Molluscan Palaeontologist
I am an interdisciplinary scientist, with a first class undergraduate masters degree in Geoscience, a postgraduate masters degree in Biological Science and a PhD in Palaeontology.
As a palaeobiologist at the British Antarctic Survey, my recent research has focussed on the evolution of polar ecosystems on several different levels, from tracing the history of individual taxa through time to looking at the interaction of taxa and the community structure as a whole. These studies have also examined the interaction and evolution of biota through changing climatic and tectonic regimes.
Book Chapters
Griffiths, H. J., Whittle, R.J., Roberts, S. J., Belchier, M., Linse, K. and Thatje, S. (2014) Chapter 5.21. Decapoda: crabs & lobsters. De Broyer C., Koubbi P., Griffiths H.J., Raymond B., Udekem d’Acoz C. d’, et al. (eds.). Biogeographic Atlas of the Southern Ocean. Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research, Cambridge.
Refereed Journal Articles
Whittle, R.J., Hunter, A.W., Cantrill, D.J., McNamara, K.J. 2018. Globally discordant Isocrinida (Crinoidea)migration confirms asynchronous Marine Mesozoic Revolution. Communications Biology, 1, doi:10.1038/s42003-018-0048-0.
Gabbott, S.E., Browning, C., Theron, J.N., Whittle, R.J. 2017. The late Ordovician Soom Shale Lagerstȁtte: an extraordinary post-glacial fossil and sedimentary record. Journal of the Geological Society, 174, 1–9. 10.1144/jgs2016-076
Witts, J. D., Whittle, R.J., Wignall, P. B., Crame, J. A., Francis, J. E., Newton, R. J., Bowman, V. C.(2016). Macrofossil evidence for a rapid and severe Cretaceous–Paleogene mass extinction in Antarctica. Nature Communications. 7:11738.
Bowman, V., Ineson, J., Riding, J., Crame, J., Francis, J., Condon, D. Whittle, R., Ferraccioli, F. (2015). The Paleocene of Antarctica: biostratigraphy and palaeogeographical implications for the palaeo-Pacific margin of Gondwana. Gondwana Research. http://dx.doi:10.1016/j.gr.2015.10.018
Jennifer A. Jackson, J. A., Linse, K., Whittle, R. J. and Griffiths H. J. (2015). The evolutionary origins of the Southern Ocean philobryid bivalves: hidden biodiversity, ancient persistence. PlosONE 10: e0121198. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0121198
Crame, J. A., Beu, A. G., Ineson. J. R., Francis, J. E., Whittle, R. J. and Bowman, V.C. (2014). The Early Origin of the Antarctic Marine Fauna and its Evolutionary Implications. PLoS ONE 9: e114743. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0114743
Kemp, D. B., Robinson, S. A., Crame, J. A., Francis, J. E., Ineson, J., Whittle, R.J., Bowman, V. and O’Brien, C. (2014). A cool temperate climate on the Antarctic Peninsula through the latest Cretaceous to early Paleogene. Geology, 42, 583–586. http://dx.doi.org/10.1130/G35512.1
Whittle, R. J., Quaglio, F., Griffiths, H. J., Linse, K. and Crame, J. A. 2014. The Early Miocene Cape Melville Formation fossil assemblage
and the evolution of modern Antarctic marine communities. Naturwissenschaften, 101, 47-59. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00114-013-1128-0
Griffiths, H. J., Whittle, R. J., Roberts, S. J., Belchier, M. and Linse, K. 2013. Antarctic Crabs: Invasion or Endurance? PlosONE. http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0066981
Whittle, R. J., Quaglio, F., Crame, J. A. and Linse, K. 2012. Nuculidae (Bivalvia) in the Cape Melville Formation, King George Island, Antarctica, with an overview of the bivalve fauna. Antarctic Science, 24, 625-633. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0954102012000454
Whittle, R. J., Linse, K., and Griffiths, H. J. 2011. The fossil record of Limopsis (Bivalvia: Limopsidae) in Antarctica and the southern high latitudes. Palaeontology, 54, 935–952. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1475-4983.2011.01061.x
Quaglio, F., Whittle, R. J., Gaździcki, A. and Guimarães Simões, M. 2010. A new fossil Adamussium (Bivalvia: Pectinidae) from Antarctica. Polish Polar Research, 31(4), 291–302.
Whittle, R. J., Gabbott, S. E., Aldridge, R. J. and Theron, J. N. 2009. An Ordovician lobopodian from the Soom Shale Lagerstätte, South Africa. Palaeontology, 52, 561–567. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1475-4983.2009.00860.x
Whittle, R. J., Gabbott, S. E., Aldridge, R. J. and Theron, J. N. 2008. Late Ordovician (Hirnantian) scolecodont clusters from the Soom Shale Lagerstätte, South Africa. Journal of Micropalaeontology, 27, 147–159.
Whittle, R. J., Gabbott, S. E., Aldridge, R. J. and Theron, J. N. 2007. Taphonomy and palaeoecology of a Late Ordovician caryocaridid from the Soom Shale Lagerstätte, South Africa. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 251, 383–397. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo.2007.04.006
Whittle, Rowan, Hunter, AW, Cantrill, DJ, McNamara, KJ. (2018) Globally discordant Isocrinida (Crinoidea) migration confirms asynchronous Marine Mesozoic Revolution. Communications Biology, 1. 10.1038/s42003-018-0048-0
Gabbott, Sarah E., Browning, Claire, Theron, Johannes N., Whittle, Rowan J.. (2017) The late Ordovician Soom Shale Lagerstȁtte: an extraordinary post-glacial fossil and sedimentary record. Journal of the Geological Society, 174. 1-9. 10.1144/jgs2016-076
Bowman, V., Ineson, J., Riding, J., Crame, J., Francis, J., Condon, D., Whittle, R., Ferraccioli, F.. (2016) The Paleocene of Antarctica: dinoflagellate cyst biostratigraphy, chronostratigraphy and implications for the palaeo-Pacific margin of Gondwana. Gondwana Research, 38. 132-148. 10.1016/j.gr.2015.10.018
Witts, James D., Whittle, Rowan J., Wignall, Paul B., Crame, J. Alistair, Francis, Jane E., Newton, Robert J., Bowman, Vanessa C.. (2016) Macrofossil evidence for a rapid and severe Cretaceous-Paleogene mass extinction in Antarctica. Nature Communications, 7. 10.1038/ncomms11738
Jackson, Jennifer A., Linse, Katrin, Whittle, Rowan, Griffiths, Huw J.. (2015) The evolutionary origins of the Southern Ocean philobryid bivalves: hidden biodiversity, ancient persistence. PLoS One, 10. 20 pp. 10.1371/journal.pone.0121198
Crame, J. Alistair, Beu, Alain G., Ineson, Jon R., Francis, Jane E., Whittle, Rowan J., Bowman, Vanessa C.. (2014) The early origin of the Antarctic Marine Fauna and its evolutionary implications. PLoS One, 9. 22 pp. 10.1371/journal.pone.0114743
Griffiths, Huw J., Whittle, Rowan J., Roberts, Stephen J., Belchier, Mark, Linse, Katrin, Thatje, Sven. (2014) Decapoda: crabs and lobsters. In: Biogeographic Atlas of the Southern Ocean, Cambridge, Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research, 185-189.
Kemp, David B., Robinson, Stuart A, Crame, J. Alistair, Francis, Jane E., Ineson, Jon, Whittle, Rowan J., Bowman, Vanessa, O'Brien, Charlotte. (2014) A cool temperate climate on the Antarctic Peninsula during the latest Cretaceous and early Paleogene. Geology, 42. 583-586. 10.1130/G35512.1
Whittle, Rowan, Quaglio, Fernanda, Griffiths, Huw, Linse, Katrin, Crame, J. Alistair. (2014) The Early Miocene Cape Melville Formation fossil assemblage and the evolution of modern Antarctic marine communities. Naturwissenschaften, 101. 47-59. 10.1007/s00114-013-1128-0
Griffiths, H.J., Whittle, R.J., Roberts, S.J., Belchier, M., Linse, K.. (2013) Antarctic crabs: invasion or endurance?. PLoS One, 8. 10.1371/journal.pone.0066981
Whittle, Rowan J., Quaglio, Fernanda, Crame, J. Alistair, Linse, Katrin. (2012) Nuculidae (Bivalvia) in the Cape Melville Formation, King George Island, Antarctica, with an overview of the bivalve fauna. Antarctic Science, 24. 625-633. doi:10.1017/S0954102012000454
Whittle, Rowan J., Linse, Katrin, Griffiths, Huw J.. (2011) The fossil record of Limopsis (Bivalvia: Limopsidae) in Antarctica and the southern high latitudes. Palaeontology, 54. 935-952. 10.1111/j.1475-4983.2011.01061.x
Quaglio, Fernanda, Whittle, Rowan Jane, Gaździcki, Andrzej, Simões, Marcello Guimarães. (2010) A new fossil Adamussium (Bivalvia: Pectinidae) from Antarctica. Polish Polar Research, 31. 291-302. 10.2478/v10183-010-0006-0
Whittle, Rowan J., Gabbott, Sarah E., Aldridge, Richard J., Theron, Johannes. (2009) An Ordovician lobopodian from the Soom Shale Lagerstatte, South Africa. Palaeontology, 52. 561-567. 10.1111/j.1475-4983.2009.00860.x
Whittle, Rowan, Gabbott, Sarah, Aldridge, Richard, Theron, Johannes. (2008) Late Ordovician (Hirnantian) scolecodont clusters from the Soom Shale Lagerstatte, South Africa. Journal of Micropalaeontology, 27. 147-159. 10.1144/jm.27.2.147
Major shift in marine life occurred 33 million years later
News 17 May, 2018
Nature Live – Natural History Museum, London
Event 9 March, 2018
SCIENCE IN THE SEA: The adventure begins
Blog 22 February, 2018
Antarctic fossils show creatures wiped out by asteroid
News 26 May, 2016