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Dr. Stephan Spiekman

Profilbild Stephan Spiekman

Emmy Noether Research Group Leader

Turtle Origins, Triassic Reptile Evolution

Contact

Tel.:
+49 (0) 711 / 8936-170
Fax:
+49 (0) 711 / 8936-100
E-Mail:
stephan.spiekman(at)smns-bw.de

Research interests

I am particularly interested in Triassic reptiles and their evolutionary radiation following the devastating Permo-Triassic mass extinction. This crucial period in reptile evolution allows me and my colleagues to investigate the origin of several major reptile groups, to understand completely unique body plans in long extinct reptiles, to reconstruct long gone habitats, and to investigate the impact of mass extinctions. In particular, I am interested in morphological innovations that are fundamental to the evolutionary success of major clades, such as the origin of complex skin appendages in reptiles and the formation of the turtle shell.

I recently started my own research group, funded by the DFG Emmy Noether programme, which focuses on one of the major outstanding mysteries in vertebrate systematics: the evolutionary origin of turtles. This project revolves around a detailed re-evaluation of Triassic stem-turtles that brings together aspects of micro-computed tomography (µCT) assisted comparative anatomy, ontogeny, histology, phylogeny, and biomechanics, with the ultimate aim of resolving the phylogenetic position of turtles among reptiles and elucidating the nature and mode of turtle body plan evolution.

 

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Publications

2024

  • Rytel, A., Surmik, D., Szczygielski, T., Spiekman, S.N.F., Van de Kamp, T., Zuber, M., Scheyer, T.M., 2024. Unique internal anatomy of vertebrae as a key factor for neck elongation in Triassic archosauromorphs. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 202(3): zlae126. https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae126

  • Spiekman, S.N.F., Butler, R.J., Maidment, S.C.R., 2024. The postcranial anatomy and osteohistology of Terrestrisuchus gracilis (Archosauria, Crocodylomorpha) from the Late Triassic of Wales. Papers in Palaeontology 10(4): e1577. https://doi.org/10.1002/spp2.1577

  • Sues, H.-D., Spiekman, S.N.F., Schoch, R.R., 2024. Osteology and phylogenetic relationships of a new archosauriform reptile from the early Middle Triassic (Anisian) of Germany. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology: 43(6): e2357326. https://doi.org/10.1080/02724634.2024.2357326

  • Rytel, A., Böhmer, C., Spiekman, S.N.F., Tałanda, M., 2024. Extreme neck elongation evolved despite strong developmental constraints in bizarre Triassic reptiles — implications for neck modularity in archosaurs. Royal Society Open Science 11: 240233. doi.org/10.1098/rsos.240233

  • Spiekman, S.N.F., Ezcurra, M.D., Rytel, A., Wang, W., Mujal, E., Buchwitz, M., Schoch, R.R., 2024. A redescription of Trachelosaurus fischeri from the Buntsandstein (Middle Triassic) of Bernburg, Germany: the first European Dinocephalosaurus-like marine reptile and its systematic implications for long-necked early archosauromorphs. Swiss Journal of Palaeontology 143(10). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13358-024-00309-6

  • Klug, C., Spiekman, S.N.F., Bastiaans, D., Scheffold, B., Scheyer, T.M., 2024. The marine conservation deposits of Monte San Giorgio (Switzerland, Italy) – the prototype of Triassic black shale Lagerstätten. Swiss Journal of Palaeontology 143(10). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13358-024-00308-7

  • Spiekman, S.N.F., Wang, W., Zhao, L., Rieppel, O., Fraser, N.C., Chun, L., 2024. Dinocephalosaurus orientalis Li, 2003: a remarkable marine archosauromorph from the Middle Triassic of Southwestern China. Earth and Environmental Science Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh 114(3-4): 218-250. https://doi.org/10.1017/S175569102400001X

2023

  • Spiekman, S.N.F., Fernandez, V., Butler, R.J., Dollman, K.N., Maidment, S.C.R., 2023. A taxonomic revision and cranial description of Terrestrisuchus gracilis (Archosauria, Crocodylomorpha) from the Upper Triassic of Pant-y-Ffynnon Quarry (southern Wales). Papers in Palaeontology 9(6): e1534. https://doi.org/10.1002/spp2.1534

  • Spiekman, S.N.F., 2023.A revision and histological investigation of Saltoposuchus connectens (Archosauria: Crocodylomorpha) from the Norian (Late Triassic) of southwestern Germany. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 199(2): 354–391. https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlad035

  • Spiekman, S.N.F. and Mujal, E., 2023. Decapitation in the long-necked Triassic marine reptile Tanystropheus. Current Biology 33(13): R708-R709. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2023.04.027

  • Wang, W., Spiekman, S.N.F., Zhao, L., Rieppel, O., Scheyer, T.M., Fraser, N.C., Chun, L., 2023. A new long-necked archosauromorph from the Guanling Formation (Anisian, Middle Triassic) of southwestern China and its implications for neck evolution in tanystropheids. The Anatomical Record. https://doi.org/10.1002/ar.25216

 

2021

  • Spiekman, S.N.F. and Klein, N., 2021. An enigmatic lower jaw from the Lower Muschelkalk (Anisian, Middle Triassic) of Winterswijk provides insights into dental configuration, tooth replacement and histology. Netherlands Journal of Geosciences 100: e17. https://doi.org/10.1017/njg.2021.12
  • Spiekman, S.N.F., Ezcurra, M.D., Butler, R.J., Fraser, N.C., Maidment, S.C.R., 2021. Pendraig milnerae, a new small-sized coelophysoid theropod from the Late Triassic of Wales. Royal Society Open Science 8(10): 210915. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.210915
  • Bakker, M.A.G., Van der Vos, W., De Jager, K., Chung, W-Y., Fowler, D.A., Dondorp, E., Spiekman, S.N.F., Chew, K-Y., Jiménez, R., Bickelmann, C., Kuratani, S., Blazek, R., Kondrashov, P., Renfree, M.B., Richardson, M.K., 2021. Selection on phalanx development in the evolution of the bird wing. Molecular Biology and Evolution 38(10): 4222-4237. https://doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msab150
  • Spiekman, S.N.F., Fraser, N.C., and Scheyer, T.M., 2021. A new phylogenetic hypothesis of Tanystropheidae (Diapsida, Archosauromorpha) and other “protorosaurs”, and its implications for the early evolution of stem archosaurs. PeerJ 9: e11143. https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.11143

2020

  • Spiekman, S.N.F., Neenan, J.M., Fraser, N.C., Fernandez, V., Rieppel, O., Nosotti, S., and Scheyer, T.M., 2020. The cranial morphology of Tanystropheus hydroides (Tanystropheidae, Archosauromorpha) as revealed by synchrotron microtomography. PeerJ 8: e10299. https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.10299
  • Spiekman, S.N.F., Neenan, J.M., Fraser, N.C., Fernandez, V., Rieppel, O., Nosotti, S., and Scheyer, T.M., 2020. Aquatic habits and niche partitioning in the extraordinarily long-necked Triassic reptile Tanystropheus. Current Biology 30(19), 3889-3895. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2020.07.025
  • Miedema, F., Spiekman, S.N.F., Fernandez, V., Reumer, J.W.F., and Scheyer, T.M., 2020. Cranial morphology of the tanystropheid Macrocnemus bassanii unveiled using synchrotron microtomography. Scientific Reports 10: 12412. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-68912-4
  • Scheyer, T.M., Wang, W., Li, C., Miedema, F., and Spiekman, S.N.F., 2020. Osteological re-description of Macrocnemus fuyuanensis(Archosauromorpha, Tanystropheidae) from the Middle Triassic of China. Vertebrata Palasiatica 58(3): 169-187. https://doi.org/10.5167/uzh-191434
  • Scheyer, T.M., Spiekman, S.N.F., Sues, H.-D., Ezcurra, M.D., Butler, R.J., and Jones, M.E.H, 2020. Colobops, a juvenile rhynchocephalian reptile (Lepidosauromorpha), not a diminutive archosauromorph with an unusually strong bite. Royal Society Open Science 7(3). https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.192179

2019

  • Spiekman, S.N.F. and Scheyer, T. M., 2019. A taxonomic revision of the genus Tanystropheus (Archosauromorpha, Tanystropheidae). Palaeontologia Electronica 22.3.80, 1-46. https://doi.org/10.26879/1038  
  • Spiekman, S.N.F., Winkelhorst, H., Bleeker, R., Dorst, M., de Haan, R., and Voeten, D.F.A.E., 2019. Tanystropheids from the Winterswijkse Steengroeve – rare but recurring elements in the Vossenveld paleoassemblage. Grondboor & Hamer (Staringia 16), 73(5/6): 208-215. https://doi.org/10.5167/uzh-182944

2018

  • Spiekman, S.N.F., 2018. A new specimen of Prolacerta broomi from the lower Fremouw Formation (Early Triassic) of Antarctica, its biogeographical implications and a taxonomic revision. Scientific Reports, 8(1):17996. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-36499-6
  • Werneburg, I. and Spiekman, S.N.F., 2018. Mammalian Embryology and Organogenesis. In: Zachos F, Asher R. (eds.). Handbook of Zoology: Mammalian Evolution, Diversity and Systematics. De Gruyter, Berlin. p. 59-116. https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110341553-004  

2017

  • Spiekman, S.N.F. and Werneburg, I., 2017. Patterns in the bony skull development of marsupials: high variation in onset of ossification and conserved regions of bone contact. Scientific Reports 7: 43197. https://doi.org/10.1038/srep43197

CV

2022 - 2026

  • Postdoc, Natural History Museum Stuttgart, Working group: Prof. Dr. Rainer Schoch

2020 - 2022

  • SNF Research Fellow (Early Postdoc.Mobility Fellowship), Natural History Museum London, Earth Sciences Department, Working group: Dr. Susannah Maidment

2020

  • 3D lab technician (assistent researcher), University of Zurich, Palaeontological Institute and Museum

2016 - 2020

  • Doctoral studies, University of Zurich, Palaeontological Institute and Museum, Working group: PD Dr. Torsten Scheyer

2014 - 2016

  • MSc. studies, Leiden University, Evolution, Biodiversity and Conservation

2010 - 2013

  • BSc. studies, Leiden University, Biology