We study marine diversity through time.
Our research aims to better understand the extinction mechanisms of marine life, especially sharks, and to assess the impacts of species loss on functional diversity. Our ultimate goal is to use this information to provide insights into conservation. To reach our research objectives, we integrate large sets of paleontological and neontological data and apply methods in ecology, evolution, phylogenetics and biogeography.
News
3 new papers!
Jack Cooper's new paper on the rise and fall of shark functional diversity is now published in Global Ecology and Biogeography.
Our marine megafauna in deep time review, which was done as part of our block course at UZH has also been published in Cambridge Prisms: Extinctions.
Finally, Erin Dillon and Catalina Pimiento published in Paleobiology an overview of the directions in which paleobiology could aid shark conservation
26.06.2024
We are a global research group
Our team members are based at the Paleontology Institute and Museum in the University of Zurich (Switzerland), at the Biosciences Department in Swansea University (United Kingdom) and at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (Panama).
Dr Catalina Pimiento
Group leader
Zurich and Swansea
Sharks' extinctions, evolution, ecology and conservation
Colombia
@pimientoc
Jack Cooper
PhD student
Swansea
Fossil sharks, especially Megalodon
GIANTS & SHARKS-FD
UK
@CooperPalaeo
Team
Gregor Mathes
Postdoc
Zurich
Climate
SHARKS-XT
Germany
@GregorMathes
Current Projects
Publications
Pimiento C & Antonelli A (2022) Integrating deep-time palaeontology in conservation prioritisation. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution 10:959364 https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2022.959364
Cooper JA, Griffin JN, Kindlimann R, & Pimiento C. (2023) Are shark teeth proxies for functional traits? A framework to infer ecology from the fossil record. Journal of Fish Biology, 1– 17. https://doi.org/10.1111/jfb.15326 (Student-led paper).
Cooper JA, Hutchinson JR, Bernvi DC, Cliff, G, Wilson RW, Dicken ML, Menzel, J, Wroe, S, Pirlo, J and Pimiento, C. (2022) The extinct shark Otodus megalodon was a transoceanic super-predator: inferences from 3D modelling. Science Advances abm9424, doi: 10.1126/sciadv.abm9424
Cooper, J.A., Pimiento, C., Ferrón, H.G., Benton M. (2020) Body dimensions of the extinct giant shark Otodus megalodon: a 2D reconstruction. Scientific Reports 10, 14596. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-71387-y (Student-led paper).
Pimiento C, Leprieur F, Silvestro D, Lefcheck J, Albouy C, Rasher DB, Davis M, Svenning JC, Griffin JN. (2020) Functional diversity and the fate of marine megafauna in the Anthropocene. Science Advances 6, eaay7650 doi: 10.1126/sciadv.aay7650.
Pimiento C, Albouy C, Silvestro D, Mouton TL, Velez L, Mouillot D, Griffin JN, Leprieur F. 2023. Functional diversity of sharks and rays is highly vulnerable and supported by unique species and locations worldwide. Nature Communications 14, 691. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-43212-3
Our values
We are passionate about our work.
We are committed to high quality science.
We promote diversity in our team.
We are open with our data, manuscripts and ideas.
We are conscious about our impact on the planet and try to reduce or carbon footprint