Warren D. Allmon

Warren-Allmon-2019.jpg

Dr. Warren D. Allmon

Director

607-273-6623 x114
[email protected]

Google Scholar

Education

  • A.B., 1982, Dartmouth College

  • Ph.D., 1988, Harvard University

Positions Held

  • 1988-1992

    Assistant Professor of Geology, Adjunct Professor of Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL

  • 1992-current

    Director, Paleontological Research Institution, Ithaca, NY

  • 2008-current

    Hunter R. Rawlings III Professor of Paleontology, Department of Earth & Atmospheric Sciences, Cornell University
    https://www.eas.cornell.edu/eas

Overview

As PRI’s Director since 1992, Warren Allmon has led the organization in its ambitious renovation and expansion, including the design and construction of the Museum of the Earth. In addition to his technical research, he writes and speaks frequently on the history of science, evolution and creationism, natural history museums and collections, and Earth science and climate change education. Dr. Allmon also supervises Cornell graduate and undergraduate students’ work on a wide variety of topics. Dr. Allmon’s research on the evolution of marine gastropods is currently supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation.

Research Focus

Dr. Allmon's research focuses on macroevolution and evolutionary paleoecology, especially the environmental and ecological context of evolutionary change, particularly in Cenozoic mollusks, and especially the gastropod family Turritellidae, which are nearly ubiquitous in the marine fossil record over the past 130 million years, and also widely distributed in modern oceans. More broadly, he also continues to work on theoretical and empirical aspects of speciation—the formation of new species–especially as it relates to patterns of nutrient availability and primary productivity in the oceans. He is also interested in the history of paleontology, including of paleoart.

Selected Publications

  • Johnson, E.H., B.M. DiMarco, D.J. Peterman, A.M. Carter, and W.D. Allmon, 2021, Reconstruction of extinct morphologies for experimentation: Did shell-crushing predators drive the evolution of ammonoid septal shape? Paleobiology, pp. 1–14 DOI: 10.1017/pab.2021.13 (published online 4/13/21)

  • Friend, D.S., B.M. Anderson, and W.D. Allmon, 2021, Geographic contingency, not species sorting, dominates macroevolutionary dynamics in an extinct clade of neogastropods (Volutospina; Volutidae). Paleobiology, 47(2): 236-250.

  • Shin, C.P., W.D. Allmon, B.M. Anderson, B.T. Kelly, K. Hiscock, and P.K.S. Shin, 2020, Distribution and abundance of turritelline gastropods (Cerithioidea: Turritellidae) in Hong Kong and the English Channel: Implications for a characteristic fossil assemblage. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 100(8): 1261-1270 DOI:10.1017/S0025315420001204

  • Allmon, W.D., and P.M. Mikkelsen. 2020. Bivalvia. In The Digital Encyclopedia of Ancient Life. https://www.digitalatlasofancientlife.org/learn/mollusca/bivalvia/

  • Pietsch, C., B.M. Anderson, L.M. Maistros, E.C. Padalino, and W.D. Allmon, 2021, Convergence, parallelism, and function of extreme parietal callus in diverse groups of Cenozoic Gastropoda. Paleobiology, 47(2): 337-362  DOI:10.1017/pab.2020.33 (published online 9/22/20)

  • Scholz, S.R., S.V. Petersen, J. Escobar, C. Jaramillo, A.J.W. Hendy, W.D. Allmon, J.H. Curtis, B.M. Anderson, N. Hoyos, J.C. Restrepo, and N, Perez, 2020, Isotope sclerochronology indicates enhanced seasonal precipitation in northern South America (Colombia) during the Mid-Miocene Climatic Optimum. Geology, 48(7): 668-672,  DOI:10.1130/G47235.1 (published online, 4/17/20)

  • Allmon, W.D., 2020, Invertebrate paleontology and evolutionary thinking in the U.S. and Britain, 1860-1940. Journal of the History of Biology, 53(3), 423-450.  DOI:10.1007/s10739-020-09599-1

  • Anderson, B.M., and W.D. Allmon, 2020, High calcification rates and inferred metabolic trade-offs in the largest turritellid gastropod, Turritella abrupta (Neogene). Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 544: 109623 | PDF

  • Sang, S., B.M. Anderson, D.S. Friend, and W.D. Allmon, 2019, Protoconch enlargement in Western Atlantic turritelline gastropod species following the closure of the Central American Seaway. Ecology and Evolution, 2019: 1-15, DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5120 | PDF

  • Ward, L.W., and W.D. Allmon, 2019, History of paleontology in Virginia 1607- 2007. Bulletins of American Paleontology, 397: 1-198.

  • Hagadorn, J.W., and W.D. Allmon, 2019, Paleobiology of a three-dimensionally preserved paropsonemid from the Devonian of New York. Palaeogeography, Palaeoecology, Palaeoclimatology 513: 208-214. | PDF

  • Ivany, L.C., C. Pietsch, J.C. Handley, R. Lockwood, W.D. Allmon, and J.A. Sessa, 2018, Little lasting impact of the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum on shallow marine mollusk faunas. Science Advances, 4: eaat5528 | PDF

  • Anderson, B.M., and W.D. Allmon, 2018, When domes are spandrels: On septation in Turritellidae and other gastropods. Paleobiology, 44(3): 444–459.

  • Allmon, W.D., G.P. Dietl, J.R. Hendricks, and R.M. Ross, 2018, Bridging the two fossil records: Paleontology’s “big data” future resides in museum collections. In Rosenberg, G.D., and Clary, R.M., eds., Museums at the forefront of the history and philosophy of geology: History made, history in the making. Geological Society of America Special Paper 535, p. 35-44. https://doi.org/10.1130/2018.2535(03)

  • Pierrehumbert, N.D., and W.D. Allmon, 2018, Morphology of crab predation scars on Recent and fossil turritellid gastropods. Palaeogeography, Palaeoecology, Palaeoclimatology, 497: 1-10. | PDF

  • Das, S.S., S. Saha, S. Bardhan, S. Mallick, and W.D. Allmon, 2018, The oldest turritelline gastropods: From the Oxfordian (upper Jurassic) of Kutch, India. Journal of Paleontology, 92(3): 373-387. | PDF

  • Allmon, W.D., and R.M. Ross, 2017, Evolutionary remnants as widely accessible evidence for evolution: The structure of the argument for application to evolution education. Evolution: Education and Outreach, 11:1 https://doi.org/10.1186/s12052-017-0075-1

  • Allmon, W.D., 2017, Response by Warren D. Allmon, Paleontological Research Institution for the presentation of the 2015 Paleontological Society Pojeta Award. Journal of Paleontology, 91(6): 1334–1336.

  • Johnson, E.H., B.M. Anderson, and W.D. Allmon, 2017, Can we learn anything from all those pieces? Obtaining data on drilling predation from fragmented high-spired gastropod shells. Palaios, 32(5): 271-277.

  • Allmon, W.D., 2017, Life-restorations of ammonites and the challenges of taxonomic uniformitarianism. Earth Sciences History, 36(1): 1-29.

  • Allmon, W.D., M.P. Pritts, P.L. Marks, B.P. Epstein, D.A. Bullis, and K.A. Jordan, 2017, Smith Woods. The environmental history of an old growth forest remnant in Central New York State. Paleontological Research Institution Special Publication No.53, 208 p.

  • Anderson, B.A., A. Hendy, E.H. Johnson, and W.D. Allmon, 2017, Paleoecology and paleoenvironmental implications of turritelline gastropod-dominated assemblages from the Gatun Formation (Upper Miocene) of Panama. Palaeogeography, Palaeoecology, Palaeoclimatology, 2017: 132-146.

  • Waite, R., and W.D. Allmon, 2016, Observations on the biology and sclerochronology of Turritella duplicata (Linnæus, 1758) (Cerithioida, Turritellidae) from southern Thailand. Malacologia, 59(2): 247-269.

  • Pietsch, C., H.C. Harrison, and W.D. Allmon, 2016, Whence the Gosport Sand (upper Middle Eocene, Alabama)? The origin of glauconitic shell beds in the Paleogene of the U.S. Gulf and Atlantic Coastal Plains. Journal of Sedimentary Research, 86(11): 1249-1268.

  • Allmon, W.D., 2016, Species, lineages, splitting, and divergence: Why we still need “anagenesis” and “cladogenesis”. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, published online: 1 Sept., 2016. Published in print, 1 February 2017, 120(2): 474–479.

  • Allmon, W.D., and S.D. Sampson, 2016, The stages of speciation: A stepwise approach to analysis of speciation in the fossil record. In Species and speciation in the fossil record. W.D. Allmon and M.M. Yacobucci, eds., University of Chicago Press, Chicago, pp. 121-167.

  • Allmon, W.D., 2016, Studying species in the fossil record: A review and recommendations for a more unified approach. In Species and speciation in the fossil record. W.D. Allmon and M.M. Yacobucci, eds., University of Chicago Press, Chicago, pp. 59-120.

  • Allmon, W.D., 2016, Coming to terms with “tempo and mode”: Speciation, anagenesis, and assessing relative frequencies in macroevolution. In Evolutionary theory: A hierarchical perspective. N. Eldredge, T. Pievani, E. Serrelli, and I. Temkin, eds., University of Chicago Press, Chicago, pp. 260-281.

  • Muscente, A.D., W.D. Allmon, and S. Xiao, 2016, The record of hydroids and analytical techniques for assessing the veracity of putative hydrozoan and possible hemichordate fossils. Palaeontology, 59(1): 71-87.

  • Allmon, W.D., 2016, Darwin and palaeontology: A re-evaluation of his interpretation of the fossil record. Historical Biology, 28(5): 680-706.

  • Hendricks, J.R., E.E. Saupe, C.E. Myers, E.J. Hermsen and W.D. Allmon. 2014. The generification of the fossil record. Paleobiology 40: 511–528 [https://doi.org/10.1666/13076] . [paper] [#857]

  • Hendricks, J. R., E. E. Saupe, C. E. Myers, E. J. Hermsen and W. D. Allmon. 2014. The generification of the fossil record. Paleobiology, 40(4,1): 511-528. [paper] [#624]

  • Allmon, W. D. and R. E. Martin. 2014. Seafood through time revisited: The Phanerozoic increase in marine trophic resources and its macroevolutionary consequences. Paleobiology, 40(2,1):256-287. [paper] [#625]

  • Ross, R. M., D. Duggan-Haas and W. D. Allmon. 2013. The posture of T. rex: Why do student views lag behind the science?. Journal of Geoscience Education 61(1): 145-160. [paper] [#345]

  • Allmon, W. D., R. M. Ross, R. A. Kissel and D. C. Kendrick. 2012. Using museums to teach undergraduate paleontology and evolution. In: Teaching Paleontology in the 21st century, Yacobucci, M.M. and Lockwood R. (eds.), The Paleontological Society, Special Publications, 12: 231-246. [paper] [#346]

  • Allmon, W. D. and R. M. Ross. 2011. Paleontology, nature, and natural history: an old approach to "environmental education". American Paleontologist, 19(2): 22-25. [#223]

  • Allmon, W. D., T. Smrecak and R. M. Ross. 2010. Climate change. Past, present, and future. A very short guide. Paleontological Research Institution Special Publication No. 38, 200 p. [#315]

  • Allmon, W. D., P. J. Morris and L. C. Ivany. 2009. A tree grows in Queens: Stephen Jay Gould and ecology. In Stephen Jay Gould: Reflections on his view of life. W.D. Allmon, P.H. Kelley, and R.M. Ross, eds., Oxford University Press, New York, pp. 147-170. [#209]

  • Allmon, W. D., R. A. Kissel, R. M. Ross, S. Sands and T. Smrecak. 2009. Teaching evolution in America: A status report on Darwin's 200th birthday. American Paleontologist, 17(1): 43-45. (extended version at www.priweb.org). [#232]

  • Ross, R. M., F. Allaby, C. S. Buckler, E. Y. Butler, D. Gabreski, L. M. Paciulli, K. J. Gremillion and W. D. Allmon. 2008. The Hyde Park Mastodon Matrix Project, with particular reference to the mollusks and seeds. Pp 111-134. in: Mastodon Paleobiology, Taphonomy, and Paleoenvironment in the Late Pleistocene of New York State: Studies on the Hyde Park, Chemung, and North Java Sites, W.D. Allmon & P.L. Nester (eds), Paleontographica Americana 61. [book chapter] [#231]

Research, Research-Scientist, Systematics, MacroevolutionPaleontological Research Institution