinctions and temporal heterogeneity in geological megabiases affecting vertebrates. Proceedings of the Royal Society B 277: 829-834.
14. Benson RBJ, Carrano MT, Brusatte SL. 2010. A new clade of archaic large-bodied predatory dinosaurs (Theropoda: Allosauroidea) that survived to the latest Mesozoic. Naturwissenschaften 97: 71-78.
13. Zhao X-J, Benson RBJ, Brusatte SL, Currie PJ. 2010. The postcranial skeleton of Monolophosaurus jiangi (Dinosauria: Theropoda) from the Middle Jurassic of Xinjiang, China and a review of Middle Jurassic Chinese theropods. Geological Magazine 147: 13–27.
12. Brusatte SL, Chure DJ, Benson RBJ, Xu X. 2010. The osteology of Shaochilong maortuensis, a carcharodontosaurid (Dinosauria: Theropoda) from the Late Cretaceous of Asia. Zootaxa 2334: 1-46.
2009
11. Benson RBJ. 2009. An assessment of variability in theropod dinosaur remains from the Bathonian (Middle Jurassic) of Stonesfield and New Park Quarry and taxonomic implications for Megalosaurus bucklandii and Iliosuchus incognitos. Palaeontology 52: 857-877.
10. Benson RBJ, Barrett PM. 2009. Dinosaurs of Dorset: Part I, the carnivorous dinosaurs (Saurischia, Theropoda). Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society 130: 133-147.
9. Benson RBJ, Brusatte SL, Hutt S, Naish D. 2009. A new large basal tetanuran (Dinosauria: Theropoda) from the Wessex Formation (Barremian) of the Isle of Wight, England. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 29: 612-615.
8. Brusatte SL, Benson RBJ, Chure DJ, Xu X, Sullivan C, Hone DWE. 2009. The first definitive carcharodontosaurid (Dinosauria: Theropoda) from Asia and the delayed ascent of tyrannosaurids. Naturwissenschaften 96: 1051-1058.
2008
7. Benson RBJ. 2008. New information on Stokesosaurus, a tyrannosauroid (Dinosauria: Theropoda) from North America and the United Kingdom. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 28: 732-750.
6. Benson RBJ. 2008. A redescription of ‘Megalosaurus‘ hesperis (Dinosauria, Theropoda) from the Inferior Oolite (Bajocian, Middle Jurassic) of Dorset, United Kingdom. Zootaxa 1931: 57-67.
5. Benson RBJ, Barrett PM, Powell HP, Norman DB. 2008. The taxonomic status of Megalosaurus bucklandii (Dinosauria, Theropoda) from the Middle Jurassic of Oxfordshire, UK. Palaeontology 51: 419-424.
4. Benson RBJ, Xu X. 2008. The anatomy and systematic position of the theropod dinosaur Chilantaisaurus tashuikouensis Hu, 1964 from the Early Cretaceous of Alanshan, People’s Republic of China. Geological Magazine 145: 778-789.
3. Brusatte SL, Benson RBJ, Hutt S. 2008. The osteology of Neovenator salerii (Dinosauria: Theropoda) from the Wealden Group (Barremian) of the Isle of Wight. Palaeontographcal Society Monographs 162(631): 1-75, plates 1-45.
2. Darlington J, Benson RBJ, Cook C, Walker G. 2008. Resolving relationships in some African fungus-growing termites (Termitidae, Macrotermitinae) using molecular phylogeny, morphology, and field parameters. Insectes Sociaux 55: 256-265.
2007
1. Brusatte SL, Benson RBJ, Carr TD, Williamson TE. 2007. The systematic utility of theropod enamel wrinkles. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 27: 1052-1056.