Publications (peer reviewed and other contributions)

Donoghue, P. C. J. & Purnell, M. A. 2005: Genome duplication, extinction and vertebrate evolution. Trends in Ecology & Evolution 20, 312-319. [download pdf]

von Bitter, P. H. & Purnell, M. A. 2005: An experimental investigation of postdepositional taphonomic bias in conodonts. In Purnell, M. A. & Donoghue, P. C. J. (eds): Conodont biology and phylogeny - interpreting the fossil record. Special Papers in Palaeontology 73, 39-56. Palaeontological Association. [download pdf]

Purnell, M. A. & Donoghue, P. C. J. 2005: Between death and data: biases in interpretation of the fossil record of conodonts. In Purnell, M. A. & Donoghue, P. C. J. (eds): Conodont biology and phylogeny - interpreting the fossil record. Special Papers in Palaeontology 73, 7-25. Palaeontological Association. [download pdf]

Purnell, M. A. & Donoghue, P. C. J. (eds) 2005: Conodont biology and phylogeny - interpreting the fossil record. Special Papers in Palaeontology 73. 218 pp. The Palaeontological Association.

Purnell, M. A. & Cossey, P. J. 2004: Northumberland Trough. In Cossey, P. J., Adams, A. E., Purnell, M. A., Whiteley, M. J., Whyte, M. A. & Wright, V. P.: British Lower Carboniferous Stratigraphy: Geological Conservation Review Volume 29, 107-166. JNCC, Peterborough.

Cossey, P. J., Gutteridge, P., Purnell, M. A., Adams, A. E. & Walkden, G. M. 2004: Derbyshire Platform, North Staffordshire Basin and Hathern Shelf. In Cossey, P. J., Adams, A. E., Purnell, M. A., Whiteley, M. J., Whyte, M. A. & Wright, V. P.: British Lower Carboniferous Stratigraphy: Geological Conservation Review Volume 29, 303-364. JNCC, Peterborough.

Cossey, P. J., Adams, A. E., Purnell, M. A., Whiteley, M. J., Whyte, M. A. & Wright, V. P. 2004: British Lower Carboniferous Stratigraphy: Geological Conservation Review Volume 29. 617 pp. JNCC, Peterborough.

Purnell, M. A. 2003: Casting, replication, and anaglyph stereo imaging of microscopic detail in fossils, with examples from conodonts and other jawless vertebrates. Palaeontologia Electronica 6(2): 11p, 419KB.

Purnell, M. A., von Bitter, P. H. & Groessens, E. 2003: Taphrognathus carinatus (Higgins & Varker) (Conodonta, Vertebrata) from the Lower Carboniferous of Belgium, and international correlation using taphrognathids. Journal of Micropalaeontology 21, 97-104.

Purnell, M. A., 2002, Feeding in extict heterostracan fishes and testing scenarios of early vertebrate evolution. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, Series B 269 (no. 1486), 83-88. [View abstract or download pdf (891kb)]

Tolmacheva, T. Yu. & PURNELL, M. A. 2001: Apparatus Composition, Growth, and Survivorship of the Lower Ordovician Conodont Paracordylodus gracilis Lindström. Palaeontology 45, 209-228. [download pdf - 749kb]

Purnell, M. A. 2001: Scenarios, selection, and the ecology of early vertebrates. In Ahlberg, P. E. (ed.) Major Events in Early Vertebrate Evolution, Taylor & Francis, London. [view abstract or download pdf (8.4mb)]

Purnell, M. A. 2001: Feeding in conodonts and other early vertebrates. In Briggs, D. E. G. and Crowther, P. R. (eds) Palaeobiology II, Blackwell Science. [view abstract or download pdf (650kb)]

Baesemann, J. & Purnell, M. A.2000: Ubinates, a new name for the genus Aethotaxis Baesemann 1973 (Vertebrata, Conodonta) preoccupied by Aethotaxis Dewitt, 1962 (Vertebrata, Osteichtyes). Journal of Paleontology 74, 544. [download pdf (20kb)]

Purnell, M. A., Donoghue, P. C. J., & Aldridge, R. J. 2000: Orientation and anatomical notation in conodonts. Journal of Paleontology 74, 113-122. [View abstract or download pdf (650kb)]

Purnell, M. A. 2000: Fossil evidence of feeding and dietary preferences. In Singer, R. (ed.) Encyclopedia of Paleontology, Fitzroy Dearborn, Chicago.

Donoghue, P. C. J., & Purnell, M. A. 1999: Growth, function, and the conodont fossil record. Geology 27, 251-254. [View abstract or download pdf (650kb)]

Donoghue, P. C. J., & Purnell, M. A. 1999: Mammal-like occlusion in conodonts. Paleobiology 25, 58-74. [download pdf]

Purnell, M. A., & Donoghue, P. C. J. 1999: Flattened fossils, physical modelling, and the restoration of collapsed skeletons. In Savazzi, E. (ed.) Functional Morphology of Invertebrate Skeletons, 91-99. Wiley and Sons.

Purnell, M. A. 1999: Conodonts: functional analysis of disarticulated skeletal structures lacking extant homologues. In Savazzi, E. (ed.) Functional Morphology of Invertebrate Skeletons, 129-146. Wiley and Sons.

Donoghue, P. C. J., Purnell, M. A., & Aldridge, R. J. 1998: Conodont anatomy, chordate phylogeny, and vertebrate classification. Lethaia 31, 211-219.

Purnell, M. A., & Donoghue, P. C. J. 1998: Skeletal architecture, homologies and taphonomy of ozarkodinid conodonts. Palaeontology 41, 57-102.

Purnell, M. A., & Donoghue, P. C. J. 1997: Architecture and functional morphology of the skeletal apparatus of ozarkodinid conodonts. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London, Series B 352, 1545-1564.

Aldridge, R. J., & Purnell, M. A. 1996: The conodont controversies. Trends in Ecology and Evolution 11, 463-468. [download pdf (769kb)]

Purnell, M. A., Aldridge, R. J., Donoghue, P. C. J. & Gabbott, S. E. 1995: Conodonts and the first vertebrates. Endeavour 19, 20-27.

Purnell, M. A. 1995: Large eyes and vision in conodonts. Lethaia 28(2), 187-188.

Purnell, M. A. 1995: Microwear in conodont elements and macrophagy in the first vertebrates. Nature 374, 798-800.

Aldridge, R. J., Purnell, M. A., Gabbott, S. E. & Theron, J. N. 1995: The apparatus architecture and function of Promissum pulchrum Kovács-Endrödy (Conodonta, Upper Ordovician), and the prioniodontid plan. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London, Series B 347, 275-291.

Purnell, M. A. & Armstrong, H. A. 1995: Chapter 5: The Lower Carboniferous of Bewcastle and Gilsland. In Scrutton, C. T. (ed.): Northumbria Rocks and Landscape, 62-70. Yorkshire Geological Society and Ellenbank Press.

Purnell, M. A. 1994: Skeletal ontogeny and feeding mechanisms in conodonts. Lethaia 27, 129-138.

Armstrong, H. A. & Purnell, M. A. 1993: Thermal maturation of the Lower Carboniferous strata of the Northumberland Trough and Tweed Basin from conodont colour alteration index (CAI) data. Proceedings of the Yorkshire Geological Society 49, 335-343.

Purnell, M. A. 1993: The Kladognathus apparatus (Conodonta, Carboniferous): homologies with ozarkodinids and the prioniodinid Bauplan. Journal of Paleontology 67, 875-882.

Purnell, M. A. 1993: Feeding mechanisms in conodonts and the function of the earliest vertebrate hard tissues. Geology 21, 375-377.

Purnell, M. A. & von Bitter, P. H. 1992: Vogelgnathus Norby and Rexroad (Conodonta): new species from the Lower Carboniferous of Atlantic Canada and Northern England. Journal of Paleontology 66, 311-332.

Purnell, M. A. 1992: Conodonts of the Lower Border Group and equivalent strata (Lower Carboniferous) in northern Cumbria and the Scottish Borders. Royal Ontario Museum, Life Sciences Contributions 156, 1-79.

Purnell, M. A. & von Bitter, P. H. 1992: Blade-shaped conodont elements functioned as cutting teeth. Nature 359, 629-631.

Armstrong, H. A. & Purnell, M. A. 1987: Dinantian conodont biostratigraphy of the Northumberland trough. Journal of Micropalaeontology 6, 97-112.

Semi-popular or unrefereed contributions

Purnell, M. A. 1995: Conodonts and the Cambrian origin of vertebrate skeletons. Journal of the Open University Geological Society 15 (Symposium Edition, 1994), 6-9.

Purnell, M. A. 1996: Origins and Innovations: the first 200 million years of vertebrate evolution -Introduction. Transactions of the Leicester Literary and Philosophical Society 90, 35-37.

Purnell, M. A. 1997: Armed to the teeth. Rockwatch 17, 10-11.

Purnell, M. A. 1998: Hors D’oeuvre. Book Review for Trends in Ecology and Evolution 13, 422.