UPDATED:
![[The University of Leicester]](../images/unilogo.gif)
New Blood Lecturer
+44 (0) 116 252 3947
dmu1@le.ac.uk
Professional Responsibilities: David is a full time researcher/lecturer in the Department with specific responsibilities for teaching the Specialist Option on Natural Science Curation. This option includes both lectures and field work and has two aims: (1) to provide an introduction to the scientific importance and curation of natural history collections; (2) to explore the range, methodologies and impact of the science being conducted on those collections.
My research is focused on pterosaurs, an extinct group of flying reptiles also known as pterodactyls. I am particularly interested in pursuing a 'holistic' approach toward trying to understand these strange and rather baffling creatures. This entails research into many different aspects of pterosaurs - their anatomy, flight, walking abilities, respiration, growth, origins, interrelationships and evolutionary history - the results of which can be compared, one with another, assessed, refined and, ultimately, developed into a comprehensive and consistent understanding of pterosaur palaeobiology. At present I am actively involved in projects on new Chinese pterosaurs with colleagues from Beijing, the reproductive biology and growth of pterosaurs with a colleague from Lincoln University, pterosaur wings and flight with several colleagues from the UK, pterosaur tracks with colleagues from the USA and Spain, giant pterosaurs with colleagues from Spain and France, and computer modeling of pterosaur locomotion with a colleague from Canada.
David joined the Dept. of Museum Studies in the summer of 2006 after eight years as the Curator of Fossil Reptiles and Birds in the Museum für Naturkunde, Berlin. In addition to caring for the collections, which included the Berlin Archaeopteryx, the most famous fossil in the world, David used his time in Berlin to pursue his research program on pterosaurs, a highlight of which was the publication in 2005, by Pi Press, of The Pterosaurs. He also helped to develop an application for and subsequently led the German section of the EU funded museums-based project SYNTHESYS (www.synthesys.info), and was the principal scientific officer responsible for the redevelopment of the Dinosaur Hall, scheduled to reopen in July 2007. Prior to moving to Berlin David was based in the Dept. of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, where he was supported by a Royal Society Research Fellowship. During his eight years in Bristol David developed a broad range of research projects on pterosaurs and other Mesozoic vertebrates, aided by a string of PhD students and several joint programs with colleagues in Russia, China and the US. He was also widely involved in teaching, particularly within palaeontology and helped to establish the highly successful MSc in Palaeobiology (www. ). David took his first degree, in Geology, at Sheffield University (1982), and his PhD, on Cretaceous pterosaurs, at Reading University (1991) under the supervision of Bev Halstead.
Unwin, D. M. and Martill, D. M. (accepted) Pterosaurs from the Lower Cretaceous Crato Formation of the Chapada do Araripe, north east Brazil. In Martill, D. M. (ed.), The Fossils Of The Crato Formation: Window On An Ancient World. Cambridge University Press.
Unwin, D. M ., Lü Junchang and Deeming, D. C. 2006. Were all pterosaurs oviparous? Pp. 143-169. In: Papers from the 2005 Heyuan International Dinosaur Symposium. Geological Publishing House, Beijing.
Lü, Jun-chang, Jin, Qinsheng, Unwin, D. M., Zhao, Lijun, Azuma, Y. 2006. A new species of Huaxiapterus (Pterosauria: Pterodactyloidea) from the Lower Cretaceous of Western Liaoning, China with comments on the systematics of tapejarid pterosaurs. Acta Geologica Sinica, 80, 315-326.
Unwin, D. M. 2005. The Pterosaurs from Deep Time. Pi Press, New York, 347pp.
Wilkinson, M. T., Unwin, D. M. & Ellington, C. P. 2005. Lift capability of pterosaur wings and the evolution of gigantism. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. 273, 119-126.
Steel, L., Martill, D. M., Unwin, D. M. & Winch, J. D.2005.‘A new pterodactyloid pterosaur from the Wessex Formation (Lower Cretaceous) of the Isle of Wight, England. Cretaceous Research, 26, 686-698.
Tischlinger, H. & Unwin D. M. 2005. Ultra-violet light investigation of the Berlin example of Archaeopteryxlithographica H. v. Meyer 1861 and the isolated Archaeopteryx feather. Archaeopteryx, 23, 17-50.
Deeming, D. C. and Unwin, D. M. 2004. Reptilian incubation: evolution and the fosil record. In Deeming D. C. (ed.), Reptilian Incubation: Environment, Evolution and Behaviour. Nottingham University Press, Nottingham. p. 1-14.
Unwin, D. M. 2004. Eudimorphodon and the early history of pterosaurs. In: Renesto, S. & Pagganoni, A. (eds), A symposium honouring the 30th anniversary of the discovery of Eudimorphodon, Bergamo 2003. Riv. Mus. civ. Sc. Mat. "E. Caffi" Bergamo, 22, 41-48.
Bakhurina, N. N. & Unwin, D. M. 2004. Reconstructing the flight apparatus of Eudimorphodon . In: Renesto, S. & Pagganoni, A. (eds), A symposium honouring the 30th anniversary of the discovery of Eudimorphodon, Bergamo 2003. Riv. Mus. civ. Sc. Mat. "E. Caffi" Bergamo, 22, 7-10.
Unwin, D. M. 2003. Smart-winged pterosaurs. Nature, 425, 910-911.
Unwin, D. M. 2003. On the phylogeny and evolutionary history of pterosaurs. In: Buffetaut, E. & Mazin, J.-M. (eds), Evolution and Palaeobiology of Pterosaurs. Geological Society, London, Special Publications 217, 139-190.
Carpenter, K., Unwin, D. M., Cloward, K. & Miles, C. A. 2003. new scaphognathine pterosaur from the Upper Jurassic Morrison Formation, Bone Cabin Quarry, Wyoming, USA. In: Buffetaut, E. & Mazin, J.-M. (eds), Evolution and Palaeobiology of Pterosaurs. Geological Society, London, Special Publications 217, 45-54.
Unwin, D. M. 2002. On the systematic relationships of Cearadactylusatrox, an enigmatic Early Cretaceous pterosaur from the Santana Formation of Brazil. Mitteilungen Museum für Naturkunde Berlin, Geowissenschaftlichen Reihe, 4, 237-261.
Hwang, Koo-Geun, Huh, M., Lockley, M. G., Unwin, D. M. & Wright, J. L. 2002. New pterosaur tracks (Pteraichnidae) from the Late Cretaceous Uhangri Formation, SW Korea. Geological Magazine, 139 (4), 421-435.
Unwin, D. M. 2002. Pterosauria (Pterosaurs). In: Encyclopedia of Life Sciences, 15, 700-702. http://www.els.net, London: Nature Publishing Group.
Unwin, D. M. 2001. An overview of the pterosaur assemblage from the Cambridge Greensand (Cretaceous) of Eastern England. Mitteilungen Museum für Naturkunde Berlin, Geowissenschaftlichen Reihe, 4, 189-222.
Unwin, D. M. Patterns and processes of gigantism in pterosaurs. International Congress of Vertebrate Morphology IV, Journal of Morphology, 248, 292. [Abstract].
Unwin, D. M. 2001. Pterosaur locomotion. In: Briggs, D.E.G. & Crowther, P., (eds), Palaeobiology II, 422-425.
Unwin, D. M. & Benton, M.J. 2001. Longisquama fossil and feather morphology. Science. 291, 1899.
Unwin, D. M. & Henderson, D. 2001. Ein Saurier bewegt sich wieder. Theatrum Naturae, 1, 7-9.
Benton , M. J., Kurochkin, E., Shiskin, M. & Unwin, D. M. (eds) 2000. The Age of Dinosaurs in Russia and Mongolia. Cambridge University Press, 696pp.
Unwin, D. M. & Bakhurina, N. N. 2000. Pterosaurs from Russia, Middle Asia and Mongolia. In: Benton, M.J., Kurochkin, E., Shiskin, M. and Unwin, D. M. (eds), The Age of Dinosaurs in Russia and Mongolia. Cambridge University Press, pp. 420-433.
Unwin, D. M., Alifanov, V. A. & Benton, M. J. 2000. Enigmatic small reptiles from the Late Triassic of Kirghizia. In: Benton, M. J., Kurochkin, E., Shiskin, M. and Unwin, D. M., (eds), The Age of Dinosaurs in Russia and Mongolia. Cambridge University Press, pp. 177-186.
Unwin, D. M., Lü, J. & Bakhurina, N. N. 2000. On the systematic and stratigraphic significance of pterosaurs from the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation (Jehol Group) of Liaoning, China. Mitteilungen Museum für Naturkunde Berlin, Geowissenschaftlichen Reihe, 3, 181-206.
Unwin, D. M. & Heinrich, W.-D. 1999. On a pterosaur jaw remain from the Late Jurassic of Tendaguru, East Africa. Mitteilungen Museum für Naturkunde Berlin, Geowissenschaftlichen Reihe, 2, 121-134
Unwin, D. M. 1999. Pterosaurs: back to the traditional model? Trends in Evolution and Ecology, 14(7), 263-268.
Unwin, D. M. 1999. Cretaceous fossil vertebrates (Editor). Special Paper in Palaeontology,60, 1-219.
Evans, S. E., Manabe, M., Cook, E., Hirayama, R., Isaji, S., Nicholas, C., Unwin, D. M., & Yabumoto, Y. 1998. An Early Cretaceous assemblage from Gifu Prefecture, Japan. In: Lucas, S. G., Kirkland, J. I. and Estep, J. W. (eds), Lower and Middle Cretaceous Terrestrial Ecosystems. New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science, Bulletin, 14: 183-186.
Unwin, D. M. 1998. Feathers, filaments and theropod dinosaurs. Nature391: 119-120. (reprinted in Gee, H. (ed.) 2001, 'Rise of the Dragon', University of Chicago Press, Chicago, 83-86).
Unwin, D. M. 1997. The new dinosaur book. Aladdin Books, London, 32 pp. [Book].
Wright, J. L., Unwin, D. M., Lockley, M. G. & Rainforth, E. 1997. Pterosaur tracks from the Purbeck Formation of Dorset, England. Proceedings of the Geologist's Association, 108: 39-48.
Martill, D.M. & Unwin, D. M. 1997. Small spheres in fossil bones: blood corpuscles or diagenetic artefacts? Palaeontology. 40: 619-624.
Kemp, R. A. & Unwin, D. M. 1997. The taphonomy of Archaeopteryx. Lethaia, 30: 229-238.
Lockley, M.G., Huh, M., Lim, S.-K., Yang, S.-Y., Chun, S.-S., & Unwin, D. M. 1997. First report of pterosaur tracks from Asia, Chullanam Province, Korea. Journal of the Palaeontological Society of Korea, 2: 17-32.
Unwin, D. M. , Bakhurina, N. N., Lockley, M. G., Manabe, M., & Lü, J. 1997. Pterosaurs from Asia. Journal of the Palaeontological Society of Korea,2: 43-65.
Unwin, D. M. & Lü Junchang 1997. On Zhejiangopterus and the relationships of pterodactyloid pterosaurs. Historical Biology, 12: 199-210.
Unwin, D. M. 1997. Pterosaur tracks and the terrestrial ability of pterosaurs. Lethaia, 29: 373-386.
Unwin, D. M. 1996. The fossil record of Middle Jurassic pterosaurs. In: Morales, M. (ed.), The Continental Jurassic, Museum of Northern Arizona Bulletin, 60: 291-304.
Unwin, D. M. 1996. Mysteries of prehistoric life. Aladdin, London. 40 pp. [Book].
Unwin, D. M. , Hasegawa, Y., Shimizu, K. & Manabe, M. 1996. First record of pterosaurs from the Early Cretaceous Tetori Group: a wing-phalange from the Amagodani Formation in Shokawa, Gifu Prefecture, Japan. Bulletin of the National Science Museum, Tokyo, Series C (Geology and Paleontology), 22, 37-46.
Unwin, D. M. , Frey, E., Martill, D. M., Clarke, J. & Riess, J. 1996. On the nature of the pteroid in pterosaurs. Proceedings of the Royal Society: Biological Sciences, 263, 45-52.
Bakhurina, N. N. & Unwin, D. M. 1995. A survey of pterosaurs from the Jurassic and Cretaceous of the former Soviet Union and Mongolia. Historical Biology, 10, 197-245.
Bakhurina, N. N. & Unwin, D. M. 1995. A preliminary report on the evidence for 'hair' in Sordes pilosus, an Upper Jurassic pterosaur from Middle Asia. In: Sun, A. and Wang Y. (eds) Sixth Symposium on Mesozoic Terrestrial Ecosystems and Biota. Short Papers, pp. 79-82.
Unwin, D. M. 1995. Preliminary results of a phylogenetic analysis of the Pterosauria (Diapsida: Archosauria). In: Sun, A. and Wang Y. (eds) Sixth Symposium on Mesozoic Terrestrial Ecosystems and Biota. Short Papers, pp. 69-72.
Unwin, D. M. & Bakhurina, N. N. 1995. Wing shape in pterosaurs. Nature, 374, 316.
Unwin, D. M. & Bakhurina, N. N. 1994. Sordes pilosus and the nature of the pterosaur flight apparatus. Nature, 371, 62-64.
Unwin, D. M. 1994. Brachiosaurus. Kingfisher, London, 39 pp. [Book].
Unwin, D. M. 1993. Aves. In: Benton, M. J. (ed.), The Fossil Record 2, pp 717-737, Chapman and Hall, London.
Deeming, D. C., Halstead, L. B., Manabe, M. Unwin, D. M. 1993. A true ichthyosaur embryo with comments on ichthyosaur ontogeny. Modern Geology, L. B. Halstead Memorial Volume, 18 (4), 423-442.
Unwin, D. M. 1992. Wings over the dinosaur world. Wildlife Fact File Yearbook1993: 54-59.
Unwin, D. M. 1991. The morphology systematics and evolutionary history of pterosaursfrom the Cretaceous Cambridge Greensand of England. PhD thesis, Department of Zoology, Reading University, 527 pp.
Martill, D. M., Wilby, P. & Unwin, D. M. 1990. Stripes on a pterosaur wing. Nature, 346: 116.
Fraser , N.C. & Unwin, D. M. 1990. Pterosaur remains from the Upper Triassic of Britain. Neues Jahrbuchfur Geologie und Palaeontologie Monatsheft, 1990(5): 272-282.
Unwin, D. M. 1989. A predictive method for the identification of vertebrate ichnites and its application to pterosaur tracks. In: Gillette, D. M. and Lockley, M. (eds), Dinosaur tracks and traces, pp 259-274, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
Martill, D. M. & Unwin, D. M. 1989. Exceptionally well preserved pterosaur wing membrane from the Cretaceous of Brazil. Nature, 340: 138-139.
Unwin, D. M. 1988. New pterosaurs from Brazil. Nature, 332: 398-399.
Unwin, D. M. 1988. A new pterosaur from the Kimmeridge Clay of Kimmeridge, Dorset. Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 109: 150-153.
Unwin, D. M. 1988. Extinction and survival in birds. In: Larwood, G.P. (ed.), Extinction and Survival in the Fossil Record. Systematics Association Special Volume34, 295-318, Clarendon Press, Oxford.
Unwin, D. M. 1988. New remains of the pterosaur Dimorphodon (Pterosauria: Rhamphorhynchoidea) and the terrestrial ability of early pterosaurs. Modern Geology, 13: 57-68.
Unwin, D. M. 1987. Pterosaur locomotion. Joggers or waddlers? Nature, 327: 13-14.
Unwin, D. M. 1987. Pterosaur extinction: nature and causes. Memoires Sociéte Geologique de France, 150: 105-111.
Unwin, D. M. 1986. Electric pterosaur takes off. Geology Today, 2(1): 17.